Study and application of shop skills used in agricultural processes including arc welding, oxyacetylene cutting and welding, drawing and planning projects, tool maintenance, metal working, woodworking, plumbing, and concrete. Combined with credit AGME-1315.

An introduction to Integrated Pest Management (IPM): Concepts, principles, development and application of IPM. Examine insect life cycles, entomology, and ecological interactions of insects and plants. IPM constitutes a series of pest control tactics and strategies toward more sustainable agriculture, natural resources, and urban and rural health and well-being. Combined with credit AGCR-1393.

This course will discuss local agricultural pests and their impact on crops in Central Texas. Topics will include building and maintaining healthy soil, plant and insect biological cycles , identification and diagnosis of pest problems, and the selection, implementation and theory of integrated pest management. *This class is taught asynchronously, which means there are no set meeting times and the students are able to complete the lessons and activities at their own pace through Blackboard. However, live sessions will be held as needed. The information will be posted to Blackboard Announcements.

This is an introduction class to beekeeping for anyone who is interested in keeping bees on a small scale. All students will emerge with enough information and hands on knowledge to start a colony of bees, and resources for answering questions that will arise as a result of beekeeping through the year. We will spend part of our time in the classroom, with a significant portion being hands-on experience.

Understanding and working with your soil is essential to farming and ranching. Introduction to Soil is a study of the physical properties of soil including structure and texture. Topics include the origin and development of soils, the composition of soil horizon, and the interrelationship between soil fertility and plants. Emphasis will be placed on different methods for soil conservation and soil building practices in sustainable agriculture.

The goal of this class is to understand the origins, major concepts, and current issues of sustainability in local and global agriculture. The economic, environmental and social aspects of sustainability in agroecosystems will be addressed. Students evaluate the environmental impact of conventional agriculture and the solutions that sustainable agriculture provides. Students will also examine the economic and social issues in agriculture and different pathways to increase profitability and social equity for the farmer. This course includes case studies and field trips to connect principles of sustainable agriculture to local farming systems. Combined with credit AGCR-1371.

This course will provide an overview of irrigation systems appropriate for landscape and small farm usage. Topics include determining plant and landscape needs, selecting equipment and layout design, sizing components, water conservation, installation, and troubleshooting. Hands-on activities will take place when possible.

This course will be an experiential introduction to small-scale farming techniques. Using the campus farm as our lab, we will address sustainable management practices of specialty crops, including crop planning, field preparation, greenhouse management, cultivation, irrigation, harvest and post-harvest handling. Course time will include field trips and independent projects. Students should be prepared to work on the farm in all weather conditions and should expect to get dirty, laugh, and have fun outside as we build our campus farm.

Study of physical and chemical soil deterioration and loss, water conservation, and principles for protection and maintenance of these resources. Topics include plant/water relationships, water conservation methods, basic terrace engineering principles, sediment loss, basic grazing and forage management and land use plans. Combined with credit AGCR-2313.

Introduction to the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils. Topics include the relationship between crops and soils, conservation of soil and water resources, and the economic use of fertilizer. Combined with credit AGCR-2418.