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. Integrated 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. Integrated with credit AGCR-1393.

This introductory course will teach the basics of mycology and mushroom cultivation. Students will gain a conceptual knowledge of fungal anatomy, life cycles, and common pests. Students will also gain experiential knowledge of the cultivation process including storing genetics on Petri dishes, grain transfers, substrate transfers, and construction of at-home fruiting chambers.

The goal of this class is to understand the origins, major concepts, and current issues of sustainability in local and global agriculture. Topics include the economic, environmental, and social aspects of sustainability in agroecosystems. 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. Integrated with credit AGCR-1371.

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. Integrated 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.