Program Schedule

PROPOSED 2025 Schedule

MSU Organic Farmer Training Program

BOLD = On-Farm Learning Days
Italics = Online Interactive Learning
Underlined = Field Trips

2/24/2025	1	Welcome + Intros + Values & Goals (On-Farm in Detroit, location TBD)
3/3/2025	2	Intros + Farm Plans for Businesses, Homesteads & Community Farms + Using the Class tools (online)
3/10/2025	3	Farm Tour + Understanding Soils + Pruning Fruit (On-Farm in East Lansing)
3/17/2025	4	Soils! Soil Maps + Fertility/Cover Crops/Compost + Soil Plans
3/24/2025	5	Enterprise/Project Choices; Enterprise Budgets + Present Soil Plans (online)
3/31/2025	6	Organic Certification + Crop Plans, Succession, Crop Rotations (online)
4/7/2025	7	Farm Tour + Transplant Production (on-farm at Keep Growing Detroit)
4/14/2025	8	Other Certifications + Conservation Programs/Techniques + Site Planning (online)
4/21/2025	9	Market Options + Community Engagement + Present Site Plans + Community Q &A review (online)
4/28/2025	10	Crop Families & Intercropping/3 Sisters + Rainwater Harvest + Community Q & A review (on-farm)
5/5/2025	11	Market/Community Research + Community Q&A (online)
5/12/2025	12	Farm Tour + Race & Food Systems + Farms & Farmers (on-farm, location TBD)
5/19/2025	13	Field Trip 1: 4 Detroit Farms
5/26/2025		No Class – Memorial Day
6/2/2025	14	Planting & Irrigation + Cucurbits (on-farm)
6/9/2025	15	Weeds + Greens (on-farm)
6/16/2025	16	Field Trip 2: 4 Ann Arbor Farms
6/23/2025		No Class – Juneteenth
6/30/2025	17	Insect Pests & Beneficials, Crop Diseases + Roots (on-farm)
7/7/2025	18	Labor Plan + Volunteers + Farmer Wellness + Risk/Insurance (online)
7/14/2025	19	Season Extension + Alliums (on-farm)
7/20 to 7/22	20	Field Trip 3: 6+ Chicago Farms with bunkhouses/camping at Camp Bullfrog Lake (Sun/Mon/Tues)
7/28/2025	21	Tree Fruits & Berries (on-farm at Detroit Partnership for Food Learning & Innovation)
8/4/2025	22	Cut Flowers + Herbs (on-farm)
8/11/2025	21	Startup Budgets + Loans, Grants and Funding + Community Q & A (online)
8/18/2025	22	Tractors & Equipment + Solanaceae (on-farm at MSU Student Organic Farm in E. Lansing)
8/25/2025	23	Field Trip 5: Lansing Farms
9/1/2025		No Class – Labor Day
9/8/2025	26	Field Trip 4: Grand Rapids Farms
9/15/2025	27	Food Safety, Harvest & Wash/Pack +Brassicas (on-farm)
9/22/2025	28	Financials + Sustainability Plans + Business/Non-Profit Types (online)
9/29/2025	29	Field Trip 6: Flint Farms
10/6/2025	30	Records, Pricing, Taxes + Farm Plan Presentation Prep + OFTP Survey (online)
10/13/2025		No Class – Indigenous People's Day
10/20/2025	31	Farm Plan Presentations + OFTP Community Input Session (online)
10/27/2025	32	Farm Plan Presentations + Vision for Food & Ag Systems (online)
11/3/2025	33	Farm Plan Presentations (online)
TBD		Graduation celebration

Typical Schedule

May vary due to guests, weather, or activities.

On-Farm Days, 13 Mondays, 9am-3:45pm

@ Keep Growing Detroit or the MSU Student Organic Farm

9 – 10 am Farmwalk or Theme activities
10 – 10:20am Break
10:20 - Hands-on Activities
Noon – 1pm Lunch Break
1 – 3:00pm Hands-on or Theme Activities
3:00– 3:30pm Discuss Community Q & A Questions
3:30 – 3:45 Evaluation

Field Trips, 5 Mondays (~8am-6pm) + 1 Weekend

5 day trips:

Detroit (4 farms)
Lansing (3 or 4 farms)
Ann Arbor (3 or 4 farms)
Grand Rapids (3 farms)
Kalamazoo or Flint (3 or 4 farms)

1 weekend trip:

Chicago* (6+ farms and a few fun field trips!)

Carpool or drive solo.

*The 2025 Chicago trip will be Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, July 20 to 22nd. The Chicago trip includes group camping or simple bunkhouse (your choice, free of charge) at a county park 30 minutes southwest of downtown Chicago. If you prefer not to camp or stay in the cabin, you can choose to pay for your own overnight options or stay with friends in the area.