We have added several new classes over the past year or two.  Check out these Fall Semester classes that may be of interest to Sustainable Food and Farming majors:

STOCKSCH 197 CP – Crop Planning for Diversified Vegetable Farms (1) – This course will give the students a clear understanding of how to set up and operate successful systems for crop planning for a diversified vegetable farm.  All aspects from system design, data entry, mapping, scheduling, to record keeping will be addressed.  Students will walk away with a very usable system for crop planning on a diversified vegetable farm plan.  Instructor is Dan Kaplan, manager of Brookfield Farm.

STOCKSCH 198 P – Permaculture Gardening at UMass (1) – In this hands-on class students will learn about permaculture basics while maintaining our on-campus permaculture demonstration gardens.  By application only (contact Xochi Salazar).

STOCKSCH 297AL – Agricultural Leadership and Community Education I (3) – Learn to work with community groups in a leadership role.  Great class for anyone who wants to work with non-profits, neighborhood groups, Peace Corp, Food Corp, etc.  Instructor is Sarah Berquist.

STOCKSCH 197 B – Shamanic Herbalism (1) – a form of plant-based healing built upon a symbiotic relationship between humans and medicinal herbs that supports the health and wholeness of the physical body, the spiritual self, and the Earth. Instructor is Kristen Avonti.

STOCKSCH 197MC – Intro to Mushroom Culture (1) – Learn the basics of mushroom cultivation including laboratory skills to grow mycelium, cultivation methods and medicinal value. Instructor is Willie Crosby.

STOCKSCH 197 T – Tools for Life (1) – This course is designed to introduce students to the basic types of skills and tools necessary to work with wood and other natural fibers. This class will focus on three fundamental tools: the knife, the saw, and the needle. Material and tools will be introduced progressively and by means of projects and other experiential learning exercises to give students an understanding of the origin and fundamental application of these crafts. On completion, students will be uniquely prepared to further their explorations with wood and fiber, and to use their skill with the knife, saw, and needle to solve modern problems with local resources.” Instructor is Aaron Jermain.

STOCKSCH 397 GB – Grapevine Biology (3) – This course will cover viticultural practices, culture and grapevine biology related to fall production.  Emphasis will be on the challenges and opportunities of the local cold climate and sustainable practices.  Instructor is Elsa Petit.

STOCKSCH 356 – Food Justice and Policy (3) – offered in alternate years.  This course examines the role of policy in determining WHAT we eat, WHO experiences barriers to access to safe, healthy, local, fairly produced foods, and HOW we create equity and sustainability in our local food system.  Instructor is Catherine Sands.

By Dana Lucas, UMass Sustainable Food and Farming student

D Acres is a large scale non-profit permaculture farm and homestead nestled in the White Mountains near Dorchester, New Hampshire, operating since 1997.  D Acres mission is to provide a space for community outreach, sustainable lifestyle education and applied regenerative system farming.  “D Acres” stands for a Development Aimed at Creating Rural Ecological Society, which they have embodied successfully by running a hostel, a work exchange program and by providing accommodations to the nearby community. By implementing both old homesteading techniques and newer technology, D Acres is considered to be one of the most successful large-scale permaculture farms in New England.

There are a variety of examples of permaculture design on the 180 acre property. By mimicking an ecological system this farm is able to manage inputs and outputs efficiently and effectively.  A large part of D Acres regenerative system is dedicated to reducing energy and water consumption  using technologies such as composting toilets and solar hot water showers. Additionally, much of the land is dedicated to the conservation of the forest, which is used for both accessible trails and sustainable timber use. D Acres uses timber from fallen trees, which are moved with oxen in order to reduce the use of fossil fuels.  Wood from these trees is used for crafting items such as wooden spoons or burning as firewood. A successful food forest has been planted among the rows of annual crops in order to provide perennial fruit and nut production and expand the edible landscape.

This farm is also committed to seed saving in order to lower off farm inputs. Possibly most important are the inclusion of different animals on the farm such as the pigs, which feed off of free “waste” collected from the local grocery story. By embodying the three ethics of permaculture: earth care, fair share, and people care, D Acres is saving natural resources by constantly finding ways to reduce consumer consumption. D Acres strives to continue modeling the system of nature, which is always the best designer.

It is highly recommended to take a trip out to D Acres if you would like a weekend getaway or are interested in learning more about how to create a sustainable lifestyle.  For more information, see: http://www.dacres.org/.

More Pictures from D Acres….

The UMass Amherst Libraries host “Growing Season: Women in Agriculture and Food Production,” through August 15, 2016, in the W.E.B. Du Bois Library, both on the Lower Level and in Special Collections and University Archives, on Floor 25, at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

On the Lower Level, “Growing Season” focuses on the growth and encouragement of women in agriculture and food production at Massachusetts Agricultural College (MAC or “Mass Aggie,” the precursor to UMass Amherst and the home of the Stockbridge School of Agriculture) from the 1910s through the 1930s. With growing local food supply issues from 1900-1920 due to WWI and population movement from farms to cities, MAC started special and short course programs that engaged women in practical agriculture, like gardening, fruit growing, dairying and also rural social services and home economics. The growing Extension Service program reached out to rural and farm community members with instructional workshops and pamphlets.

On display in Special Collections and University Archives, floor 25, are collections that reflect women and food production, including cookbooks focused on preservation and canning; Helen Hunerwadel who taught and advised on agricultural in Burma and Iran in the 1940s and 1950s; and Elizabeth Henderson, an organic farming pioneer and founding member of the Northeast Organic Farming Association.

The exhibit draws upon the archival collections in Special Collections and University Archives and includes photos, articles, and other artifacts.

For more information, contact Kirstin Kay at kay@library.umass.edu, 413-545-6843.

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Approximately 58% of the 140 students currently in the Sustainable Food and Farming major in the Stockbridge School of Agriculture are women.

Sustainable Food and Farming majors at UMass are invited to apply for this free summer class.

SUS 220: Clean Energy and Sustainable Agriculture – 6 credits transferable to UMass

COURSE DESCRIPTION: Clean energy is becoming a priority as our global community faces the challenge of climate change. At the same time agriculture is changing to meet the needs of a more environmentally aware consuming public. In this intercollegiate and collaborative course students will learn how to apply clean energy technologies to sustainable agriculture practices. This class brings together students at Holyoke Community College, Hampshire College and the University of Massachusetts Amherst to learn a variety of emerging technologies. Topics will include solar, wind and geothermal technologies, ecological farming, greenhouse management, rainwater collection, root zone heating and considerations of social justice. This course is intended for second year students. Permission of instructor is required. Field trips will involve physical activity and appropriate dress.

• Earn 6 Credits transferable to UMass
• Monday to Wednesday 9:00am to 1:00pm
• Thursday 9:00am to 3:00pm

COURSE OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of this course students will understand:

(1) the application of solar thermal energy in an agricultural setting;

(2) the application of solar photovoltaic energy in an agricultural setting;

(3) the application of wind energy in an agricultural setting;

(4) the application of geothermal energy in an agricultural setting;

(5) the use of biomass as an energy source in an agricultural setting;

(6) the production and harvesting of food;

(7) the management of greenhouses;

(8) the use of energy sources in greenhouses;

(9) the use of machinery, including solar tractors and cooling trailers, in an agricultural setting;

(10) food systems and social justice as it relates to food systems.

COURSE METHODS: This collaborative course will be taught by a number of instructors on three campuses; HCC, Hampshire and UMass Amherst. As outlined in the schedule there will be a variety of activities each day. Lectures, discussions and hands on activities will be the primary methods. This course will focus on clean energy sources with an emphasis on agricultural applications. We will present, in broad outline, the problem of climate change, the implication and the legacy of fossil fuel consumption, and the practicality of developing clean energy sources for environmental, societal, technological, and financial benefits. As much as possible students will be asked to discover answers for themselves, collaborating in small groups, and sharing their findings with their cohort. What are the benefits? Does the technology have applications in our area? What clean energy applications are already up and running in the Pioneer Valley? Have these applications lived up to their promise? While at Hampshire College, students will engage on multiple levels with several different energy technologies, including design and assessment of a mobile refrigeration trailer, alternative models for root and vegetable storage, electric tractor conversion, and solar arrays to power farm operations.   Students will learn in the classroom, on Hampshire’s 100-acre farm and in Hampshire’s innovative Center for Design laboratory. Students will visit other farms and operations that incorporate these technologies in different ways. Students should participate as reflective practitioners throughout the course.

TEXTBOOK: There is no textbook for this course. Materials will be distributed throughout the course as well as being posted on the course Moodle site.

METHOD OF EVALUATION: Students will be expected to keep a notebook/sketchbook. This will serve as a class notebook as well as a reflective journal. Reflective evaluative papers will be written every two weeks, as well as a final evaluation.

ATTENDANCE POLICY: While each student is expected to attend all classes, two excused absences will be allowed, and additional absences may be considered on a case-by-case basis. More than two absences may result in an administrative withdrawal. Consistent tardiness or leaving class early will be counted as absences.

Contact John Gerber to apply at jgerber@umass.edu

To see some video clips from our class last summer, see;

Class Videos

The UMass Amherst Sustainable Food and Farming Program is pleased to be able to offer three ONLINE classes in Permaculture and Design this spring as part of our 15-credit Certificate Program.  Classes begin on January 19 and registration closes whenever the classes fill up or on January 29 at the latest.

Among the 22 online classes we offer year round are the following three which will begin soon (click on the title for more information):

STOCKSCH 197 G – Introduction to Permaculture

Description: The Introduction to Permaculture Course is a three-credit course that offers students a foundation in permaculture history, ethics, principles, design process, and practical applications. The framework behind the theory and practice of permaculture is rooted in the observation of natural systems. By observing key ecological relationships, we can mimic and apply these beneficial relationships in the design of systems that serve humans while helping to restore the natural world. This course trains students as critical thinkers, observers, and analysts of the world(s) around them, and then goes on to provide students with the tools needed to design for inspired and positive Continue reading Three ONLINE Permaculture & Design Classes →