Farm Layout:

1
Farm Layout
Perennial Guilds
North
Cover Crop
Cut Flowers, Perennial Nursery, Experimental
Plots
Paths for tractor turn around
6 blocks of intensive vegetable, herb flower
cultivation
2
Block Layout
Rotation with No Mulch / Rye Straw Mulch
Rotation with Straw Mulch
Companion Plantings / Polycultures
North South Bed Orientation
Block Size 62 h x 42 w Block Space 14,880 7
beds (4 bed2 path) /block
Temporal Polyculture Jeavons Plan
Keyhole Beds / Intensive Polycultures
Rotation with Alfalfa Hay Mulch
3
Last Day of Class

• A farm manager hired
• 13 interns hired for the summer
• Seedlings in the greenhouse
• A plan for summer

4
Overview of Summer Accomplishments

• 6 Blocks of Intensive Production
• Guiding Principles in Motion
• Tested Various Markets, with success
• Developed Partnerships
• Unexpected Outcomes

5
Monoculture Blocks
6
Companion Block
7
Companion Block
8
Jeavons Block
9
Keyhole Block
10
Management Structure
Farm Manager
Faculty Advisors
Student Program Coordinator
Interns Volunteers

• Guiding Principle The student farm will be
  cooperatively planned and managed by a core group
  of students in collaboration with MISA,
  University faculty and other organizations.

11
Crops Farm Management

• Continuous Cover System /
• Green Lands, Blue Waters ethic
• Cover crops
• Companion Plantings
• Perennial Guilds
• No Spraying

• Guiding Principle The student farm through its
  operation will grow, harvest and market a
  diversity of crops using sustainable organic
  practices that utilize local resources, reflect
  natural ecosystems and improve the quality of the
  farmland.

12
Research

• 13 Student interns (9 undergraduate,
  4 graduate students) hired, each with an
  individual research projects

• Guiding Principles The student farm will
  encourage students to implement, monitor, and
  evaluate innovative and sustainable organic
  farming practices.

13
2005 Intern Research Projects

• David Campbell, Environmental Sciences
• Cucurbit Pest Investigation Keyhole Block
• Joel Bradley, Political Science
• Cut Flower Production
• Deborah Garrido, Nutrition (grad student)
• Cornercopia's Wild Salad Mix
• Ben Jordan, Computer Science
• Mushroom Production Monoculture Block
• Ravi Raju, Public Affairs (grad student)
• Marketing
• Jesse Sadowsky, Environmental Horticulture
• Cover Crops and Green Manures Monoculture Block
  
• Peter Gillitzer, Environment and Natural
  Resources
• Grape Establishment Jeavon's Polyculture Block

14
2005 Intern Research Projects

• Meagan Keefe, Natural Resources Science and
  Management (grad student)
• Perennial guild plantings
• Neal Bauer, Biosystems and Agricultural
  Engineering
• Buffer zone planning Companion block
• Rachael Dettman, Applied Economics (grad student)
• Organic certification
• Angela Haugen, Plant Biology
• Education and outreach
• Laura Freund, Environmental Horticulture
• Sustainable landscapes Monoculture block
• Jared Ashling, Environmental Horticulture
• Farm management

15
Outreach Education

• Field Days
• U Day Camp Program
• STARS Program
• Agriculture and Food Sciences Academy

• Guiding Principle The student farm utilizes and
  teaches sustainable organic farming practices to
  students, faculty and community members. It will
  serve as a gathering place for interdisciplinary
  learning communities and a resource for extension
  in sustainable organic agriculture."

16
Markets

• MPLS Campus Farmers Market Average Sales
  600 /week
• St. Paul Market Stand Sales 30-100 /week
• St. Paul Campus Office Deliveries Sales
  50-200 /week
• Restaurants, Co-ops, School Districts, and other
  events

17
Fruits of our Labor

• Season Total 8,658

18
Partnerships

• Currently partnered with 14 organizations to
  various degrees
• Partners for Special Events (3)
• Internships Co-Hosts (5)
• Provide Supply Expertise (4)
• Provide Volunteers and Educational Opportunities
  (2)
• Other Potential partners in conversation with (5
  )

19
Press!

• Articles in
• Sustainable Agriculture Newsletter (4)
• MN Daily (Reprinted in Star Trib ) (3)
• COAFES News (2)
• ACGA Newsletter
• New Farm Website

20
Challenges

• Transition from Spring to Summer to Fall
  semesters
• High rates of Student turn-over season to season.
  
• Organizational Structure
• Funding for Internships
• Organic Certification Record Keeping

21
Unexpected surprises

• You make the University look good
• Being sought out for new partnerships
• You can grow 8,000 worth of produce on a ½ an
  Acre.

22
Thanks!
23
Questions?

• Courtney Tchida
• Student Program Coordinator _at_ MISA
• Contact info
• 612-625-2738
• tchi0003_at_umn.edu
• umsof_at_umn.edu
• http//sof.coafes.umn.edu/