The Cultivating
Success™
Certificate Program
Three
Certificate Options are Available:
1. Degree-seeking
students
enrolled at either Washington State University or University of Idaho
may sign up for classes through the regular channels are eligible to
receive the Certificate of Completion in Sustainable Small
Acreage Farming and Ranching. This is
a 15-18
unit certificate to give students a concentrated focus in Sustainable
Small Acreage Farming and Ranching.
Click here or scroll down to view the Academic Requirements for a
Certificate of Completion.
2 & 3.
Community members,
not enrolled in a degree program, can sign up for two certificate
options, either a Level I or Level II Certificate of Proficiency in
Sustainable Small Acreage Farming & Ranching (SSAFR).
SSAFR
Certificate of Completion Level I requirements:
- Sustainable Small Farming and Ranching OR Agricultural
Entrepreneurship
- Two other courses from two separate modules
- Completion of an Internship or Mentorship from the Farm-Based
Learning module
OR
-
Sustainable Small Farming and Ranching AND Agricultural Entrepreneurship
- One other course
- Completion of a course from the On Farm Learning module
SSAFR Certificate of Completion Level II requirements:
Same
as Level I + two additional Cultivating Success™ courses
Certificate of Completion consists of 15-18 credits, including two
required courses and a choice of course from each of three modules.
Required Courses:
SUSTAINABLE SMALL FARMING & RANCHING
(WSU Soils 404,
UI Ag 416, 3 credits)
ON-FARM INTERNSHIP
(WSU Soils 498, UI Ag
298, 3-6 credits)
Students may then choose at
least one course
(3 credits or more) from each of the following content areas or
modules:
Business
Module
AGRICULTURAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP
(WSU Soils 403, UI Ag
417, 3 credits)
Sustainable Production Module
ORGANIC GARDENING AND FARMING
(WSU Soils 101, UI Ag 101, 3 credits)
ORGANIC FARMING PRACTICUM
(WSU Soils 480,
UI Ag 404, variable credits)
ECOLOGICAL SOILS MANAGEMENT
(WSU Soils 301,
3 credits)
SUSTAINABLE SMALL ACREAGE LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION
(UI AVS 404, 3 credits)
Sustainable Food Systems Module
SCIENCE, SOCIETY AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS
(WSU Soils 150,
UI Ag 150, 3 credits)
FIELD ANALYSIS OF SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS
WORLD AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(WSU
Soils 445, UI Ag 445, 3 credits)
Note:
New courses will be
added as developed or as they become available.
For more
information or see when courses are offered, please visit the Courses section.
Course Descriptions
Sustainable Small
Farms Overview
Sustainable
Small Farming & Ranching
This course has
students taking a realistic look at their goals and resources, and helps
them evaluate what type of small acreage enterprise is right for them.
Students are exposed to all types of farming and ranching systems, guest
farmers speak to the class, and field trips are taken to local farms.
Browse photos from a recent SSAFR
field trip. Click here for locations.
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Farm Based Learning
· Academic
On-Farm Internship:
The Cultivating Success™ internship is offered for 1-6 credits. This is
a more traditional internship where all learning takes place at the
internship site and the intern works directly with a farmer instructor
to gain hands-on experience. Internships will correspond with the
farming / ranching season. Students may also learn other aspects of
the farm operation, such as marketing at a farmers market. The student
does not have to own or operate their own farm, as they can use the
resources provided by the internship-mentor. *On-farm learning fees
apply to the internship.
· On-farm
Mentorship: This
option is for people who have difficulties meeting the demands of the
traditional internship but want to gain experience and/or earn a
Cultivating Success™ Completion Certificate. This is a great opportunity
for beginning farmers with their own farm, garden plot, or access to
land where they can practice and apply what they learn one-on-one from a
farmer mentor. A mentorship can be made up of a series of farm-walks,
workshops, conferences or by part-time learning from a trained farmer
mentor. This is a “build your own” option and other opportunities may be
counted in addition to those above as long as they fulfill the
requirements set by Cultivating Success™.
* On-farm learning fees are based on the number of credit/hours of the
academic internship and are part of enrollment costs for this course.
All farms offering
internships and mentorships are certified
instructional farms and have a site-specific curriculum associated with the
operation. Interested farmers receive on-going assistance with curricula
development and implementation by the coordinator.
Currently internships and mentorships are available on farms in
Laclede ID,
Sandpoint ID,
Harvard ID, Colfax WA and
Colton WA
Click here for learn more about our farmer
mentors.
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Business
Module
Agricultural Entrepreneurship
This is an
existing curriculum widely used by university and extension educators
throughout the country. This in-depth business planning course covers
evaluating resources, planning and research, legal and management issues,
marketing strategies, budgets and financial statements and cultivating money
resources. Participants have a completed business plan at completion of
course. Again, farmer and community business people served as guest
speakers, bringing real world experience to the class.
Click here for locations.
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Sustainable Production
Organic Gardening and Farming
Principles and
production practices of organic gardening and farming including cropping and
composting systems, techniques, tools, and resources. Incorporates guest
speakers, field trips, and hands-on experience. Available in Moscow/Pullman.
Click here for instructor's website. é
Organic Farming Practicum
Production
skills necessary to manage an organic market garden or farm. Practices
learned in Organic Gardening and Farming will be put into practice. 2005
Summer course. Available in Moscow/Pullman.
Browse photos of a recent
visit to the WSU Organic Farm.
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Ecological Soils Management
A hands-on approach to learning to build a healthy soil complex that
promotes a balance of soil nutrients and organisms. Available in
Moscow/Pullman.
é
Sustainable Small
Acreage Livestock Production
Covers alternative healthy practices, nutrition, feeding, housing,
rotational grazing, processing, marketing and regulations. Available in
Moscow/Pullman.
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Sustainable Food Systems
Science, Society and
Sustainable Food Systems
This course
provides a basic understanding of food systems, the role of science in our
food systems, and issues of sustainability. Students will explore the broad
view of food and farming systems at the individual, community, society and
ecosystem levels. Some of the topics explored are environmental issues in
sustainable agriculture and food production, pesticides, fertilizers,
organic wastes, biotechnology, quality of life, and risk-benefit
assessment.
Available in Moscow/Pullman. Click
here to visit instructor's website.
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Field Analysis of
Sustainable Food Systems
This
course is a weeklong immersion field trip that exposes students to all
aspects of the food system, using participatory and experiential learning
techniques. Participants will visit farmers and processors throughout
the region and assess food systems sustainability using a learning systems
approach. The course helps existing and potential producers understand
and take advantage of the context within which they are farming.
Available in Moscow/Pullman.
Browse photos from previous participants.
Click here
for instructor's website. é
World Agricultural Systems
This course
explores the interaction between agriculture and human societies ( past and
present). It includes historical discussions of the world’s major food
crops and farming methods, current agricultural systems on our planet, and
the role that climate and soils play in both of these.
Available through
distance delivery.
Click here for instructor's website.
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