Sustainable Agriculture

(Formerly GRBD 150) Course focuses on the principles of sustainable agriculture for animal, crop, and garden production. Students will learn to make a farm, homestead, or garden a reality or to make current agricultural endeavors more sustainable, efficient, and profitable. Students will learn sustainable theory and be able to apply this to the nuts and bolts of market gardens, food forests, livestock management, and small farm operations. This class may include students from multiple sections. 

(Formerly GRBD 151) This course examines food production and consumption by analyzing the resource cycles and movement of food from seed to table. Students will discuss the economic and political decisions that frame our food sheds such as industrial agriculture, food justice, policy, health, school food systems, Community Supported Agriculture, and small scale farming. Students will also explore the opportunities and challenges in building community food projects that create lasting systems change. This class may include students from multiple sections. 

(Formerly GRBD 152) This course investigates community and home- scale food production with a focus on farm design, intensive mini-farming, permaculture, and urban homesteading. Through research and practical applications, students will learn how to create small-scale food systems that mimic natural ecosystems. Students will explore the resiliency and diversity of garden farming via edible forests, ecosystem design, animal husbandry, mini orchards, season extensions, food self-reliance, and intensive planting strategies. This class may include students from multiple sections.