WSU offers intensive course in organic gardening

PULLMAN, Wash. –  Washington State University Extension Master Gardeners and the WSU Organic Farm are teaming up to offer an intensive, multi-week course in organic gardening.  The “Organic Gardening Intensive” program begins Feb. 23 and will run through May 11.

Parts of the intensive course will be held at WSU's Organic Farm located at the edge of the Pullman campus. Click on image to download a high resolution version.

The course will include four selected Saturday sessions that run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Wednesday sessions that run from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.  Overall, participants will receive 35 hours of instruction from WSU faculty, researchers and area farmers.  Classes will be held in the greenhouses on the Pullman campus as well as at the WSU Organic Farm.  The program will cover everything from composting and soil preparation to garden planning and irrigation, as well as organic pest management and fertilization methods.

This is the program’s second year, according to R. Justin Hougham, member of the Organic Farm Project.  Hougham said he is really excited to be able to offer the “Organic Gardening Intensive” course again because it went well last year and served as a major access point in organic farm research at WSU.

“We have found that a lot of people that interact with the WSU Organic Farm generally have a lot of questions about instruction on organic gardening,” Hougham said. “Some participants of the course are community members that are looking for experience and knowledge to improve their own small businesses, such as local farmers and growers.  It is really great to be able to serve that part of the community.”

Participants willing to give 20 hours of volunteer service at the WSU Organic Farm following the training will pay $150 for the course.  All other participants will be asked to pay $250. Additional information is available at http://organic.farm@wsu.edu/.

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This story was written by Chelsea Low, an intern in the WSU College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences’ Department of Marketing, News, and Educational Communications.