Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["TradingPostPaul" <tradingpost@riseup.net>]

http://www.organic.cornell.edu/ocs/tutorial/index.html

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Welcome to the Living Laboratory Course on Organic Farming

The Living Laboratory Course on Organic Farming is an opportunity to deepen
your understanding of organic farming systems. It consists of a series of
web based learning modules (see menu) and field experiences at the project
experiments. The intent of the course is to provide organic farmers with a
deeper understanding of the biology underlying organic cropping systems,
and to introduce extension personnel, crop advisors and researchers to the
scientific basis of organic practices.

Beginning in 2006, two learning modules will be posted at this web site
each year. They will draw on the experiments to develop particular topics
related to organic production systems. The intent of the modules is not to
comprehensively review an entire subject such as organic insect management
or nutrient management. Each such subject could be a course in itself.
Instead the modules will use hypotheses and findings of the experiments to
illustrate important concepts in organic farming. We will complement the
modules posted here with hands-on exercises during annual field days held
at the experiments. For those who are unable to attend the field days, we
will post photographs and summaries of activities. Finally, after field
days and after a module has been posted long enough for participants to
work through the exercises, we will host an on-line chat in which you can
ask questions of project personnel and discuss the subject matter with
other course participants.

The idea is to give you an experience something like a college laboratory
course. As in more conventional laboratory courses, the idea is not to
cover all topics, but rather to deepen your understanding through personal
interaction with the subject matter. Unlike conventional courses, you can
jump into this course at any time since each module stands on its own. Best
of all, this course is fun and absolutely free!