The practicum is an eight-month experiential learning program designed for aspiring farmers, urban gardeners, environmental educators, and students with an interest in applying their learning about sustainable agriculture and food systems.
Our program graduates share a vision of livelihoods and lifestyles grounded in sustainable and community-based food systems. The majority have maintained a practice of farming, gardening, and food growing — at many different scales and in diverse forms, such as business start-ups, partnerships with seasoned farmers, and in community gardening and outreach settings.
WHERE: University of British Columbia Farm (UBC Farm) hosts the practicum, and provides the foundation for learning. It is a 24-hectare teaching, research, and community farm, located at the southern end of UBC Vancouver’s campus.
WHAT: The main approach to learning is hands-on practice. Students carry out seasonal farm activities with leadership provided by the practicum teaching team and UBC farm staff in the greenhouses, fields, teaching gardens, orchard, and marketing outlets.
The programming includes guest speakers, field trips, demonstrations, classroom sessions, readings, assignments, and more. Curriculum includes:
- Soil fundamentals and soil fertility management
- Greenhouse management and horticultural skills building activities
- Irrigation set up and maintenance methods
- Weed/pest identification and management
- Sustainable cultivation methods
- Safe operation of small tractors and implements
- Harvesting and post-harvest handling techniques
- Diverse direct marketing techniques and practices
- Larger food systems topics and discussion
- Introduction to special topics, such as beekeeping, mushroom cultivation, flowers, herbs, cheese-making, and more.
WHEN: March, 2015 – October, 2015; part-time. In March-April, one day per week (Saturdays); May-August, four days per week (Wednesday and Thursday mornings; andFriday-Saturdays); September-October, two days per week (Friday-Saturdays).
WHO: All are welcome to apply. There are no pre-requisites. The program accepts approximately ten students each year.
To learn more about the UBC Farm Practicum in Sustainable Agriculture, and to submit your application, click: http://ubcfarm.ubc.ca/
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