Program Schedule

OFTP Schedule 2024

MSU Organic Farmer Training Program

BOLD = On-Farm Learning Days
Italics = Online Interactive Learning
Underlined = Field Trips

2/19/2024 1 Welcome + Intros + Values & Goals + Farm Plans (online)
2/26/2024 2 Enterprise/Project Choices; Enterprise Budgets + Community Farm Plans (online)
3/4/2024 3 Market Options (CSA, etc.) + Community Engagement + Farm Business Plans (online)
3/11/2024 4 Market Research & Community Research + Homestead Plans (online)
3/18/2024 5 Organic/Other Certifications + Farmland & Site Plans (online)
3/25/2024 6 Crop Plans, Successions, Crop Rotations & Soil Maps (online)
4/1/2024 7 Farm Tour + Understanding Soils (On-Farm at MSU Student Organic Farm in East Lansing)
4/8/2024 No Class - Solar Eclipse
4/15/2024 8 Farm Tour + Transplant Production (on-farm at Keep Growing Detroit)
4/22/2024 9 Site Plan Presentations + Fertility/Cover Crops/Compost + Soil Plans (online)
4/29/2024 10 Conservation Plans, Programs & Techniques + Holistic Decisions (online)
5/6/2024 11 Crop Families & Intercropping/3 Sisters + Rainwater Harvesting (on-farm)
5/13/2024 12 Race & Food Systems + Farms & Farmers + Midterm (online)
5/20/2024 13 Field Trip 1: 4 Detroit Farms
5/27/2024 No Class – Memorial Day
6/3/2024 14 Planting & Irrigation + Cucurbits (on-farm)
6/10/2024 15 Weeds + Greens (on-farm)
6/17/2024 No Class – Juneteenth
6/24/2024 16 Field Trip 2: 4 Ann Arbor Farms
7/1/2024 17 Insect Pests & Beneficials, Crop Diseases + Roots (on-farm)
7/8/2024 18 Labor Plans + Volunteers + Farmer Wellness + Risk/Insurance (online)
7/15/2024 19 Season Extension + Alliums (on-farm)
7/20 to 7/22 20 Field Trip 3: 6+ Chicago Farms with bunkhouses/camping at Camp Bullfrog Lake
7/29/2024 21 Tree Fruits & Berries (on-farm at Detroit Partnership for Food Learning & Innovation)
8/5/2024 22 Cut Flowers + Herbs (on-farm)
8/12/2024 23 Field Trip 4: 4 Grand Rapids Farm
8/19/2024 24 Tractors & Equipment + Solanaceae (on-farm in E. Lansing)
8/26/2024 25 Field Trip 5: 4 Lansing Farms
9/2/2024 No Class – Labor Day
9/9/2024 26 Startup Budgets + Loans, Grants and Funding (online)
9/16/2024 27 Field Trip 6: 4 Flint Farms
9/23/2024 28 Food Safety, Harvest & Wash/Pack +Brassicas (on-farm)
9/30/2024 29 Financials + Sustainability Plans + Business/Non-Profit Types (online)
10/7/2024 30 Records, Pricing, Taxes + Farm Plan Presentation Prep + OFTP Survey (online)
10/14/2024 No Class – Indigenous People's Day
10/21/2024 31 Farm Plan Presentations + OFTP Community Input Session (online)
10/28/2024 32 Farm Plan Presentations + Vision for Food & Ag Systems (online)
11/4/2024 33 Farm Plan Presentations (online)
TBD Graduation celebration

Typical Schedule

May vary due to guests, weather, or activities.

On-Farm Days, 10 Mondays, 9am-5pm

@ Keep Growing Detroit or the MSU Student Organic Farm

9 – 10 am Farmwalk or Theme activities
10 – 10:20am Break
10:20 - Hands-on Activities
Noon – 1pm Lunch Break
1 – 3:00pm Hands-on or Theme Activities
3:00– 3:20pm Break
3:20 – 4:45 Farm Walk or Theme activities
4:45 – 5pm Evaluation

Field Trips, 5 Mondays (~8am-6pm) + 1 Weekend

5 day trips:

Detroit (4 or 5 farms)
Lansing (3 or 4 farms)
Ann Arbor (3 or 4 farms)
Grand Rapids (3 farms)
Kalamazoo or Flint (3 or 4 farms)

1 weekend trip:

Chicago* (6+ farms)

Carpool or drive solo.

*The 2024 Chicago trip is Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. The 2025 Chicago trip will be Sunday, Monday, Tuesday. The Chicago trip includes group camping or simple bunkhouse (your choice, free of charge) at a county park 30 minutes from downtown Chicago. If you prefer not to camp or stay in the cabin, you can choose to pay for your own overnight options or stay with friends in the area.