Organic Agriculture Seminar Series for Growers

Organic Seedling Production

Christoff, Center for Agroecology, UCSC

January 18, 2022

This discussion covered greenhouses for seedling production with a focus on system efficiencies. Drawing on decades of experience with organic seedling production, Christof Bernau addressed automated watering, seeding methods and expediting germination, soil quality and fertility, container choices and more.

Summary_Organic Seedling Production

Water Management During Drought Conditions

Michael Cahn, Irrigation and Water Resource Farm Advisor at UCCE Monterey County

January 25, 2022

During drought conditions when water supplies are limited, understanding the water needs of the crops you would like to grow, your available irrigation supply, and best practices for efficient irrigation water application are critical. This seminar will focus on how to manage your irrigation practices during a drought. 

Summary- Irrigation Water Management during Drought Conditions

Seedbank Management and Physical Weed Control Strategies for Small-scale Vegetable Farmers

Rebecca Champagne + Jordan Parks, Gallandt Lab for Weed Ecology at The University of Maine at Orono. 

February 1, 2022

This webinar focused on weed management strategies for small-scale organic vegetable farmers. Topics will include seedbank management, such as tarping and flame weeding, as well as physical weed control. Hand tools, cultivation tool stacking, and optimization of tools will be discussed. 

Organic Soil Fertility

Richard Smith, Vegetable Crop Production & Weed Science Advisor with UCCE in Monterey County.

February 8, 2022

This webinar focused on organic soil fertility management strategies for small-scale organic vegetable farmers. Topics will include management of major and minor plant nutrients including nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, and crop fertility inputs. The talk will also cover fertility management based on soil test results and accounting for nitrogen in irrigation water. 

Workshop:Management of Fusarium Wilt and other Soilborn Pathogens

So Many Products, So Little Time, So Much Confusion –Building Capacityfor Bigger Potential of Crop Biostimulants among Organic Small Farms

Zheng Wang Vegetable Crops and IrrigationAdvisorwith University of California Cooperative Extensionin StanislausCounty

February 2, 2022

This seminar will begin with an overview ofthe purpose of using crop biostimulants. Zheng will go over effective practices for selecting biostimulants to match the needs of your systemand successful ways to deliver biostimulants, using examples of microbial-based and other types of products. Finally, he will cover some basics for effectively measuring the value of bio stimulants for your farm production.

Managing Mycorrhizal Fungi in Your Soil

Tim Bowles, UC Berkeley, assistant professor of agroecology at UC Berkeley. 

Janina Dierks, UC Berkeley, Postdoctoral scholar in the Berkeley Agroecology lab.

Yvonne Socolar, UC Berkeley, PhD candidate in the Berkeley Agroecology lab. 

March 8, 2022

Mycorrhizal fungi are often viewed as star players in sustainable agriculture, and for good reason. When they form intimate associations with crop roots, they can help increase nutrient uptake, help crops deal with water stress and possibly reduce soil borne disease pressure. In this workshop, UC researchers will share research and experiences about when and to what extent these benefits are seen in California vegetable systems. Come learn — and share your own experiences — about the multiple ways management could support (or not!) mycorrhizal fungi, from inoculation to soil health practices like cover cropping and reducing tillage.