This is a 10-part monthly workshop series starting in February and running through November.  The workshop series targets commercial producers and agriculture professionals interested in learning organic crop production practices. 

Workshops are scheduled for one Monday afternoon a month and the 3-hour session consists of presentations by extension specialists accompanied by discussions and hands-on activities. Many workshops will be broadcast using ITV technology to locations across the state including Jackson, Johnson City, Knoxville, and Nashville.  Workshops at Johnson City, and Knoxville will occur from 2:00-5:00 PM EST. Workshops at Jackson and Nashville will occur from 1:00-4:00 PM CST.

Some workshops, however, will take place at active, working farms. Workshops taking place at working farms will only be available at that location and will not be broadcast via ITV or Webinar to other locations.

Webinars - New this year, workshops broadcast via ITV will also be viewable as webinars! CLICK HERE to view the most recent workshop as a webinar.

Parking - There is no fee for participating in the workshops. However, the available parking garages at Memphis and Chattanooga do charge a small fee for use. Parking at the Nashville, Jackson, Johnson City, and Knoxville sites is free. At the Johnson City site, participants should pick up there free visitor's parking permit from the Parking Office. At the Knoxville site, participants should look for an individual at the entrance to lot 66 on the Agriculture campus, who will have the visitor parking permits (make sure you display your visitor parking permit in your windshield!).

2010 workshop dates and topics include the following:

1. Making Compost Happen - February 8

2. Keep Your Cool- Planning and Production of Cool Season Crops - March 8

3. What’s All The Buzz About?- Beekeeping and Attracting Native Pollinators - April 12

4. Insect Management- The Good, The Bad and The Bugly - May 10

5.Disease Management- Molds, Mildews and Blights, Oh My! - June 14

6. Find Your Thrill with Blueberry Production - July 12

7. Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme- Herb Production - August 9

8. Get the Dirt on Soil Management - September 13

9. Weed ‘Em and Reap: Tips on Weed Management - October 11

10. Year-Round Production: See the Light at the End of the (High and Low) Tunnel - November 8

1. Making Compost Happen - February 8

Knox County Extension Agent Neal Denton was our speaker for February 8 in 156/157 Plant Biotech Bldg on UT's Agriculture Campus.

Resources from workshop:

Did you miss the workshop? Click Here to view it as an archived webinar!

• ATTRA - Find info on Farm-Scale Composting Resource List, Notes on Compost Teas, Biodynamic Farming & Compost Preparation, and Worms for Composting (Vermicomposting)
• CCOF Certification FAQs - Can I use compost?
• Center for Environmental Farming Systems - Composting on Organic Farms
• Cornell Composting - Composting Fact Sheet, Science and Engineering
• eOrganic Making - Using Compost for Organic Farming
• Natural Resources Conservation Services
• UC Cooperative Extension Compost Education Project Composting Pages - Excellent resource for making your own bins and walking you through the composting process step-by-step!
• UC Cooperative Extension Compost Education Project On-Line Composting Course
• UCDavis Project Compost Resources Page
• University of Missouri Extension - How to build a compost bin
• University of Tennessee - Compost for Organic Systems

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2. Keep Your Cool - Planning and Production of Cool Season Crops - March 8

Dr. Annette Wszelaki and Mary Rogers were our speakers for March 8 in 156/157 Plant Biotech Bldg on UT's Agriculture Campus.

Resources from workshop:

Did you miss the workshop? Click Here to view it as an archived webinar!

• Workshop Slides - Rogers
• Workshop Slides - Wszelaki
• ATTRA -
  • Cole crops and other Brassicas: Organic Production
  • Specialty Lettuce & Greens: Organic Production
  • Scheduling Vegetable Plantings for Continuous Harvest
• eXtension - Organic Vegetable Production Systems, Season Extension
  • Introduction to Season Extension in Organic Vegetable Production Systems
  • Organic Vegetable Production Systems, Season Extension
• NCSU - Growing a Fall Garden
• UT Extension
  • Guide to Spring Planted, Cool Season Vegetables
  • Cool Season Specialty Crops in High Tunnels
• Books By Eliot Coleman
  • The Winter Harvest Handbook: Year-Round Vegetable Production Using Deep Organic Techniques and Unheated Greenhouses.
  • The New Organic Grower: A Master's Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener.
  • Four Season Harvest: Organic Vegetables from Your Home Garden All Year Long.

  

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3. What’s All The Buzz About?- Beekeeping and Attracting Native Pollinators - April 12

This workshop took place at the UT Organic Crops Unit off John Sevier Hwy near Knoxville, TN. It was therefore not broadcast to other locations. Click here for directions to April 12th workshop location.

Did you miss the workshop? Click here and also here to download and view it as archived videos! You will need Adobe Media Player or Flash Player to view the files.

• Workshop Slides - Skinner
  • Colony Collapse
  • Pollination
• The Xerces Society
• Selecting Plants for Pollinators
• UC Berkeley Urban Bee Gardens
• University of Georgia Honey Bee Program
• UT Bees and Beekeeping
  • Publications
  • BeeKeeping in Tennessee
• eXtension
  • Bee Health
  • European Foulbrood: A Bacterial Disease Affecting Honey Bee Brood
  • How to increase native bee pollination on your farm in several simple steps



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4. Insect Management- The Good, The Bad and The Bugly - May 10

Frank Hale and David Cook were our speakers for May 10 in Nashville.

Due to technical difficulties, this workshop is not available in archived format.

• Workshop Slides - Hale
• Workshop Slides - Cook
• ATTRA Insect Management
• BugGuide
• The Bugwood Network- Insect Images
• Cornell University
  • Biological Control: A Guide to Natural Enemies in North America
  • Resource Guide for Organic Insect & Disease Management
• eOrganic Organic Insect Management
• Garden Insects of North America by Whitney Cranshaw
• Manage Insects on Your Farm; A Guide to Ecological Strategies by M. A. Altieri and C. I. Nicholls with M. A. Fritz
• Natural Enemies Handbook by Flint and Dreistadt
• Powerpoint slides of 2009 Identifying & Managing Pests Presentation
  • Pollination on Organic Farms in TN
  • Insect Control and Scouting for Organic Producers
  • Using beneficial insects for pest management in organic systems
• SARE - Managing Insects on Your Farm

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5. Disease Management- Molds, Mildews and Blights, Oh My! - June 14

Speaker location for the June 14 workshop will be in Knoxville. However, it will be broadcast via ITV to Johnson City, and Nashville. Click here for directions to June 14th workshop locations.

Did you miss the workshop? Click Here to view it as an archived webinar!

• Workshop Slides - Bost
• Workshop Slides - Ownley
• ATTRA Disease Management
• Cornell University Vegetable MD
• eOrganic Organic Plant Disease Management
• NCSU Sustainable Practices for Vegetable Production in the South: Disease Management
• OSU Organic Fruit Disease Management Guides
• Penn State Vegetable Disease Identification
• Soil Solarization – A Nonchemical Method for Controlling Diseases and Pests
• University of California Plant Disease Management for Organic Crops
• University of Florida
  • Organic Management of Vegetable Diseases Part I: Soilborne Pathogens
  • Organic Management of Vegetable Diseases Part II: Foliar Pathogens
• University of Vermont Organic Disease Management
• West Virginia University-KTFREC - Diagnostic Keys to Major Fruit Tree Diseases

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6. Find Your Thrill with Blueberry Production - July 12

This workshop will take place at Blueberry Hill Farm in Norris, TN. It will not be broadcast to other locations. Click here for directions to July 12th workshop location.

Did you miss the workshop? Click Here to view it as an archived webinar!

• Workshop Slides
• ATTRA Blueberries, Organic Production
• Blueberries, by David Lockwood
• Cornell
  • 2010 Production Guide for Organic Blueberries
  • Blueberry Production Resources
• eXtension: Organic Blueberry Production Webinar
• NC State: Blueberry Production for Local Sales and Small Pick-Your-Own Operators
• Ohio State: Integrated Management of Blueberry Diseases
• PennState: Highbush Blueberry Production
• The Southern Region Small Fruits Consortium
• University of Maine: Organic Wild Blueberry Production
• US Highbush Blueberry Council

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7. Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme- Herb Production - August 9

The speakers for this workshop are D. and Jim Brown of Honey Rock Herb Farm. This workshop will take place at D. and Jim's farm in Louisville, TN. Because this workshop will take place at Honey Rock Herb Farm, it will not be broadcast via ITV across the state. Click here for directions to August 9th workshop locations.

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Resources from workshop: Resources will be posted once workshop is complete.

8. Get the Dirt on Soil Management - September 13

The speaker for September 13 will present in 156/157 Plant Biotech Bldg on UT's Agriculture Campus. The presentation will be broadcast via ITV to Chattanooga, Jackson, Johnson City, Memphis, and Nashville. Click here for directions to September 13th workshop locations.

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Resources from workshop: Resources will be posted once workshop is complete.

9. Weed ‘Em and Reap: Tips on Weed Management - October 11

The speaker for February 8 will present in 156/157 Plant Biotech Bldg on UT's Agriculture Campus. Half of the presentation will be broadcast via ITV to Chattanooga, Jackson, Johnson City, and Memphis. The other half of the presentation will take place outdoors and cannot be broadcast. Click here for directions to October 11th workshop locations.

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Resources from workshop: Resources will be posted once workshop is complete.

10. Year-Round Production: See the Light at the End of the (High and Low) Tunnel - November 8

Speaker location for the November 8th workshop is to be announced. However, it will be broadcast via ITV to Chattanooga, Jackson, Johnson City, Knoxville, Memphis, and Nashville. Click here for directions to November 8th workshop locations.

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Resources from workshop: Resources will be posted once workshop is complete.

There is no fee for participating in the workshops, but registration is required. Please contact Heather Toler at (865) 974-7429 or htoler@utk.edu for more information or to register for a 2010 workshop. Additionally, contact Heather if you would like to sign-up to receive email reminders and updates about the workshop series each month.

Click here for to view the Organic Crop Production Workshop Series flier

This workshop series is made possible thanks to the support of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.