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. ALL Workshops will take place at active working farms this year, and will therefore not be broadcast via ITV to remote locations.  We are attempting, however, to film all workshops so that they can be later posted for viewing on the website by those who can not make it in person. All workshops will take place from 1:00 to 4:00 PM, regardless of timezone (ie., a workshop in Nashville will take place at 1:00 PM CST, while a workshop located in Knoxville will take place at 1:00 PM EST).

2011 workshop dates and topics include the following:

1. When in Doubt, Cut It Out: Fruit Pruning for Trees, Canes, Vines and Bushes - February 14

2. Ex-Spear-imenting with Asparagus - March 14

3. Weeding out Fact from Fiction: How to Identify and Control Weeds - April 11

4. Fungus Among Us: Organic Mushroom Production - May 9

5. In the Garden of Good and Evil: Beneficial Insect and Pest ID - June 13

6. Unearthing the Hidden Secrets of Soils - July 11

7. An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Yield: Disease ID and Control Strategies - August 8

8. A Seed Saved is a Seed Earned: the Do's and Don'ts of SeedSaving - September 12

9. Raindrops Keep Falling on my Tunnel: Water Catchment from Farm Structures - October 10

10. Keep Your Production Season Moving- Moveable High Tunnels - November 14

1. When in Doubt, Cut It Out: Fruit Pruning for Trees, Canes, Vines and Bushes - February 14

This workshop took place at Mountain Meadows Farm near Norris, TN. During our first workshop of 2011 we learned how to prune peach trees, blueberries, and more with the Meadows family and David Lockwood, Extension Fruit and Nut Crops Specialist.

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

Fruit Pruning Resources:

• Home Fruit Production: Grape Training Systems
• Pruning Fruit Trees
• Pruning Mature Apples and Pears
• Pruning Peaches & Nectarines
• Pruning Raspberries and Blackberries in Home Gardens
• Pruning Raspberries, Blackberries and Gooseberries
• Training & Pruning Fruit Trees

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2. Ex-Spear-imenting with Asparagus - March 14

This workshop took place at La Villa Real Vegetable Farm in Sweetwater, TN where we toured the aspargus patch and then learn from David Vandergriff and Neal Denton, Knox Co. Extension Agents, how to plant and maintain a long-lasting crop.

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

Asparagus Resources:

• Asparagus: Organic Production in Virginia
• Asparagus Production
• Asparagus Production Management and Marketing
• NCState Asparagus Production
  • Commercial
  • Home
• Organic Asparagus

• Organic Asparagus Production

• Sources for Asparagus Crowns
  • Seeds of Change
  • Sierra Vista Farms



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3. Weeding out Fact from Fiction: How to Identify and Control Weeds - April 11

We learned how to identify weeds, use them as farm indicators and manage them effectively with Mark Williams, Director of the University of Kentucky Organic Farm, and Bob Due owner of Terraced Gardens Farm in New Tazewell, TN.

Due to high winds and technical difficulties, this workshop is not available as an archived webinar.

Weed Resources:

• Mark Williams - Handouts
• ATTRA Weed Management
• Cornell University- The Organic Weed Management Website
• eOrganic Weed Management
• Eliot Coleman’s The New Organic Grower-Chaper 16, Weeds
• Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program
• Ten Steps Toward Organic Weed Control (Grubinger, 2007)
• Cultivation Equipment for Weed Control: Pros, Cons and Sources (Grubinger)
• UT Weed Identification Tool
• Weeds and What They Tell You, (Pfeiffer, 1970), Biodynamic Farming Association



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4. Fungus Among Us: Organic Mushroom Production - May 9

This workshop took place at Crabtree Farms in Chattanooga, TN, where Joel Houser and Mike Barron put the "fun" in fungi production!

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

Mushroom Resources:

• Shiitake Mushrooms Production and Marketing

• Specialty Mushrooms

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5. In the Garden of Good and Evil: Beneficial Insect and Pest ID - June 13

In this workshop, Mary "Have a Bug Picking Party… that’s my idea of a good time" Rogers showed us which bugs are good, and which bugs are bad at Turnbull Creek Organic Farm in Bon Aqua, TN. She also provided tips on how to attract the good bugs and maximize their use for pest control.

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

Insect Resources:

• 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 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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6. Unearthing the Hidden Secrets of Soils - July 11

Wonder what all that info on your soil test report means? Not sure how to improve your soils organically? Learn the answers to those questions and more at Hines Valley Farm, near Lenoir City, TN, where David Butler, UT Organic Researcher, will help us dig into organic soil management.

Soils Resources:

• David Butler - Handouts
• ATTRA Soils
• Center for Environmental Farming Systems
• Cornell Composting
• Natural Resources Conservation Service- Soil Biology
• Plant Nutrient Deficiency Symptoms
• SARE Building Soils for Better Crops
• Soil and Healthy Library
• Soil Quality for Environmental Health
• Soil Testing and Fertilizer Recommendations
• UCDavis Project Compost Resources Page
• USDA National Organic Program
• UT Soil, Plant and Pest Center
• Web Soil Survey

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7. An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Yield: Disease ID and Control Strategies - August 8

Steve Bost and David Cook, UT Plant Pathology Specialists, lead us on a walking disease identification tour and discussed prevention and management at Hidden Valley Farms in Nashville, TN.

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

Disease Resources:

• ATTRA Disease Management
• Cornell University- Resource Guide for Organic Insect & Disease Management
• Cornell University Vegetable MD
• eOrganic 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
• 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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8. A Seed Saved is a Seed Earned: the Do's and Don'ts of SeedSaving - September 12

Jon Coykendall, Blackberry Farm's Master Gardener, shared his wealth of seed saving knowledge, as well as the history and stories behind the seeds in this informative workshop at JEM Farms near Rogersville TN.

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

Seed Saving Resources:

• Collecting and Storing Seeds from your Garden
• Organic Seed Alliance
• Saving Seed/ Heirloom Vegetables
• Saving Seed from the Garden
• Seed to Savers Exchange
• "Seed to Seed" by Suzanne Ashworth
• Seed Saving Tips

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9. Raindrops Keep Falling on my Tunnel: Water Catchment from Farm Structures - October 10

Brian Leib, UT Irrigation Specialist, showed us how to harness rainwater and use it for our on-farm water needs at this workshop at the Organic Crops Unit in Knoxville, TN.

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

Water Catchment Resources:

• American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association
• Rainwater Catchment Systems
• Rainwater Harvesting
• Rainwater Harvesting from Rooftop Catchments
• Rainwater Harvesting: An On-Farm Guide
• Virginia Rainwater Harvesting Manual
• Water Harvesting Guidance Manual

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

10. Keep Your Production Season Moving- Moveable High Tunnels - November 14

What's better than a high tunnel for season extension? Why MOVEABLE high tunnels of course! Edwin Dysinger of Bountiful Blessings Farm in Williamsport, told us all about their successes with moveable tunnels and cool season crop production.

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

High Tunnel Resources:

• ATTRA Season Extension Techniques for Market Gardeners
• Cornell University- High Tunnels
• Crop Tunnels and Plastic Mulch
• Eliot Coleman's Four Season Farm
• eOrganic Season Extension
• High Tunnels . org
• Hoophouse Tips
• NCSU Growing Small Farms - Season Extension
• Penn State Center for Plasticulture - High Tunnels
• Siting High Tunnels
• University of Vermont- "High Tunnels: Using low-cost Technology to increase yields, improve quality, and extend the season" manual

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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 2011 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.