Urban Agriculture Soil-Less Certificate: Introduction to Urban Agriculture

This course gives participants a glimpse into the past, and looks at current trends in soil-less growing in today’s agricultural world. Participants will dive into the basic needs and choices of system design, material selection, the best options for fish and plants, and the implementation of first steps.

The program includes 11 courses:

I. Introduction to Urban Agriculture

This course is a basic introduction to soilless growing, with a focus on hydroponics and aquaponics. It dives into the history and trends of soilless growing and why urban agriculture is needed. In addition, this course includes a video tour of UDC’s onsite soilless systems!

Credentials Earned: This is a noncredit, stand-alone course. This course may be used towards an Urban Agriculture Soilless Certificate, a 15-hour UDC certificate.

What You Will Learn:

– The history and trends of soilless growing

– Why urban agriculture is needed

Who should participate? Anyone can participate

Registration Information: Eventbrite

How Offered: Available Online

Time Offered: October 26-November 30, 2020

Length of Course: One Hour; Class 1 of 11, for a 15-hour certificate

Course Fees: Free

Course Instructor: TBA

For further information, please contact Victoria Mirowski directly at victoria.mirowski@udc.edu or 202-819-5704.

II. A Closer Look at Hydroponics

This course provides a basic introduction of why soilless growing is used, and an in-depth introduction to hydroponics. The focus is the Urban Food Hubs Model at Bertie Backus, including its business plan.

Credentials Earned: This is a noncredit, stand-alone course. This course may be used towards an Urban Agriculture Soilless Certificate, a 15-hour UDC certificate.

What You Will Learn:

– Introduction to hydroponics

– Urban Food Hub business planning

Who should participate? Anyone can participate

Registration Information: Eventbrite

How Offered: Available Online

Time Offered: October 26-November 30, 2020

Length of Course: One Hour; Class 2 of 11, for a 15-hour certificate

Course Fees: Free

Course Instructor: Bryan Jackson, owner of District Flora

For further information about the course, please contact Victoria Mirowski directly at victoria.mirowski@udc.edu or 202-819-5704.

III. A Deep Dive into WHY Soilless?

This course provides a basic introduction to why soilless growing is used, with a focus on the Urban Food Hubs Model at PR Harris. This course provides a more in-depth introduction to soilless growing, and takes a deeper look at the Urban Food Hubs Model business plan set up at PR Harris.

Credentials Earned: This is a noncredit, stand-alone course. This course may be used towards an Urban Agriculture Soilless Certificate, a 15-hour UDC certificate.

What You Will Learn:

– Introduction to soilless growing

– Urban Food Hub Business Planning

Who Should Participate? Anyone can participate

Registration Information: Eventbrite

How Offered: Available Online

Time Offered: October 26-November 30, 2020

Length of Course: One Hour; Class 3 of 11, for a 15-hour certificate

Course Fees: Free

Course Instructor: Thomas Wheet, UDC P.R. Harris Food Hub Manager

For further information about the course, please contact Victoria Mirowski directly at victoria.mirowski@udc.edu or 202-819-5704.

IV. System Design and Material Selection

This course provides a basic introduction to all soilless system designs, including Dutch buckets, NFTs, and more. It also looks at choosing the best setup for the space you have – location, location, location! In addition, it provides a basic introduction to materials used for the system design and the multiple options you can choose from. It discusses growing mediums, seedling mediums, tank options, filter options, and more.

Credentials Earned: This is a noncredit, stand-alone course. This course may be used towards an Urban Agriculture Soilless Certificate, a 15-hour UDC certificate.

What You Will Learn:

– Soilless system designs

– Growing and seedling mediums

– Tan and filter options

Who should participate?

Registration Information: Eventbrite

How Offered: Available Online

Time Offered: October 26-November 30, 2020

Length of Course: Two Hours; Class 4 of 11, for a 15-hour certificate

Course Fees: Free

Course Instructor: Brian Filipowich, owner of Anacostia Aquaponics and cochair of the Aquaponics Association

For further information about the course, please contact Victoria Mirowski directly at victoria.mirowski@udc.edu or 202-819-5704.

V. Fish and Plant Selection

This course provides a basic introduction to popular plant and fish species used in soilless systems. It looks at what is currently being grown and how advances in system design can change what the future holds.

Credentials Earned: This is a noncredit, stand-alone course. This course may be used towards an Urban Agriculture Soilless Certificate, a 15-hour UDC certificate.

What You Will Learn:

– Popular plant and fish species used in soilless systems

– Advances in system design

Registration Information: Eventbrite

How Offered: Available Online

Time Offered: October 26-November 30, 2020

Length of Course: One Hour, 30 Minutes; Class 5 of 11, for a 15-hour certificate

Course Fees: Free

Course Instructor: TBA

For further information about the course, please contact Victoria Mirowski directly at victoria.mirowski@udc.edu or 202-819-5704.

VI. Seeding and Transplanting

This course provides a basic introduction to the best how-to-methods for seeding, transplanting, and propagating in soilless systems. It gives participants access to hands-on demonstration videos to be successful in these tasks, and discusses issues that may arise.

Credentials Earned: This is a noncredit, stand-alone course. This course may be used towards an Urban Agriculture Soilless Certificate, a 15-hour UDC certificate.

What You Will Learn:

– Methods for seeding, transplanting, and propagating in soilless systems

Who should participate? Anyone can participate

Registration Information: Eventbrite

How Offered: Available Online

Time Offered: October 26-November 30, 2020

Length of Course: One Hour, 30 Minutes; Class 6 of 11, for a 15-hour certificate

Course Fees: Free

Course Instructor: TBA

For further information about the course, please contact Victoria Mirowski directly at victoria.mirowski@udc.edu or 202-819-5704.

VII. Nutrient Management

This course explores the best practices and techniques for managing nutrients. It covers the role each nutrient plays for the plants, how and why they show up in our systems, and how to manage the balance over time and growth. It also discusses symptoms of unmanaged nutrients.

Credentials Earned: This is a noncredit, stand-alone course; OR this course can be used towards an Urban Agriculture Soilless Certificate, a 15-hour UDC certificate.

What You Will Learn:

– The role of nutrients in plants

– How to identify deficiencies in plants

– The basic knowledge of plant structure

Who should participate? Anyone can participate

Registration Information: Eventbrite

How Offered: Available Online

Time Offered: October 26-November 30, 2020

Length of Course: One Hour, 30 Minutes; Class 7 of 11, for a 15-hour certificate

Course Fees: Free

Course Instructor: TBA

For further information about this course, please contact Victoria Mirowski at victoria.mirowski@udc.edu or 202-819-5704.

VIII. Integrated Pest Management

This course gives a general introduction to integrated pest management methods. It looks at identifying pests, prevention methods, and post infestation solutions, specifically focused on a greenhouse setting. In addition, it dives into the risks certain management solutions may cause for fish.

Credentials Earned: This is a noncredit, stand-alone course; OR this can be used towards an Urban Agriculture Soilless Certificate, a 15-hour UDC certificate.

What You Will Learn:

– Integrated pest management methods, specifically in terms of greenhouses

– IPM risks that threaten fish health

Who should participate? Anyone can participate

Registration Information: Eventbrite

How Offered: Available Online

Time Offered: October 26-November 30, 2020

Length of Course: One Hour and 30 Minutes; Class 8 of 11, for a 15-hour certificate

Course Fees: Free

Course Instructor: TBA

For further information about the course, please contact Victoria Mirowski at victoria.mirowski@udc.edu or 202-819-5704.

IX. Fish Environment

This course looks at the best practices and techniques for management of fish health, and discusses how to create the perfect environment for your fish in an aquaponics system. In addition, it dives into balancing a system, stocking densities, health risks, and more.

Credentials Earned: This is a noncredit, stand-alone course; OR this course can be used towards an Urban Agriculture Soilless Certificate, a 15-hour UDC certificate.

What You Will Learn:

– Best practices and techniques for management of fish health

Who should participate? Anyone can participate

Registration Information: Eventbrite

How Offered: Available Online

Time Offered: October 26-November 30, 2020

Length of Course: One Hour and 30 Minutes; Class 9 of 11, for a 15-hour certificate

Course Fees: Free

Course Instructor: TBA

For further information about the course, please contact Victoria Mirowski at victoria.mirowski@udc.edu or 202-819-5704.

X. Harvesting

This course covers the best how-to methods for harvesting in soilless systems, and the special techniques farmers have found helpful over the years.

Credentials Earned: This is a noncredit, stand-alone course. This course may be used towards an Urban Agriculture Soilless Certificate, a 15-hour UDC certificate.

What You Will Learn:

– Methods for harvesting in soilless systems

Who should participate? Anyone can participate

Registration Information: Eventbrite

How Offered: Available Online

Time Offered: October 26-November 30, 2020

Length of Course: One Hour, 30 Minutes; Class 10 of 11 for a 15-hour certificate

Course Fees: Free

Course Instructor: TBA

For further information about the course, please contact Victoria Mirowski directly at victoria.mirowski@udc.edu or 202-819-5704.

XI. Food Safety

This course introduces basic, standard guidelines of food safety, with a focus on soilless growing, and best practices of postharvest handling.

Credentials Earned: This is a noncredit, stand-alone course. This course may be used towards an Urban Agriculture Soilless Certificate, a 15-hour UDC certificate.

What You Will Learn:

– Basic food safety guidelines

Registration Information: Eventbrite

How Offered: Available Online

Time Offered: October 26-November 30, 2020

Length of Course: One Hour; Class 11 of 11, for a 15-hour certificate

Course Fees: Free

Course Instructor: Paul Brown, Jr., UDC Food Safety Coordinator

For further information about this course, please contact Victoria Mirowski at victoria.mirowski@udc.edu or 202-819-5704.