School for Urban Agriculture
Visit the School for Urban Agriculture website
Fall 2020 course:
Community & Environmental Sociology 375-003 * Fall 2020 * 1 Credit * All Online
Wednesdays, 1:20-3:15 pm
October 21-December 9, 2020
This all-online course is open to UW-Madison students and community members. Please email Martin Bailkey at martin@rootedwi.org if you are a community member and want to register.
Instructors: Marcia Caton Campbell and Martin Bailkey (Rooted), and guest presenters.
Description: Learn the basic characteristics of Urban Agriculture as an important part of a community’s food system, with an emphasis on food justice and social equity. This course is a companion to the more practice-oriented ‘Farming In The City’ 8-week Spring course. Information: martin@rootedwi.org
This course is part of the School for Urban Agriculture, a partnership of the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems, Rooted and the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, with support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Spring Course 2021:
Farming In The City
January – March 2021, dates TBA
This course will cover the production and business practices of urban and peri-urban farming: starting a farm; the particular issues of urban farming, including land access and soil health; annual and perennial cropping systems; harvesting, markets and marketing; animal agriculture and niche crops; and building communities through urban agriculture.
About the School for Urban Agriculture
The School for Urban Agriculture (SUA) fills a growing need for specialized training in urban farming and community leadership. A joint effort of the UW-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and its community partner organization, Rooted, SUA accommodates students with a range of experiences and interests, from farmers seeking specialized training in urban agriculture, to undergraduates working toward careers in community food systems, to passionate community gardeners looking to scale up their production.
Students will learn basic concepts of urban food production, distribution and marketing, post-harvest processing and storage, soil health remediation, food policy and more – all through the lens of social and racial equity. In addition to on-campus UW-Madison resources, SUA utilizes Rooted’s Troy and Badger Rock Farms in Madison.
Why Urban Farms?
Urban farms within cities, small towns, suburbs and the urban/rural fringe use creative approaches to intensively produce food in smaller spaces than those used for traditional agriculture. These farms not only provide fresh, nutritious food for local consumers through sustainable farming practices, they also benefit urban communities by greening the environment, and by revitalizing neighborhoods as local businesses.
Training in urban agriculture is preparation for a wide range of careers and service opportunities, including farming; creating entrepreneurial food businesses; working for nonprofit organizations, nurseries and greenhouses; horticultural therapy; school gardens and environmental education; and even the Peace Corps.
The School for Urban Agriculture is a collaborative effort of the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems, Rooted and the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute. For more information, contact Martin Bailkey, martin@rootedwi.org.
The SUA project is supported by the United States Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA Award 2018-70003-28118: Farming the City: Building a Competent and Diverse Workforce for Urban Agriculture.
