OREGON CITY, Ore. — Oregon State University's Extension Service has teamed up with Clackamas Community College and other partners to walk students through how to do sustainable farming.
"Small Farm School" is an educational program for small acreage farmers and focuses on subjects like no-till farming, soil health and renewable energy.
The Small Farm session will be held on Sept. 12 at Clackamas Community College in Oregon City. The cost to register early is $80.
Early registration runs through Aug. 30, and standard registration starts on Sept. 1. The cut-off for registration is Sept. 8 and the standard fee is $100.
Small Farm School is a collaboration between the OSU Extension Service, Clackamas Soil and Water Conservation District, Clackamas Community College, Friends of Family Farmers and Rogue Farm Corps.
The program focuses on small-scale commercial farming operations in the Willamette Valley, and aims to get producers to adopt more sustainable practices.
Scholarships are available for those who need them and registration costs are reduced for college students. Through its extension, OSU hopes to ensure that all educational programs are developed, implemented, and delivered to students in an inclusive and diverse manner.
According to the Oregon Environmental Council, "the way farmers and ranchers manage Oregon’s agricultural lands can significantly impact, both positively and negatively, the quality of our water, air and natural areas."
The OEC says that soil health is essential to the state's wellbeing.
Pre-registration for the Small Farm program is required and details can be found online at blogs.oregonstate.edu/smallfarmschool.
