Program Schedule

2026 OFTP Schedule

MSU Organic Farmer Training Program

BOLD = On-Farm Learning Days
Italics = Online Interactive Learning
Underlined = Field Trips

2/23/2026	1	Welcome + Intros + Values & Goals + Microgreens (On-Farm at DP-FLI: Detroit Partnership for Food Learning & Innovation)
3/2/2026	2	Intros + Farm Plans for Businesses, Homesteads & Community Farms + Using the Class tools (online)
3/9/2025	3	Farm Tour + Understanding Soils + Pruning Fruit (On-Farm @ Student Organic Farm in E Lansing)
3/16/2026	4	Soils! Soil Maps + Fertility/Cover Crops/Compost + Soil Plans (online)
3/23/2026	5	Enterprise/Project Choices; Enterprise Budgets + Share Soil Plans (online)
3/30/2026	6	Farm Tour + Transplant Production + Seed Swap (on-farm at Keep Growing Detroit)
4/6/2026	7	Crop Plans, Succession, Crop Rotations + Site Planning + Farmland (online)
4/13/2026	8	Conservation + Organic & Other Certification Options + Present Site Plans (online)
4/20/2026	9	Farm Tour + Race & Food Systems + Farms & Farmers (on-farm at Oakland Avenue Farm in Detroit)
4/27/2026	10	Market Options + Community Engagement + Market/Community Research + Q & A Review (online)
5/4/2026	11	Crop Families & Intercropping/3 Sisters + Rainwater Harvest (on-farm)
5/11/2026	12	Business/Non-profit types + Labor/Volunteers/Farmer Wellness + Community Q & A (online)
5/18/2026	13	Field Trip to 4 Detroit Farms
5/25/2026		No Class – Memorial Day
6/1/2026	14	Planting & Irrigation + Cucurbits (on-farm)
6/8/2026	15	Weeds + Greens (on-farm)
6/15/2026	16	Field Trip to 4 Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Farms
6/22/2026		No Class – Juneteenth
6/29/2026	17	Startup Budgets + Loans, Grants and Funding + Plan for Chicago (online)
7/6/2026	18	Insect Pests & Beneficials + Crop Diseases + Roots (on-farm)
7/13/2026	19	Season Extension + Alliums (on-farm)
7/19 to 7/21	20	Field Trip to 6+ Chicago Farms with bunkhouses/camping at Camp Bullfrog Lake (Sun/Mon/Tues)
7/27/2026	21	Tree Fruits & Berries (on-farm at Detroit Partnership for Food Learning & Innovation)
8/3/2026	22	Tractors & Equipment + Solanaceae (on-farm at MSU Student Organic Farm in E. Lansing)
8/10/2026	23	Financials + Records, Taxes & Pricing + Community Q & A (online)
8/17/2026		No Class - Northern Michigan Small Farms Conference
8/24/2026	24	Field Trip to 4 Lansing Farms
8/31/2026		No Class – Labor Day
9/7/2026	25	Cut Flowers + Herbs (on-farm)
9/14/2026	26	Field Trip to 3 Grand Rapids Farms
9/21/2026	27	Food Safety, Harvest & Wash/Pack +Brassicas (on-farm)
9/28/2026	28	Field Trip to 4 Flint Farms
10/5/2026	29	Sustainability Plans + Risk + Farm Plan Wrapup (online)
10/12/2026		No Class – Indigenous People's Day
10/19/2026	30	Farm Plan Presentation Prep + OFTP Survey + OFTP Community Input Session (online)
10/26/2026	31	Farm Plan Presentations + Vision for Food & Ag Systems (online)
11/2/2026	32	Farm Plan Presentations (online)
11/9/2026	33	Farm Plan Presentations (online)
11/16/2026		Makeup Day if needed
TBD		Graduation celebration

Typical Schedule

May vary due to guests, weather, or activities.

On-Farm Days, 13 Mondays, 9:30am-3:30pm

@ Keep Growing Detroit OR the MSU Student Organic Farm OR New City Farm

9:30am - 10am Introduce Topic
10am to Noon - Farmwalk & Hands-on Activities
Noon – 1pm Lunch Break
1 – 3:00pm Hands-on or Theme Activities
3:00– 3:25pm Discuss Community Q & A Questions
3:25 – 3:30 Evaluation

Field Trips, 5 Mondays (~8am-6pm) + 1 Weekend (Sun/Mon/Tues)

5 day trips:

Detroit (4 farms)
Lansing (3 or 4 farms)
Ann Arbor (4 farms)
Grand Rapids (3 farms)
Flint (3 or 4 farms)

1 weekend trip:

Chicago* (6+ farms and a few fun field trips!)

Carpool or drive solo.

*The 2026 Chicago trip will be Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, July 19 to 21. The Chicago trip includes group camping or simple bunkhouse (your choice, free of charge) at a county park 30 minutes southwest of downtown Chicago. If you prefer not to camp or stay in the cabin, you can choose to pay for your own overnight options or stay with friends in the area.