Program Schedule

DRAFT 2027 OFTP Schedule

MSU Organic Farmer Training Program

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

Specific dates will be shared with OFTP applicants.

1	Welcome + Intros + Values & Goals + Microgreens (On-Farm at DP-FLI in Detroit)
2	Farm Plans for Businesses, Homesteads & Community Farms + Using Class tools (online)
3	Farm Tour + Understanding Soils + Pruning Fruit (On-Farm @ SOF in E Lansing)
4	Soils! Soil Maps + Fertility/Cover Crops/Compost + Soil Plans (online)
5	Crop/Enterprise Choices + Enterprise Budgets + Farmland (online)
6	Farm Tour + Transplant Production + Seed Swap (on-farm at Keep Growing Detroit)
7	Crop Plans, Succession, Crop Rotations + Site Planning (online)
8	Market Options + Community Engagement + Community Research (online)
9	Transforming the Food System for All Communities (Oakland Avenue Farm, Detroit)
10	Conservation + Organic Certification/Certification Options + Community Q & A Review (online)
11	Business/Non-profit types + Labor/Volunteers/Farmer Wellness + Community Q & A
12	Crop Families & Intercropping/3 Sisters + Planting (on-farm)
13	Field Trip 1: 4 Lansing Farms
	Rainwater Harvest + Irrigation + Compost Tea + Roots (on-farm in Flint?)
14	No Class – Memorial Day
15	Weeds + Greens (on-farm)
16	Field Trip 2: 4 Detroit Farms
	No Class – Juneteenth
17	Startup Budgets + Loans, Grants and Funding + Plan for Chicago (online)
18	No Class – July 4th
19	Insect Pests & Beneficials, Crop Diseases + Cucurbits (on-farm)
20	Field Trip: 6+ Chicago Farms with bunkhouses/camping at Camp Bullfrog Lake (Sun/Mon/Tues)
21	Tree Fruits & Berries (on-farm at DP-FLI)
22	Tractors & Tools + Bees + Solanaceae (on-farm at Student Organic Farm in E. Lansing)
23	Financials + Taxes & Pricing + Community Q & A (online)
	Season Extension + Alliums (on-farm)
24	Field Trip 4: A2/Ypsi Farms
25	Cut Flowers + Herbs (on-farm)
	No Class – Labor Day
26	Field Trip 5: 4 Flint Farms
27	Sustainability Plans + Records + Farm Plans (online)
28	Food Safety, Harvest & Wash/Pack +Brassicas (on-farm)
29	Farm Plan Wrapup + Risk + Graduation Planning (online)
	No Class – Indigenous People's Day
30	Farm Plan Presentation Prep + OFTP Survey + OFTP Community Input Session (online)
31	Farm Plan Presentations + Vision for Food & Ag Systems + Collaboration (online)
32	Farm Plan Presentations (online)
33	Farm Plan Presentations (online)
	Graduation celebration - Friday! Setup @ ~3:30pm, Event @ ~5:30pm - location TBD
	Makeup Day if needed

12 On-Farm Days, 9:30am-3:30pm
- 9:30 – 10 Introduce Topics
- 10 - Noon Farmwalk + Hands-on
- Noon – 1pm Lunch Break
- 1 – 3:00pm Hands-on + Discuss
- 3:00– 3:25pm Community Q&A
- 3:25 – 3:30 Evaluation

5 Field Trips, ~8am-6pm 4 day trips on Mondays
Lansing
Detroit
Chicago
Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti
Flint

16 Online Days, 9:30am-4:30pm
9:30 – 10:30am Vision Sharing
10:30 – 11am Break/1:1 advising
11am – Noon Activities on Daily Theme
Noon – 1pm Lunch break
1 – 2:30pm Guest Speakers
2:30–3pm Break/1:1 Advising
3 – 4:20 Group Actvities on Daily Theme
4:20 – 4:30pm Evaluation & Sharing

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.