Program Schedule

2025 OFTP Schedule

MSU Organic Farmer Training Program

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

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

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 2025 Chicago trip will be Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, July 20 to 22nd. 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.