PDV Version

Organic crops are produced on 360 farms generating $52 million annually on 62,000 acres in Oregon in 2007. Oregon’s economy benefits also with 65 processors and handlers of organic products. Horticultural fruits, nuts, berries, vegetables, and specialty crops are produced on 9600 acres, increasing by 12% per year. Farmer’s markets, cooperatives, specialty markets, and urban landscapers create new opportunities for students, employers, producers, and consumers.

Oregonians enjoy:

• certified organic foods, flowers, and products from enterprises, restaurants, and businesses
• farmer’s markets in urban and rural communities
• student and community gardens
• new ways to produce food, manage landscapes, and receive horticultural expertise via small farms, community food systems, and human health programs

Research and Extension

The organic horticulture program goals are to improve the economic and environmental sustainability of farming enterprises through integrated research, Extension, and education programs. Growers and faculty work collaboratively to develop successes   that include:
 

• an organic fertilizer calculator was developed and posted on the web
• promote market alternatives and ways to produce crops for those markets
• improve tillage, soil health, weed and pest management, and fertility in vegetables and cherries
• produce high value-specialty seed for sales to organic growers
• Ospud invited growers of organic potatoes and faculty to shair information including on-farm trials and taste testing
• manage soil and organic matter to suppress soil-borne disease in sweet corn
• breed and select vegetable cultivars for organic systems
• evaluate organic fertilizer blends for organic blueberries
• demonstrate tillage and weed equipment via DVD

Teaching

Courses have included organic practices, principles, and products as a part of the syllabus for many years. However, a new curriculum, ecological horticulture, will introduce students to basic principles, applications, and concepts of organic and sustainable crop and production systems. An introductory course will help students learn the language of agroecology, followed by organic and resilient production of annual and perennial cropping systems, weed ecology, entomology, pathology, pollinators, and synthesis courses. We envision a faculty member teaching a small farms and community food systems course(s). Our goal is to enhance learning among students, faculty, and others who represent different perspectives including social scientists, conservationists, growers, and consumers.

New directions

Programs in the Department of Horticulture link plant and associated sciences with people to encourage the public to live healthy lifestyles, consider environmental impacts, and create opportunities for new foods and food products and enterprises. Interest and demand by growers, buyers and consumers encourages the horticulture faculty to develop new programs, and practices, and address new audiences.

Horticulture faculty members are gaining new experience with organic practices and products, or are developing new educational programs for high value horticultural crops, landscapes, and Master Gardeners across Oregon. The Community and Small Farms program has an emphasis on organic production practices. New research directions will focus on soil and plant health, and community food systems.

Benefits

• Currently, 100 students are enrolled in horticulture; we envision another 20 to 30 students enrolling in this option.
• Organic farming practices create new ways to produce crops, new market opportunities, and new ways to meet consumers.
• Consumers may choose foods that meet their personal preferences, life styles, or ethics.
• Businesses are created to supply organic products and landscapes.
• New conversations occur between faculty designing new projects, new research, and new curriculum.

Faculty

Nick Andrews
Anita Nina Azarenko
Clive Kaiser
Gail Langellotto
John Luna
Melissa Matthewson
Jim Myers
Ross Penhallegon
Patty Skinkis
Alex Stone
Bernadine Strik
Vaughn Walton
Wei Yang