Course CodeVSS003Fee CodeCTDuration (approx)600 hoursQualificationCertificate LEARN ABOUT SUSTAINABLE FARMING The world needs more food! Agriculture has seen massive changes in most developed countries over recent decades due to changes in global economics, technology and environmental concerns. Sustainable farming is set to become a boom industry in the future; if not by choice -out of necessity. This course provides an foundation for dealing with those changes, whether on your own farm or to gain a broader understanding of new and alternative farming techniques. A course that sets you up with a foundation to be part of the next agricultural revolution! Modules Core ModulesThese modules provide foundation knowledge for the Qualification - Certificate In Alternative Farming . Sustainable Farming (Agriculture) BAG215 Organic Farming Practices BAG305 Elective ModulesIn addition to the core modules, students study any 4 of the following 16 modules. Herb Culture BHT114 Commercial Organic Vegetable Growing VHT241 Cut Flower Production BHT221 Fruit Production - Warm Climate BHT217 Fruit Production -Temperate Climate BHT218 Green Walls and Roofs BHT256 Greenhouse Cut Flowers VHT239 Hydroponic Management - Hydroponics II BHT213 Nut Production BHT219 Viticulture BHT220 Aquaponics BHT319 Berry Production BHT309 Cut Flower Bulbs BHT317 Horticultural Marketing BHT304 Hydroponics III BHT319 Mushroom Production BHT310 Note that each module in the Qualification - Certificate In Alternative Farming is a short course in its own right, and may be studied separately. How to Keep a Farm Going In todays world it is a challenge for any farm to remain viable, while they keep doing things the same way they always did them. It is an inescapable fact that the world has changed, and keeps changing (if not daily, at least monthly) This presents a clallenge to any business; not the least farming. It also presents opportunities as well. Farms that do not change, tend to get into more and more trouble. Farms that make the wrong changes, can get into trouble even faster Farms that make the right changes are in the minority; but those farms are actually improving in every sense, while their competitors degrade. Look After the Land, the Produce, the People and the Money A sustainable farm needs to be managed in a way that sustains the wellbeing of everything on the farm. It is a mistake to only focus on finance for instance and neglect the land; or only focus on producing good crops or livestock; and neglect other things. The Land If the land is kept healthy, it will keep producing indefinitely. To do this, you must know your land, water and soil resources, and the plants and animals it sustains. All of these things interact to make up an ecosystem that needs to remain in balance. If you over use or poorly manage any aspect of your land, it will impact upon other aspects. The People Many farms are family enterprises. For a farm is to remain sustainable, it must offer some worthwhile reasons for the people to remain involved. If new generations are going to abandon the farm; that fact must be recognised and acknowledged. If they are going to inherit the farm, there must be an orderly transition of ownership. Crops and Livestock Do not overstock; as this can cause a slow degradation of the land and the financial worth of a farm. Do not persist with farming a type of crop or animal that is unprofitable or less profitable. Always be ready to change what you are growing, and how you are growing it. Finance Do not live beyond your means; and do not farm beyond your means. It costs money to not only plant a crop or buy livestock, but there are always ongoing costs involved before you can harvest anything and gert a financial return. How to Manage Water Resources on a Farm Managing the water resources of a property is becoming increasingly significant. An increasing population, and a decline in the quality of available water (e.g. increased sediment due to erosion, increased nutrient levels, other chemical impurities, etc.), has meant increased demand on our water supplies. In Australia, which is to a large extent arid to semi-arid, and has generally low fertility levels in it's soils, managing water, and the nutrients it may contain, to ensure it is used effectively, for both production and environmental purposes has become critical to the long term viability of our agricultural land. Runoff Runoff is the term applied to the movement of water (especially rain) when flooding occurs. In the process of moving towards the line of least resistance the water builds up speed and begins to eat away at surface soil. Runoff can be controlled with a number of strategies:- Cultivating on the contour This refers to cultivating with the contour of the land rather than across the slope. By doing this, water is slowed down by the ploughed ridges giving it more time to soak into the ground. Building contour banks Again these should be designed to follow the land contour. Their purpose is to direct the flow of water into grassed waterways which can slow its movement down slope considerably reducing erosion, and carry the water to catchment areas such as creeks and dams without the loss of soil. This can be an effective way of catching runoff and directing it to a suitable storage site (dam) for later use. The grass will reduce the speed at which water flows over the ground, hence reducing erosion. Strip cropping The purpose of strip cropping is to spread flowing water. This tends to restrict erosion damage as the water cannot build up in volume and hence speed as it is dispersing. The slower movement of water allows more time for it to infiltrate into the soil, where it can be utilised by the plants growing there. Managing Plants can be Complex Amongst one of the most significant reasons for land degradation is the practice of clearing indigenous vegetation from the land, predominantly to provide grazing for cattle and sheep and areas for cropping. Agriculture is an important primary industry, which is largely responsible for feeding world populations, and as a result, the economic prosperity for many nations. It has taken the very real threat of reduced yields, and such things as reduction in water quality, to provide the impetus for major land rehabilitation initiatives. Trees (and associated understorey plantings) are seen as an integral part of a healthy environment, and it is for that reason that tree planting operations (to rehabilitate degraded land as well as prevent further damage) are being actively encouraged, by government, industry and community organisations. Maintaining the Sustainability of a Farm can indeed be Complicated It may take a lifetime of study, innovation and experience to understand the task fully; but that task does become easier when you have a foundation upon which to build that understanding. This course will help you to build that foundation. OTHER ELECTIVES -Other options including Poultry, Goats and Aquaculture may be available as options for electives in this certificate