If you would like to keep a paper copy of the syllabus on hand, you can download and print a .pdf version by clicking here.
My over-arching goal for you is that by the end of the summer you will possess the foundational, science-based knowledge and skills needed to teach others how to grow at least some of their own food ! To teach well, you will:
A copy of the textbook and the three "Cornell Guidelines" (2017 versions) are on reserve at the Moon Library reference desk. Assigned readings from the textbook and "Cornell Guidelines" will be a source of questions found on quizzes, exams, etc.
Information for purchasing/renting "Vegetable Production and Practices" can be found here.
The online resources below are free and can be downloaded by clicking on the links as indicated. Assigned readings from these resources will be a source of questions found on quizzes, exams, etc.
Also be aware that specific webpages will often be included as "assigned readings." As with content from the required web resources listed below, content from assigned webpages will be fair game as sources for questions on quizzes, exams, etc.
Copies of these books are on reserve at the Moon Library reference desk for your convenience.
A 10X hand lens, small (and sharp) pocket knife can be helpful at times over the course of the semester.
Typically, I will post any updates, changes, additional resources, etc. to the "Notices" section of this website. Therefore, I strongly recommend that you get in the habit of checking the "Notices" page every day.
However, there may be times when I can't access the website server.
When/if I cannot access the website server, I will deliver class updates to your ‘syr.edu’ address. If you do not check your 'syr.edu' email on a regular basis, go to the SUmail redirect page to set up redirection to your preferred email account.
There is no attendance requirement/expectation for this course. However, as I mentioned on the home page, my hope really is that you're going to find it to be one of the most interesting and useful you'll take during your time here at SUNY ESF. And, therefore you'll look forward to coming to every session.
I believe we've all been programmed throughout our school years to focus on the importance of good grades - which I strongly believe is not the same as good/deep learning. In fact, I would much rather you fail this class (don't freak out, I've never had a student fail this class) and LEARN a lot, versus receive an "A" by being good at "playing the grade game" (i.e, cramming for quizzes, exams, etc.) - but actually learning very little over the course of the semester!
Bottom line, I HATE the concept of "grades!"
Therefore, I hope that you'll keep the following "Six C's" in mind as you make your way through this course - and the remainder of your undergraduate education and beyond.
Confidence - Over the course of the semester, you're going to be constantly buffeted from all directions - classes, work, relationships, family issues, etc. I encourage you to consider this class as undertaking a large-scale, long-term project. At times you're going to encounter obstacles that require you to dig deep and be resilient. Developing "grit" and "determination" now will give you the confidence you will need to succeed in the future.
Content - Believe it or not, you may likely become "the" SUNY ESF expert on some topic we address in this course. Instead of resisting this curiosity, be passionate about it!
Creativity - Gluing content together in ways that have never been imagined - often not intentionally, but sometimes with confidence, is the "holy grail" of this trait. Unfortunately, the blinders of getting a good "grade" more often than not squash creativity like a bug! I encourage you to create and share in this class.
Critical Thinking - Our understanding of how the natural world works, as well as our understanding of how little we actually know about how the natural world works means that the knowledge base for growing food sustainably is truly like putting together a giant jigsaw puzzle that's being constantly broken apart every time you look away! Your challenge will be constantly sift through the shifting sands of food production knowledge (content) to determine what information you'll use (confidence) to solve (creativity) your current growing concerns.
Collaboration - The idea of a lone wolf coming up with the "next big thing" (Amazon, Tesla, Facebook, etc.) just doesn't happen. Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, et. al., all collaborated with (many) others as their ideas were taking shape. While it may be easier to "just get it done" when it comes to group projects in this class, practicing your ability to focus the confidence, content expertise, creativity and critical thinking skills of your classmates to solve problems collaboratively will almost always lead to better results.
Communication - Have you ever thought about using your social media accounts to document your educational experiences (confidence, content expertise, creativity, critical thinking, collaborative skills) to show potential employers how you can help them effectively communicate their message? Have you ever used presentation software other than PowerPoint? Have you ever turned a PowerPoint presentation into a video that you've then embedded in your website (you do have a personal website, right)? My guess is that your answer is no to all of the above. I want to encourage you to take risks when communicating your learning experiences in this class. Even if it "bombs" spectacularly, as long as you've made an honest effort, you won't be penalized.
To tie these "Six C's" together, I strongly encourage you to watch New York Times columnist, Thomas Friedman's Education and Average is Over presentation.
I'm pretty confident in saying that most employers are never going to ask you what grade you received in this class - or even what your GPA was college. However, you might end up having them sitting up, listening intently and considering hiring you as you explain to them how they can grow picture perfect apples without pesticides on the trees in their backyard by using ziploc bags!
Now, having said all of the above, I do realize that focusing on grades is a hard habit to break, therefore, I want to assure you that if you actively engage in all components of the class it should be pretty easy to get a pretty good grade. Getting a poor grade on a quiz, exam, lab assignment, etc., will probably reflect a lack of effort, rather than an inability to master and manipulate the knowledge and skills associated with this course.
Mastering any type of performance involves repetition – whether it’s playing a musical instrument, shooting free throws, learning the art and science of growing what you eat, etc. The twenty quizzes you’ll take at the beginning of most lecture periods (ten points each - you can drop the lowest score and double the highest score) this semester aren’t intended to be annoying or punitive.
Rather, the intent is for the quizzes to encourage you to regularly review and reflect upon the material presented throughout the semester, continuously gluing and layering information together in different ways to help you develop a deeper understanding of the foundational knowledge and skills needed to successfully grow a wide range of food crops.
The quizzes are cumulative (i.e., questions on the quizzes may be from any lecture, lab, field trip, supplemental reading, etc.) and are typically short - three to six or seven sentences - essays.
You will submit two, fifty point individual/small group assignments during the semester. They will be evaluated on their thoroughness, keenness of observation, accuracy and clarity. Instead of viewing them as "busy work" (like I did as an undergraduate), I encourage you to consider them as opportunities to practice communicating effectively via written documents, oral presentations and/or the creation of digital media content. Done well, these efforts can certainly be valid components of an "e-Portfolio."
This three-part assignment will provide you with an opportunity to dig deeply (sorry, couldn't resist) into a food crop production topic - e.g., growing tomatoes, potatoes, sweet corn, or apples for hard cider, weed management in the garden, etc. This may very well turn you into the SUNY ESF expert on the topic.
The first part of this project will be to write an article for submission to "Fine Gardening" magazine. This is not a hypothetical assignment - by the end of the semester you will submit a manuscript to this national gardening magazine!
The second part of this project will be to prepare and deliver a roughly ten minute presentation on your topic of choice as part of a "Grow What You Eat" Campus Community Workshop that the class will host from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. in Illick 12 on Friday, December 8th during the last meeting of the class. You will also convert your presentation into a video - the third part of the assignment - that will be archived on this website as a reference for future students in this class - as well as campus community members.
A tentative rubric for assessing your effort on this assignment can be found here.
For a complete description of the project click here, or click on the "GWYE Workshop" link near the bottom of the navigation bar on the left side of each page on this website.
There will be three, one hour exams over the course of the semester. While each exam will focus primarily on material covered since the preceding exam, they will be cumulative. Like the quizzes, the questions will generally be short answer/essay. However, any given exam could theoretically consist entirely of true/false questions, multiple choice questions, or even a single, multiple part question to be answered in essay form.
If you come to class (and participate in discussions), actively participate in the labs, watch the assigned videos, do the readings and study (this is college, after all), the exams will be a challenge. Their intent is two-fold; to encourage the repetition required to make the knowledge and skills associated with growing your own food second-nature to you, and to develop your critical thinking and communication skills - not to stress you out!
The final exam will be cumulative, covering not only the material and discussions presented during the lecture portion of the course, but also lab assignments, field trips, and the “Fine Gardening” manuscripts and workshop presentations prepared by your classmates. The questions on the final exam will be similar in form to those found in the one hour exams.