Iteration Two
Course Number: Biology X 489.6
Instructor: David King
310.722.3656
There are no
prerequisites for this course, although some experience with
gardening will prove useful.
All classes meet at
garden space on the UCLA Campus near DeVeve Hall on the north west
portion of the campus. It is not easy to find, I suggest going as a
group the first time (at least) and getting your bearing that way. We
do NOT have a classroom after the first meeting so we will meat at
some picnic tables for all classes after the first. ** If it rains we
meet any way. Most of our heavy rain is behind us, class will
continue in a light rain.**
The
production, packaging, and transportation of food are large
contributors to our global carbon emissions. Throughout the Los
Angeles Basin, food gardens have sprung up to produce local healthy
and nutritious fruits and vegetables while contributing energy and
financial savings in difficult economic times. Using the history of
growing food in the city in times of need as a template, this course
explores how homegrown food can reduce your food budget and address
environmental concerns. Participants each have a small plot for
growing food where they can experiment with new ideas and enjoy their
harvest. Topics include fruit trees, vegetables, and berries that do
well in our climate as well as often overlooked food-producing
perennials and how to grow food in modern city lots where the "back
forty" describes square feet and not acres.
Textbooks Required If You Plan on Gardening Here A Lot (but not required for the class) |
|
Title: The New Sunset Western Garden Book
Author Brenzel,
Kathleen Norris (Editor)
Edition Feb. 2012
Publisher Sunset
Books
ISBN 978-0376039170 |
|
There will be no
assigned reading from the book, but it really is essential if you
are gardening in Southern California. The most recent edition is not
really necessary, however, it does have more data in it and with each
edition Sunset pays more respect to food gardening. It is not
required for the course.
This will be
supplemented by postings on my Garden Notes blog,
http://lagardennotes.blogspot.com/
. I hope to post most of the material in the days prior to the class
when it will be used or immediately afterwards.
Textbooks, Recommended: |
|
Title: The Kitchen Garden
Author Thompson,
Sylvia
Edition First
Publisher Bantam
Books
ISBN 0-553-08138-1
*(She has a
companion cookbook that is worth investigation too!)
|
Title: Heirloom Vegetable Gardening
Author Weaver,
William Woys
Edition Second!!
Publisher Henry
Holt
ISBN 978-0760359921
A NEW edition at
last!!!
|
|
Author Flint, Mary
Louise
Edition 2nd
Publisher Univ of
California Agriculture & Natural Resources
ISBN-13: 978-1879906402
|
Title: The Resilient Gardener
Author Deppe, Carol
Edition First
Publisher
Chelsea
Green
ISBN-13: 978-1603580311
|
There will be no
assigned reading from any of these books. The rest of the
literature, as references, will prove invaluable to any serious
student in this field. There will be bibliographies describing other
books as the quarter progresses, I am a ferocious reader and not at
all shy about suggesting books I think deserve your attention. From
the bibliography, you will choose one book to read and report on.
This report will be turned in at the end of class; see the point
assignment structure on the next page.
Course Schedule:
DATE
|
TOPIC |
07
April
|
Introduction/Seed
Starting/Urban gardening in context today/12 Points to a Better
Garden Sustainability and Food Issues in Modern America/Visit
Garden
|
14
April
|
Books/The
Journal/Food crops of summer/growing up
|
21
April
|
HOLIDAY:
EASTER
|
28
April
|
Tools/Urban
Gardens Bigger Picture
|
05
May
|
Planting/Sheet
composting/Composting/ Planting Timing and
Design/SLOLA/Seeds/Light/Water/
|
12
May
|
Sources/Annuals/
Soil Contamination and Remediation
|
19
May
|
Planting/Companions/Crop
Rotation in a Small Garden/ Beekeeping?/Introduction to goat
keeping (?)
|
26
May
|
HOLIDAY:
MEMORIAL DAY
|
02
June
|
Goats
in the Urban Foodscapes
|
09
June
|
|
16
June
|
Planning
for Continuous Harvests/Potluck/Submit your journal etc for a
grade.
|
(Syllabus
may be changed as needed to reflect reality.)
Please note that in
Spring quarter there are a few holidays and plants do not take a
holiday. – we will need to ensure that watering happens to keep
the plants alive if there is no rain while we all enjoy our
celebrations.
Point Assignment Structure
Class participation
(and cooperation)
|
20
|
Grade
of A
|
90%
|
|
Garden Journal
|
20
|
B
|
80%
|
|
1 page book review
|
20
|
C
|
70%
|
|
Planting Project
|
40
|
D and
F
|
Failing
|
|
TOTAL
|
100
|
I have two
over-arching goals in all the classes I teach:
- To teach folks how to grow some of their own food.
- To teach folks how to be a part of a community.
If you want a good
grade, keep that in mind. These are the things we will need as a
people in the very near future. If we don't learn this, we will be
in deep trouble.
Therefore, please
note, I try to grade you on your personal improvement. Cooperation
is counted more than competition in my classes.
Office hours are by
appointment only – please call or email me. I am willing to meet
with you; I want you to learn; I do not want you to struggle. Please
do not hesitate to call me, rather than try to talk to me in class
when I can't really give you undivided attention. Extra points are
available if you wish to earn more credit.
Each class, as we
start, will usually begin with lecture and then proceed to the garden
where we will share the garden chores and harvest.
You are
encouraged to experiment in the garden plot. Your process
should be thoroughly documented in your journal – your
thinking and your understanding of what is happening in your garden.
If you have a problem, research a solution.
Pick one book from the
ones presented in class to read and report on.
As often as I can,
I will prepare some seasonal food to eat. There are no places to buy
food while in class and we are here for four hours. Students are
encouraged to bring in food
to share with the class at all meetings. Students should bring
in their own plate and eating utensils so we can have a minimum waste
event. The last class meeting will be a potluck where we
will all share local and fresh food! (That's the point, right?)
Criteria for your
garden journal grade:
- Documentation of what you planted when
- Documentation of weather elements – temperature (minimum and maximum) as well as an precipitation and noting humidity or dryness, especially of Santa Ana winds.
- Germination per cent of plant sown from seed
- Choice of varieties sources and reasoning
- Success/failures discussed – alternatives to failures/expansion of successes
- Plans for the future
- Drawings (or photos) of the garden (either done by hand or by computer program) NOTE: this notebook is NOT your class notes – they might be included, but what I want are your garden observations!
Criteria
for your garden plot grade:
- You should experiment and try something you have never done – explore!
- Our plot and adjacent pathways must be cleared of weeds.
- Our plot and adjacent pathways must be well mulched. (Up to me to find the mulch.)
- All of our plot should be attractive and be growing some food.
- Your journal should indicate you learned something from the plot, your journal and your plot are intertwined and work together.
- When presented with the opportunity, you should cooperate with other students, help those in need and be team member of this class.
The
person who starts from seed vs. bringing in growing plants, will have
plants not nearly as far along as the others – but stands to make a
better grade if they have experimented with growing from seed – I
am more interested that you LEARN in this class – just doing what
you already have done doesn't teach you anything. We are all
gardeners here, if we don't have patience yet, we soon will.
Cultivate patience with your plants in this class setting.
All
handouts (including this syllabus) will be available on the blog
site:
Please keep a
sweater or jacket handy. Class is not canceled on account of
rain. As long as you can hear my voice, class will go on, though I
will try to get us out of a rain.
