STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (From Academic Course Guide Manual /NCTC Catalog) At the successful completion of this course the student will be able to:

1.

Demonstrate the ability to plan, design, and plant a vegetable garden or small fruit orchard.

2.

Properly cultivate, fertilize, water, and harvest the garden or orchard.

3.

Discuss various types of gardens and their applications in both commercial and residential settings.

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Name of Instructor:

Stephen Nystrand

Campus/Office Location:

By appointment

Telephone Number:

(608) 772-2392

E-mail Address:

snystrand@nctc.edu

INSTRUCTOR HOURS

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday, 2:00-2:30pm (before class), 5:50-6:50pm (after class)

Friday

I do not have an office on campus, so please contact me to schedule a time and location to meet. Possible times are not limited to the above hours.

Last Day to Withdraw

February 22, 2019

Required or Recommended Course Materials

Reading Assignments will be provided on Canvas.

Course Type

• 􏰀  Academic General Education Course (from ACGM but not in NCTC Core)

• 􏰀  Academic NCTC Core Curriculum Course
• x WECM Course

Grading Policy and Procedures

Assignment Point Values

  100 points class and lab participation

  300 points exams (2@150 points)
  150 points growing assignment

  100 points quizzes
  150 points significant industry topic and presentation (including 2 assignment sheets, paper and presentation)

=800 points total

  Grading Scale:                                   Grade Breakdown:
  715 - 800 points = A                             89.5-100% = A

  636 - 714 points = B                             79.5-89.49%=B

  556 – 635 points = C                            69.5-79.49%=C

  476 – 555 points = D                            59.5-69.49%=D

  <475 points = F                                    Less than 59.5% = F

Course Evaluation Descriptions
Participation
Participation is a very important component of your learning experience. This class is designed to be a class in which students learn from each other as well as by participating in hands-on projects. Students are expected to take an active part in all discussions and come prepared for these discussions by completing all assignments and readings.  Students are expected to actively participate in lab activities.  After each lab, students are expected to clean up their work areas (including outdoors), which includes sweeping/raking, cleaning and putting away tools, and generally keeping the work area in safe and attractive condition.

Students who participate in activities and who take initiative will earn participation points. Students not participating and taking the required initiative during labs and class will not earn these participation points. If a student misses a class, the participation rewards for that class cannot be earned, and a zero will be recorded in the grade book. There are no make-up classes. Participation points have to be earned, not just by attending, but by actively engaging in lab activities and coming to class prepared.

Field Trips
We will take field trips this semester. Students are expected to attend these fieldtrips and show up on time for departure; if a student is not in the van for departure at the time class STARTS, the instructor will not wait. If you must miss a field trip, contact your instructor. There are no makeup fieldtrips, but it may be possible to arrange an alternative assignment for partial credit. After each fieldtrip, students will participate in discussion covering the fieldtrip as well as any other information discussed while on the trip. The fieldtrips may also be included in quizzes and exams.  

Exams
The lecture exams will include all notes, discussions from lecture, fieldtrips, labs, videos, and reading assignments. Lecture tests are moderately cumulative: The second exam will focus on the second half of the semester but will inevitably draw on concepts introduced in the first half. Exam questions may be multiple choice, true/false, fill-in-the-blank, short answer, and/or essay. If an exam is missed, a zero will be recorded in the grade book unless the exam is taken before the next class period.

Growing Assignment
Each student will grow food crops in a space of their choice, on campus or elsewhere, and will be required to keep weekly documentation of progress. Documentation will include: monitoring plant progress, set-backs, growth, rainfall, pest problems and production. At the end of the semester, students turn in their documentation.  This is worth 150 points, as much as an exam.

Quizzes
An important component of this class is identification and culture of food crops. Throughout the course of this semester, students will be given 10 quizzes, for a total of 100 points. Quizzes will cover any material covered during the “Crops of the Week” class segment. The information covered in these quizzes is cumulative.

Significant Industry Topic and Presentation
Each student will select a significant food crop industry topic (global production and markets; local production and markets; consumer or market trends; research; factors affecting production; ecological factors and impacts; etc) and give updates on their topic in class; complete a paper to be due at the end of the semester and present the topic to the class.  We will start discussing possible topics the first day of class and assign them by the third week, if possible, to provide maximum time for preparation.  This too is worth 150 points, equal to an exam.

Student Handbook

Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the student handbook and published online.

Disability Services (Office for Students with Disabilities)

The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides support services for students with disabilities, students enrolled in technical areas of study, and students who are classified as special populations (i.e. single parents).
Support services for students with disabilities might include appropriate and reasonable accommodations, or they may be in the form of personal counseling, academic counseling, career counseling, etc. Furthermore, OSD Counselors work with students to encourage self-advocacy and promote empowerment. The Counselors also provides resource information, disability-related information, and adaptive technology for students who qualify. If you feel you have needs for services that the institution provides, please reach out to either Wayne Smith (940) 498-6207 or Yvonne Sandman (940) 668-4321. Alternative students may stop by Room 170 in Corinth or Room 110 in Gainesville.

Academic Dishonesty

Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, academic falsification, intellectual property dishonesty, academic dishonesty facilitation and collusion. Faculty members may document and bring charges against a student who is engaged in or is suspected to be engaged in academic dishonesty. See Student Handbook, “Student Rights & Responsibilities: Student Conduct ([FLB(LOCAL)]”. Consequences for academic dishonesty are detailed in the Student Handbook.

Name of Chair:

Dr. Lisa Bellows

Campus/Office Location:

Gainesville

Telephone Number:

(940) 668-7731, ext 4346

E-mail Address:

lbellows@nctc.edu

Name of Dean:

Debbie Huffman

Campus/Office Location:

Gainesville – Career & Technical Education Building

Telephone Number:

(940) 668-3357

E-mail Address:

dhuffman@nctc.edu

Evaluation of Class and Instructor

I am open to receiving your comments, either positive or negative. These help me to enrich this course and improve as a teacher. Please feel free to see me, email me at snystrand@nctc.edu, or send me a note in the mail to the following address: NCTC, ATTN: Stephen Nystrand, 1500 North Corinth Street, Corinth, TX 76208.

Attendance and Tardiness Policy

General NCTC Attendance Policy:
Regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students in all classes for which they have registered. All absences are considered to be unauthorized unless the student is absent due to illness or emergencies as determined by the instructor. It is the student responsibility to provide documentation as to the emergency for approval and judgement by the faculty member. Approved college sponsored activities are the only absences for which a student should not be held liable and only when provided by a college official ahead of the absence. Valid reasons for absence, however, do not relieve the student of the responsibility for making up required work. Students will not be allowed to make up an examination missed due to absence unless they have reasons acceptable to the instructor. A student who is compelled to be absent when a test is given should petition the instructor, in advance if possible, for permission to postpone the exam. Student will be dropped from a class by the Registrar upon recommendation of the instructor who feels the student has been justifiably absent or tardy a sufficient number of times to preclude meeting the course’s objectives. Persistent, unjustified absences from classes or laboratories will be considered sufficient cause for College officials to drop a student from the rolls of the College. From Board Policy FC (LOCAL)

Course-Specific Attendance Policy:
For every three absences, the student’s final grade will drop by one letter.

Three instances of tardiness (entering class late) will constitute one absence. Students who come late and leave early on the same class day will be counted absent.

Students arriving more than 15 minutes late for class will be counted as absent.

Students who come to class late need to make sure that they are counted as present on the roster; see instructor after class to have the roster updated. If the student fails to have the roster updated, and there is no record of attendance, the student will be counted as absent.

If a student does not participate in online activities for a consecutive three weeks, the student might be dropped from the CANVAS roster (blocked in CANVAS) and might be dropped from the class.

The professor will not provide class notes to those who are absent. Students are responsible for obtaining the missed materials and notes from a classmate, not from the professor.

Other Policies and Pertinent Information

Emailing the Instructor
After the first week of class, all correspondence with the instructor should be done through the Canvas course mail system rather than through the NCTC email system.

Missing Assignments
Make-up assignments may be possible on a case-by-case basis for partial credit.  They should be made up before the next class. Contact your instructor for details.

Disruptive Behavior
A student who engages in any behavior or language in the classroom that intentionally or unintentionally disrupts the learning process will be asked to leave the class and may be reported to the Vice President of Instruction for disciplinary action.

Grade and Attendance Records
All grades and attendance/tardy records will be posted in Canvas and can be accessed at any time during the semester.

Cell Phones, Texting, and Outside Communication
Please silence all cell phones before class. In cases of emergencies, you may answer your phone or a text, but please leave the classroom/lab environment to do so. Texting and outside communication in the classroom and lab environments is prohibited.

Missing Classes
Each class is assigned participation points that students earn as a reward while attending. Regardless of excuse, if a student misses a class, participation points for that lab cannot be earned, as the opportunity to earn them is during the scheduled class. There are NO MAKE-UP classes.

Late Work
Late work will not be accepted after the following class date. Computer problems are not an excuse for late work.

Tobacco Products
Please do not bring tobacco products or any containers that might have tobacco byproducts in them into the classroom, the gardens, or the Gainesville Greenhouse. See Tobacco Free Campus Information Policy. If you do use tobacco products, always wash your hands with soap and water before entering the greenhouse (Gainesville) or touching any plants.

Study and Preparation Time
This is a 3-hour credit class. In general, students should expect to spend 2-3 hours studying for each credit hour of a course.

Notes
It is the student’s responsibility to take notes during class, lab, and fieldtrips. Bring a notebook that you can carry around and be able to access quickly. The instructor will not remind students to take notes.

Other Policies and Pertinent Information, Continued

Web Browser
Take note that it is best to use Firefox as your web browser when using CANVAS.

Curving Exams and Final Grades
Exams, assignments, and final grades are NOT curved in this course.

Lab Attire, Physical Nature of Activities, and Weather Factors
Be prepared to work in the heat, cold, and wet weather, if labs are scheduled for outdoors. If the weather warrants a change in lab schedule, students will be notified by the instructor via an announcement or a note posted on the classroom door. Check announcements before coming to class.

Be sure to dress according to the expected weather and appropriately for the scheduled lab activities. Wear sturdy shoes and clothes you don’t mind getting dirty. Be aware that you will be on your knees, bending, digging, etc. You may also need sunscreen, bug spray, and a hat. Also, be sure to come prepared with water to drink. There are no vending machines or water fountains near the gardens.

This class is more physically demanding than other college classes. Some of the lab activities are strenuous in nature. Please come prepared to carry heavy loads, to dig, to walk lengthy distances on occasion, to kneel, to use hand saws, etc. This is not a lab where we consistently sit in a classroom.

Receiving Communication From Your Instructor
Students can receive instructor announcements via texts and/or to their personal email accounts. To activate this setting, go to your Canvas profile, and enter in how you would like to receive communications.

Tobacco Free Campus Information

NCTC restricts the use of all tobacco products including cigarettes, cigars, pipes and smokeless tobacco on campus property. NCTC is aware that tobacco use influences underage students which cumulates unsightly tobacco litter and interferes with assuring clean air for all who come to NCTC. NCTC recognizes the health hazards of tobacco use and of exposure to secondhand smoke. Information on a tobacco cessation program is available for students, faculty, staff who wish to stop using tobacco products. We would like to "thank you" for your help in making our campuses Tobacco-Free. For questions or concerns please contact the Office of Vice President of Student Services at (940) 668- 4240.

Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis is caused by a protozoan (one-celled) parasite, Toxoplasma gondii. Dangers to an unborn child from toxoplasmosis include birth defects and fetal death. The disease can be passed to people through contact with cat feces, and exposure is possible through contact with contaminated soil. Pregnant women should wear gloves when gardening or working in soil or sand, as it may have been used by neighborhood cats and contain cat feces. Any foodstuffs from the garden (fruits, vegetables, herbs, etc.) should be washed thoroughly before ingestion.

Facebook & Email Lists

I am an inconsistent photographer, and I have been avoiding Facebook since the 2011 political unrest in my home state.  I will not be making any posts.  Students, however, are welcome to take and post photos of class activities.  If you plan to post anything on NCTC’s accounts, read their Social Media policies.

If you would like to join email lists to be notified about information regarding the Horticulture Certifications, Job Opportunities, or the NCTC Horticulture Club, please send me an email expressing interest.

Tentative Calendar

Week 1, Jan. 23

• Class Set-up: Introductions, Syllabus, Semester paperwork
• Lecture: Introduction and History of vegetable/fruit crop production in U.S. and Texas
• Discuss: Significant Industry Topic Assignment Discussion in groups
• Lab:  Corinth garden overview: Soil, growing conditions, management.  Review vegetable/herb plant choices for growing assignment. Intro to Plot/Garden Reporting.
• Food Crops: APIACEAE (Umbellifer Family or Carrot Family): Carrot, cilantro, parsley, etc. Also cool-weather weeds.

Week 2, Jan. 30

• Crop Quiz 1
• Lecture: Vegetable Garden Planning, Site Selection, Climates and Garden Styles; Guidelines for a Healthy Garden 
• Lab: Soil amendments, cover crops, crop rotation. Move/plant fruit trees if available.
• Food Crops: ALLIACEAE (Onion family): Garlic, onions/shallots/scallions, leek, chives, gau choy.  Also cool-weather herbs.

Feb. 3

 Official Date of Record

Week 3, Feb. 6

• Crop Quiz 2
• Lecture: Plant pathology of food crops
• Lab: Seed starting; transplanting versus direct-seeding; mulches and covers; fruit trees
• Food Crops: ASTERACEAE (Composite Family or Sunflower Family): Lettuces, chicory/endive and relatives, artichoke, sunchoke, salsify, sunflower, CHENOPODIACEAE or AMARANTHACEAE (Goosefoot family): Spinach, beets, chard, amaranth, quinoa
• Assignments: Growing Assigment Description Sheet due, Garden plant choices sheet due

Week 4, Feb.13

• Crop Quiz 3
• Lecture: Entomology, IPM, varmints and critters, pest control strategies
• Lab: Planting spring crops; weed and pest issues and controls
• Food Crops: BRASSICACEAE (Mustard Family): Arugula, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, collards, cabbage, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, bok choys and relatives, turnip, radish, canola
• Assignment: Significant Industry Topic description due

Week 5, Feb.20

• Crop Quiz 4
• Lecture: Gardening with the seasons; planting schedules, North TX conditions and challenges, crop origins
• Lab: Tend plots. Growing Reports. Significant Topics.
• Food Crops: FABACEAE (Pulse or Pea Family): Beans, peas, cowpea, peanut, chickpea, lentil, jicama

Week 6, Feb. 27

§ Field trip (tentative)

Week 7, March 6

• Crop Quiz 5
• Lecture: Soils and Fertility: Amendments, Compost, & Cover Crops
• Lab: Tend plots. Weed control and ID. New ground preparation. Growing Reports. Significant Topics.
• Food Crops: POACEAE (Grass family): Grains, cover crops, hay, forage

March 11- 16

§ Spring Break

Week 8, March 20

• Exam 1
• Lab: Tend plots; Plot/Greenhouse Reports; Significant Topics.
• Food Crops: PERENNIAL VEGETABLES: Asparagus, rhubarb, artichoke, lotus, sunchoke, prickly pear cactus, horseradish, etc.

Week 9, March 27

• Crop Quiz 6
• Lecture: Fruit and nuts, Part 1
• Lab: Garden plot; “Weed season;” tree and vine observations
• Food crops: ROSACEAE (Rose family): Apple, pear, peach, plum, cherry, blackberry, raspberry, strawberry, etc.

April 3

Last day to withdraw with a “W”

Week 10, April 3

• Crop Quiz 7
• Assignment: Significant Topic Sources and Components Sheet due
• Lecture: Fruit and nuts, Part 2
• Lab: Garden plot; wild plants, pollinators, insect activity
• Food Crops: Other fruits: GRAPES, fig, persimmon, blueberry, etc. Nuts: PECAN, walnuts, chestnut, almond

Week 11, April 10

• Field trip (tentative)

Week 12, April 17

• Crop Quiz 8
• Lecture: Propagation, seed saving. Specialty crops.
• Food Crops: CUCURBITACEAE (Gourd family): Cucumber, melons, watermelon, squashes/pumpkins, gourds, etc.  Other crops: Oilseeds, spices, flavorings.
• Lab: Tend garden. Seed saving and propagation. Significant Topics.

Week 13, April 24

• Crop Quiz 9
• Lecture: Food Preserving: Canning, freezing, drying, fermentation
• Lab: Preservation: Herbs, vegetable fermentation. Garden work: Warm-season crops
• Food Crops: MALVACEAE (Hibiscus family): Okra, cotton; CONVULVULACEAE (Morning Glory family): Sweet potato, water spinach; assorted hot-weather crops

Week 14, May 1

• Crop Quiz 10
• Significant Topics presentations

Week 15, May 8

• Significant Topics presentations
• Other: Review for Exam II

Week 16, May 15

• Exam II (semi-cumulative)
• Growing Reports Due
• Lab: Cooking with vegetables. Potluck with plot produce

May 15

Commencement Ceremonies

May 16

Term Ends