The Rutgers Gardens Student Farm has utilized organic growing methods since its inception.
Follow our journey as we become Certified Organic!
As a new partner of the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic Regional Partnership for Organic Transition, the Student Farm will be hosting a series of workshops and educational events to support transitioning and existing organic producers. The Student Farm will also be documenting and sharing its own transition towards becoming certified organic.
Sign up for a new series of Rutgers Gardens Student Farm e-newsletters here, and follow the farm’s Instagram account @rutgersstudentfarm to receive updates on the process towards organic certification. Learn how the Student Farm is developing an Organic System Plan (OSP), which includes charting its field history, buffers, seed and planting stock, materials and inputs, fertility management, natural resource conservation, compost and manure usage, crop rotation, pest management, storage and transportation, and additional recordkeeping.
Newsletters will be linked on this webpage as they are published. Please stay tuned!
The Student Farm will be hosting a comprehensive slate of technical assistance and training workshops as well as information and networking sessions from now through summer 2025. These events are free to attend and are ideal for commercial producers (both current and prospective organic) as well as aspiring growers who are exploring their options for organic transition, looking for tips on how to develop an OSP, or simply want more information about organic growing practices.
Save the date for the next TOPP event at the Rutgers Gardens Student Farm:
SEPTEMBER 18, 2024 from 4:00pm to 6:00pm
Organic Pest and Disease Management
Attendees will enjoy a field walk of the Student Farm with an educational focus on weed, pest, and disease management for organic farming. Guest speakers include Kris Holmstrom from the Rutgers Vegetable Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program and Dr. Andy Wyenandt, an Extension Specialist in Vegetable Pathology. The conversation will be facilitated by Alex Sawatzky, Assistant Director of Sustainable Agriculture & Urban Gardens. There will be an opportunity to network with the guest speakers and other attendees, and light refreshments will be served. Registration is now open! CLICK HERE to register for this event.
Guest speaker bios:
Kris Holmstrom has managed the Rutgers Vegetable Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program’s north and central New Jersey operations for 38 years. Program outreach involves training student technicians in insect and disease identification and working directly with commercial vegetable growers to develop strategies to manage these pests in environmentally and economically sound ways. Kris holds a B.S. in Plant Science and an M.S. in Plant Pathology from Rutgers University.
Dr. Andy Wyenandt is an Extension Specialist in Vegetable Pathology located at the Rutgers Agricultural Research and Extension Center (RAREC) in Bridgeton, NJ. For the last 20 years, Wyenandt has served as the New Jersey state extension specialist in plant pathology for vegetable and culinary herb diseases, responsible for the identification and control strategies for commercial field and greenhouse growers.
Future Info Sessions & Workshops:
October 2024 – Soil Health, Fertility, and Conservation workshop
November 2024 – Organic 101 information session and networking with roundtable discussions
January 2025 – Materials and Inputs workshop (via Zoom)
January 2025 – Creating an Organic System Plan information & collaborative working group session
February 2025 – Recordkeeping workshop (via Zoom)
June 2025 – Ecosystem Services workshop
June 2025 – What to Expect at an Organic Inspection workshop
One-on-one technical assistance will be available to new and prospective organic growers who attend any of the on-farm or virtual workshops at a limit of one 30-minute personalized appointment per participant. This support will be offered by Alex Sawatzky via Zoom, phone, or an in-person meeting at the Rutgers Gardens Student Farm. Eligible participants will be contacted after each workshop.
