I. General Information

1. Course Title:
Introduction to Specialty Crops

2. Course Prefix & Number:
SCMT 1111

3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:

Credits: 2

Lecture Hours: 2

4. Course Description:

This course introduces the student to specific crop enterprise opportunities available to generate income on limited acreage. Emphasis will be placed on establishing family and business goals that will help the sudent select crop enterprises that would be compatible with their economic requirements and management ability.

5. Placement Tests Required:

Accuplacer (specify test):

No placement tests required

Score:

6. Prerequisite Courses:

There are no prerequisites for this course.

9. Co-requisite Courses:

There are no corequisites for this course.

II. Transfer and Articulation

1. Course Equivalency - similar course from other regional institutions:

 

2. Transfer - regional institutions with which this course has a written articulation agreement:

III. Course Purpose

1. Program-Applicable Courses – This course is required for the following program(s):

Specialty Crops Management, Diploma

IV. Learning Outcomes

1. College-Wide Outcomes

College-Wide Outcomes/Competencies	Students will be able to:
Demonstrate written communication skills	Identify financial and family goals, including reasons for wanting to grow specialty crops
Demonstrate interpersonal communication skills	Compose job descriptions for different business partners

2. Course Specific Outcomes - Students will be able to achieve the following measurable goals upon completion of the course:

• Describe and prioritize family and financial goals
• Describe the income potential for specific crops
• List unique management requirements of specialty crop enterprises
• Identify enterprises that will fit the business' location
• Identify labor, capital,land, equipment and water needed for selected crop enterprises
• Give examples of potential problems related to selected enterprises

V. Topical Outline

Listed below are major areas of content typically covered in this course.

1. Lecture Sessions

1. Prioritizing family and financial goals
   • List personal and family goals
   • List financial goals: What the student must earn versus what the student hopes to earn
2. Income potential for specific specialty crops
   • FinBin data that shows average returns for different crops
   • Apply the data to specific soil and marketing situations
3. Management requirements for specific specialty crops
   • Labor requirements throughout the growing season
   • Equipment requirements
   • Capital requirements
   • Water and irrigation requirements
   • Frost protection and season extension requirements
4. Market alternatives
• Advantages and disadvantages of On-Farm and Pick-Your-Own marketing
• Advantages and disadvantages of Farmer's Markets
• Advantages and disadvantages of wholesale markets
• Other market alternatives
5. Identifying enterprises that fit the student's individual situation
   • Use financial goals, income potential, management requirements and market alternatives to find out which enterprise will most likely succeed on their farm
6. Identify potential problems related to select enterprises

2. Laboratory/Studio Sessions