I. General Information

1. Course Title:
Principles of Agricultural Mechanization

2. Course Prefix & Number:
VITI 1157

3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:

Credits: 3

Lecture Hours: 3

Lab Hours: 0

4. Course Description:

This course will offer an introduction to mechanized components of vineyard and winery operations. Topics will include safety, fencing, trellises, tractor operations, mechanical harvesting, spraying, pruning, fertilizing, and forklift operation.

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

III. Course Purpose

1. Program-Applicable Courses – This course fulfills a requirement for the following program(s):

Viticulture AAS Degree

IV. Learning Outcomes

1. College-Wide Outcomes

College-Wide Outcomes/Competencies	Students will be able to:
Demonstrate oral communication skills	explain the importance of safety in agriculture mechanics.
Demonstrate written communication skills	produce documents demonstrating the importance of an operator's manual.
Analyze and follow a sequence of operations	identify the proper operation of equipment.

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

• Identify the various types of fences used today
• Discuss the various types of materials used in trellising
• List the systems of a modern tractor
• Demonstrate the two mechanical harvesting systems for grape picking
• Explain the reason for ripping a vineyard pre-planting
• Describe how to calibrate a sprayer
• Identify the advantages and disadvantages of mechanical pruning
• Explain the principles of mechanical hedging
• Demonstrate knowledge of safe forklift operations

V. Topical Outline

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

1. Lecture Sessions

1. Tractor operation:
• Theory
• Operation and safety
• Maintenance
2. Mechanical Harvetors operation:
• Theory
• Operation and safety
• Maintenance
3. Sprayer operation:
• Theory
• Operation and safety
• Maintenance
4. Mechanical hedging and pruning:
• Theory
• Operation and safety
• Maintenance
5. Tractor attachments, including mowers, rippers, cultivators, and snow removal:
• Theory
• Operation and safety
• Maintenance
6. Forklift and skid steers:
• Theory
• Operation and safety
• Maintenance