Assignment: Crop and Soil Management Exam

SUST 316: Crop and Soil Management

Final Exam [52 pts]

Name:____________________________________________ [1 pt.]

1. An elementary school has decided to put in a raised bed garden on their school grounds. They constructed four, 3ft. X 6 ft. beds between the building and the playground. Their desire is to have students use the garden space for education and some food production. They come to you asking for recommendations on what to plant. School starts in early August. Create a plan/design for them.

• Include a drawing of your design layout [4 pts.]

• Label the types of plants you will include with its common name and botanical family [2 pt.]

• Describe (in words or with arrows/pictures) your 3 year crop rotation suggestion. [2 pts.] Include at least one sentence of why you choose this rotation. [2 pts.]

• Describe 1-3 sentences how you will maintain soil health/fertility in these raised garden beds. [2 pts.]

• In 1-3 sentences describe your recommended water management plan. [3 pts.]

• What are your other suggestions to help make this project a success? [1 pt.]

2. A small farmer in northeast Indiana with sandy soil with a small orchard of 10, 5 year old fruit trees (5 apple trees and 5 pear trees) that are not performing well, they are not getting any fruit. They want to plant more fruit trees and ask you for advice on how to care for their existing trees and what else to plant.

• Discuss in 2-3 sentences the management aspect the farmer needs to consider to improve their small orchard. [4 pts.]

• Include your recommendations for trees to plant and WHY [4 pts.]

• Include 1-2 questions you would ask the farmer for more information and/or 1-2 pieces of information that you would want to know. [2 pts.]

3. A neighbor heard that you enjoy gardening and took a class about crop and soil management. They tell you that their radish plants are not looking good and invite you to come over and take a look. You notice many holes in the leaves and very small black insects jumping around. What suggestions do you make to your neighbor?

• Include 2 questions that you would ask the neighbor. [2 points]

• Include your IPM (integrated pest management) recommendations in 2-5 sentences. [3 points]

4. An urban agriculture non-profit in Fort Wayne, IN wants to transition abandoned city lots to perennial, polyculture, food-forest, park-like, green spaces that also provide food for locals. They have acquired one lot, 50 ft. x 100 ft. What recommendations do you have?

• Create a diagram of the lot. [5 pts.]

• List your plant suggestions common names and botanical family. [5 pts.]

• In 2-5 sentences give your rationale for choosing the plants you did and why you chose to arrange them the way you did. [5 pts.]

5. Permaculture has an ethical framework for designing spaces [Earth-Care/People-Care/Fair-Share/Limits Aware]. In 3-5 sentences, discuss the aspect of this framework that challenges you and stretches your thinking/designing the most [3 points]. Include two personal examples [2 points].