Market gardening school offers producers tips for success

NEWS RELEASE
Issued - August 25, 2009

ARDMORE, Okla. — For agricultural producers with a few acres of land, putting in a sizable market garden maybe like planting a paycheck.

Called "fresh market producers," today's gardeners are finding an increasing demand for their vegetables, fruits and nuts from a public looking for the freshest possible produce. To help provide sound education and advice for both novice and experienced fresh market producers, The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Oklahoma State University (OSU), and the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry have teamed together to host the upcoming 2009 Oklahoma Market Garden School.

The third in a statewide series, the 2009 Oklahoma Market Garden School takes place eight consecutive weeks, beginning Sept. 22 and ending Nov. 10. Each class runs from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesday, at the Kruse Auditorium on the Noble Foundation's Ardmore campus, located at 2510 Sam Noble Parkway in Ardmore.

"Each session is fun and informative," said Steve Upson, horticultural consultant with the Noble Foundation and a program organizer. "Our goal is to provide current and future fresh market producers with management, production and marketing techniques that are key to producing and selling top quality produce."

Throughout the course of the school, experts from the Noble Foundation, OSU and the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry will discuss topics including: setting goals; soil, fertilizer and pest management; crop establishment and irrigation; guidelines for producing vegetable crops; season extension; food safety and marketing; and fruit and nut production guidelines.

"The course offers something for both the novice and experienced fresh market producers," Upson said. "This is current, usable information that participants will be able to immediately apply to their gardens.

The 2009 Oklahoma Market Garden School costs $70 per individual or $85 per couple. The class is limited to the first 60 registrants. Preregistration is required with registrations being processed on a first-come basis. Handouts included with the registration include session notes, fact sheets and Oklahoman's Guide to Growing Fruits, Nuts and Vegetables handbook.

Online registration is available at http://orangehub.okstate.edu/ustores/web/index.jsp. To register by mail, send registration form and payment to Oklahoma Market Gardening Course, c/o Stephanie Larimer, 358 Ag Hall, Stillwater, OK 74078-6027. Additional information is available by calling Upson at 580.224.6433 or Larimer at 405.744.5404.

09-039

For media inquiries concerning the Noble Foundation, please contact:

J. Adam Calaway

jacalaway@noble.org

The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Inc. (www.noble.org), headquartered in Ardmore, Okla., is a nonprofit organization conducting agricultural, forage improvement and plant biology research; assisting farmers and ranchers through educational and consultative agricultural programs; and providing grants to nonprofit charitable, educational and health organizations.