UA Students Get Down and Dirty for Three Weeks During Interim Course

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Although school officially breaks until August for many students at The University of Alabama, 12 students will spend three weeks in May earning college credit for getting dirty…and learning about the environment on which they depend.

As part of the University’s Interim period, May 14-June 1, students in Dr. Catherine Roach’s “Organic Farming” will take part in an intensive, hands-on practical course, that teaches the basics of organic farming (healthy soil life, composting, cover crops, seedling transplantation, insect control, harvesting and more). They will also address the fundamental questions behind organic farming: Why do it? What is the problem with the industrial agricultural model? How does our food production fit into an analysis of current environmental problems and solutions?

According to Roach, assistant professor in New College and course instructor, students will work and learn at the Tuscaloosa Community Supported Agricultural Farm in Coker, which will be supplemented with reading assignments and report papers.

“For three weeks, the students will actively be involved with the growing, harvesting and distribution of produce in one of the oldest community supported agricultural farms in the country,” said Roach, who will also be working with farm administrators Carol Eichelberger and Jean Mills.

“Much of the class time will be spent in the fields and greenhouses of the farm learning about organic farming by actually doing the work involved. Every Wednesday is what we call ‘Harvest Day’ when students will arrive at 6:30 a.m. to harvest, wash, sort, weigh and distribute the week’s produce.”

UA’s Interim Program is an innovative and intensive educational experience with courses offered primarily during the three-week period between the spring semester and the first session of summer school.

Interim Program courses are usually creative and experimental. They range from travel to New York City to study fashion design and merchandising, to intensive seminars in psychology, experiential courses in business, and independent projects designed by individual students.