Randolph, Vt. — Vermont Tech is pleased to announce the addition of two agriculture programs through the college’s Institute for Applied Agriculture and Food Systems that will be offered for the very first time this spring and summer. New to the college are the Summer Diversified Agriculture Program and the Cold Climate Viticulture Series. The Institute for Applied Agriculture and Food Systems supports students, farmers and agricultural specialists through hands-on educational opportunities, and is made possible by a $4.6 million Department of Labor grant.
“The Institute uses a cooperative learning model to provide programs resulting in high-wage, high-skill employment in our state’s most important sectors – agriculture and food systems,” said President of Vermont Tech, Dr. Phil Conroy. “These two summer programs offer individuals a unique opportunity to become qualified and skilled experts in diversified agriculture and viticulture.”
The Summer Diversified Agriculture Program is an intensive study of sustainable agriculture methods backed by science and will run from June 23 to August 14, 2014. The program offers hands-on, practical experiences in business management planning, vegetable and fruit crop management, poultry and dairy husbandry, and service learning experiences on Vermont farms. Throughout the program, students will work on Vermont Tech’s organically managed vegetable farm and working dairy operation.
The Cold Climate Viticulture Series is a comprehensive, four session viticulture and enology program that will include topics in vineyard establishment and management, grape and wine chemistry and basic wine processing. The individual courses are designed to help growers with little or no previous grape growing experience. Each session will provide seasonal skills needed to operate and manage a vineyard and provide basic wine making techniques. The spring course will be held on April 15-17, 2014 and the summer course takes place on June 3-5, 2014.
Registration for the Diversified Agriculture Program closes on June 9, 2014. For the spring Cold Climate Viticulture course, students must register by April 1, 2014 and by May 20, 2014 for the summer course. To learn more about these courses and the Institute for Applied Agriculture & Food Systems, please visit www.vtc.edu/agricultureinstitute or call (802)728-1677.
###
About Vermont Tech – Vermont Tech is the only public institution of higher learning in Vermont whose mission is applied education. One of the five Vermont State Colleges, Vermont Tech serves students from throughout Vermont, New England, and beyond at its two residential campuses in Williston and Randolph Center, regional campuses in Brattleboro and Bennington, and at five nursing campuses located throughout the state. Vermont Tech takes an optimistic, rooted and personal approach to education to support students in gaining the confidence and practical skills necessary to not only see their potential, but to experience it. Our academic programs encompass a wide range of engineering technology, agricultural, health, and business fields that are vital to producing the knowledgeable workers needed most by employers in the state and in the region. www.vtc.edu.