Organic Crop Management

An informative webinar series led by successful local agricultural professionals

young woman carrying garlic through field

About the Organic Crop Management Series

Organic Crop Management is a FREE webinar series led by local farmers and agricultural resource specialists. Growers will gain the tools to manage soil health, weeds, pests, and diseases for the whole farm. Each session also addresses standards and record-keeping requirements for applying for and maintaining Organic Certification.

All sessions are held on Monday evenings, from September 22 to October 20, from 6:30-8:30 pm EST, with an optional in-person finale session on October 26.

2025 Sessions

  • Planning Your Season

    speaker TBA
    September 22, 6:30-8 pm EST

    A thoughtful and efficient plan is essential to a smooth farm season. It is also necessary to have well-planned systems for record-keeping to achieve and maintain organic certification. This session will focus on planning techniques to ensure a smooth, productive season. Topics covered will include planning your farm season, seed selection, establishing sound record-keeping systems, and more.

  • Organic Weeds Management

    speaker TBA
    September 27, 6:30-8 pm EDT

    Effectively managing weeds can be one of the most labor-intensive tasks in ecological crop and vegetable production. This online workshop will cover the biology, ecology, and identification of common weeds. You will also learn preventative, mechanical, and cultural practices you can implement on your farm to reduce weed pressure.

  • Organic Pest Management

    with Tom Elmore (Thatchmore Farm)
    October 6, 6:30-8 pm EDT

    In this online workshop, you will gain an ecological understanding of pests, including their biology, how to sample for pests and beneficial insects, and their relationship to soil and nutrient management. You will also learn management strategies commonly used to prevent pest damage, promote helpful insects, and be equipped to develop a plan to manage pest outbreaks effectively on your farm. Tom will share his 30+ years of experience, highlighting the pest management practices that have worked for Thatchmore Farm.

  • Organic Disease Management

    with Steve Beltram (TendWell Farm)
    October 13, 6:30-9 pm EDT

    Participants will take a deep dive into ecologically-based preventive, cultural, and integrated practices to reduce the impact of disease on your farm in this online workshop. You will gain a thorough understanding of the causes of disease, identification techniques, and best management practices for reducing damage caused by disease. The owner/operators of TendWell Farm will share the disease management practices that they use to prevent disease and promote disease resistance on their 200-acre Certified Organic Farm.

  • Organic Soil Management

    with Mary Carroll (Red Scout Farm)
    October 20, 6:30-8 pm

    This online workshop provides an in-depth look at the principles and practices of soil health management, as well as the challenges and opportunities associated with managing soil health. Participants will learn the natural and human factors that influence soil organic matter content and the ecological processes responsible for promoting soil health in agricultural operations. Mary Carroll Dodd of Red Scout Farm will share her experience with building healthy soil with an emphasis on Cover Crops.

Meet the Instructors

All People
Steve Beltram
Steve Beltram

TendWell Farm

Tom Elmore
Tom Elmore

Thatchmore Farm

Mary Carroll Dodd
Mary Carroll Dodd

Red Scout Farm

Further Information

Please contact Chris Peterson if you want to learn more about this workshop series or have any questions. OGS is an equal-opportunity organization.

Special thanks to our program partner, Southeast Transition to Organic Partnership Program (SE TOPP). Enroll in the Organic Mentorship Program to connect with a mentor and get free, expert advice on organic best practices.

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