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Introduction to Market Gardening

Introduction to
Market Gardening

An introduction to the foundation of the ecological market garden model.

Curious about small-scale farming? 

This 12-part course was created as a starting point for anyone who wants to start their journey in small-scale organic farming. World-renowned teacher JM Fortier guides students through a comprehensive overview of everything needed to become a grower.

Introduction to Market Gardening

Format
Online Course
Price
$199 USD
Other currencies available at checkout

Who is this course for?

  • Newcomers—those who need the 101 level course on farming.
  • Curious people—those who are fascinated by the small farming movement and want to know more.
  • Dreamers—those who want to start their own farm, but are not sure what it really takes.
  • People looking for a life change—the ones seriously considering a career switch, but wanna make sure farming is really for them.

Course benefits

  • Get a comprehensive overview of the guiding principles of market gardening
  • Identify the components of the small-scale market garden model
  • Understand what skillsets are required to run a microfarm
  • Acquire the vocabulary and concepts necessary to continue your learning journey

Improve your skills to

Grow consistent
crops

GET A HIGHER
SUCCESS RATE

MAKE MORE
PROFIT

FEED YOUR
COMMUNITIES

Course features

This online course provides precise written and video instruction, to give you the exact methodology, tools and techniques needed to grow crops successfully in a context of heightened efficiency.

ENGAGING VIDEO TUTORIALS

DETAILED
TECHNICAL SHEETS

QUIZ TO TEST YOUR LEARNINGS

Course content

0
Modules
0
Videos
0
TECH SHEETS
MODULE 1

Welcome

welcome introduction market gardening

Welcome to the fascinating world of small-scale biointensive farming! First things first: in this lesson, we will share the goals and intentions of this course.

MODULE 2

The Biointensive Microfarm

The Biointensive Microfarm

Changing the world requires taking a different approach. In this lesson, you will discover the guiding principles of vegetable microfarming and the advantages of the human-scale farming model.

Module content
MODULE 3

Site Selection and Design

Site Selection & Design

Selecting a site for your farm is an important decision that will have a strong impact on your work and quality of life. In this lesson, you will grasp everything you need to consider when choosing and designing your site.

Module content
MODULE 4

Crop Planning

crop planning

Planning and calculating your production effectively is essential in running a successful farm. In this lesson, you will learn techniques to maximize space and time for continuous production.

Module content
MODULE 5

Starting Seeds

starting seeds

Starting seeds is a crucial step in the vegetable production process. Farmers need to understand the growth cycle of each crop in order to produce an abundance of high-quality vegetables. In this lesson, you will understand the role and functioning of a nursery.

Module content
MODULE 6

Soil & Fertility

Soil & Fertility

Minimal tillage is one of the fundamental principles of regenerative farming. Thriving microorganisms in the soil support the fertility necessary to produce an abundance of high quality vegetables, year after year. In this lesson, you will learn techniques that promote the development of life in the soil.

Module content
MODULE 7

Weeding

Weeding

Weed management is a lot of work and it’s time-consuming. Adopting the right tools and techniques will make this tedious task more manageable. In this lesson, we will discuss the best organic practices for weed control.

Module content
MODULE 8

Crop Protection

Crop Protection

Once you’ve successfully prepared your beds, grown seedlings, and transplanted, your next challenge will be managing diseases and pests. In this lesson, we will discuss the different lines of defense available to ensure successful, healthy harvests

Module content
MODULE 9

Season Extension

Season Extension

With simple shelters, it’s possible to grow vegetables during cooler months and arrive at markets with fresh, local vegetables not yet available anywhere else. In this lesson, you will learn how to grow vegetables earlier in spring and into the winter.

Module content
MODULE 10

Harvest & Conditioning

Harvest & Conditioning

It’s time to harvest the fruits of your labor! The art of market gardening focuses on growing great crops, but you also need to know how to keep your vegetables fresh until they’re in your customers’ hands. In this lesson, you will discover proper harvesting and conditioning techniques.

Module content
MODULE 11

Selling Your Produce

Selling Your Produce

Optimizing your sales and distribution channels will help you make a decent living from all of your hard work in the field. In this lesson, we will examine the main outlets for selling directly to consumers.

Module content
MODULE 12

Closing Words

introduction market gardening

Working in human-scale agriculture is not always easy, but it is the most rewarding job in the world. Whether you’re starting your own farm or training on farms that follow this model, it’s important to remember that you are helping to build a better world.

Module content
BONUS

Small Farms Feed The World Ebook

The stories and wisdom of 10 growers practicing human-scale biointensive agriculture.

Module content
BONUS

5 Things to Know Before Starting a Small Farm

In this bonus content you will learn:

  • How to gain the right experience before getting started
  • The most important considerations when planning a farm
  • How to prepare your finances and business plans to make it all possible
  • The lifestyle decisions to inspire a long-lasting career
Module content

Free preview!

Get on board with the free preview offer!

Not sure the course is suitable for your needs? You have the chance to engage with a segment of the course to verify if the teaching method matches your learning style.

Praise from the students

Meet the teacher

Jean-Martin Fortier

Farmer, educator and award-winning author

For over twenty years, Jean-Martin(JM) Fortier has been writing, teaching, and speaking publicly to raise awareness about the critical importance of human-scale regenerative agriculture to the development of sustainable and resilient food systems.

His best-selling book The Market Gardener (200,000+ copies sold) has established him since 2012 as a recognized expert on small-scale, bio-intensive vegetable production. JM’s methods, such as permanent bed systems, biointensive growing principles, and soil conservation techniques, have allowed him and his wife to make a good living from a small organic vegetable farm.

His current mission is to pass on this knowledge to thousands of farmers through his work at the Market Gardener Institute.

100% Satisfaction Guarantee

The course comes with a 100% Money Back Guarantee for 14 days after the date of enrollment.
We understand that our program is a serious investment for a small-scale farmer, and we expect you to do your due diligence before purchasing our program to be certain that it is the right step for you. We cannot guarantee that taking our course is the right decision for you personally or financially.

If you sincerely engage with the course and don’t get the value or feel your learning style doesn’t match how we teach, we’ll happily refund the money you’ve paid us, given that you tell us exactly why it didn’t work for you within the 14 day period.

Frequently Asked Questions

Tell me more about the course
What is the Introduction to Market Gardening course?

This 12-part introductory course was created as a starting point for anyone who wants to start their journey in small-scale organic farming. World-renowned teacher Jean-Martin Fortier guides students through a comprehensive overview of everything needed to become a grower.

Who is right for the Introduction to Market Gardening Course?

Anyone curious about small-scale organic farming.

If you’ve checked out the Market Gardener Masterclass before and found it too advanced or in-depth for you, this course will be just perfect!

What will I learn?

This course will give you all the guiding principles for establishing an organic, small-scale market garden, including site selection and design, crop planning, extending the season, starting crops, minimal working of the soil, weeding, crop protection, harvesting, packaging, and sales channels.

What’s not covered?

This is an introductory class. You will learn all the guiding principles and vocabulary to continue your education. For a deep dive into growing high-quality vegetables on a small-scale farm and a comprehensive overview of tools, techniques, and best practices, enroll in The Market Gardener Masterclass.

Where do the courses take place?

Everything is online — no travel is required. You can go through the training at your own pace. Of course, the real test is in how you apply this education to your own farm or market garden.

How much time do I need to commit?

The course requires approximately 6.5 hours to complete if done linearly. The real-time investment will be in implementing your learning in your farm project.

Which devices can I use to access the program?

After registering for the program, you will be prompted to create a user profile for accessing the training platform. You will then be able to take the course on any device connected to the Internet. Please note that you can only access our courses from one device at a time, whether it’s your smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer.

When are the registration periods?

All our on-demand courses are accessible anytime.

In which languages do you offer the program?

Our on-demand courses are offered in English and French. All documents and text are offered in the language of your initial purchase.

What payment methods are accepted?

We accept all major credit cards including Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express. We are currently unable to accept checks or invoices.

Other questions?
I don’t have a farm yet, but I want one! Should I sign up?

Our program is designed as a comprehensive and evolving media library covering a wide range of aspects of successful market gardening. We believe that registering for our programs and studying their contents can provide a helpful head start in organizing and planning your farm. If you will be applying the methods we teach in the near future, you should definitely sign up. Access to the course materials does not expire, so when you have access to land, you’ll be able to use the course as a companion and guide. If your farm dream is a little more distant, and you’re at the stage of simply being curious about what it takes to get into small-scale regenerative farming, we suggest you take the introductory course Introduction to Market Gardening first.

Will the methods work in my climate?

Every situation is different, including climate, terrain, soil, markets, and more. While our methods are designed for vegetable production in temperate climates, from Mongolia to Argentina, we have students successfully applying our methods all over the world. Being a great farmer, knowing your crops thoroughly, and optimizing your production to be more efficient applies everywhere on the planet.

What payment methods are accepted?

We accept all major credit cards including Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express. 

What if I have more questions?

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are always happy to help you.

Fees AND GUARANTEE
Do you offer a guarantee?

All courses come with a 100% Money Back Guarantee for 14 days after the date of enrollment.

We understand that our program is a serious investment for a small-scale farmer, and we expect you to do your due diligence before purchasing our program to be certain that it is the right step for you. We cannot guarantee that taking our course is the right decision for you personally or financially.

If you sincerely engage with the course and don’t get the value or feel your learning style doesn’t match how we teach, we’ll happily refund the money you’ve paid us, given that you tell us exactly why it didn’t work for you within the 14 day period.

What payment methods are accepted?

We accept all major credit cards including Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express. For full payments of our Masterclass program ($1997 USD/1800€), we also accept PayPal. We are currently unable to accept checks or invoices.

How does the two-installment plan work?

This payment plan consists of three payments, exactly one month apart, on the same credit card through Stripe, our payment processing system. Please note that each payment must be made on the same card and that PayPal does not offer an installment plan option.

What if I have more questions?

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are always happy to help you.

Get Inspired!

Download our free e-book Small Farms Feed The World and get inspired by the stories and experiences of market gardeners around the world.