Certificate in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems
Pair your PEAS Farm experience with the . This interdisciplinary credential is open to students from all majors and equips students with the knowledge and skills to create meaningful change in the food systems and agriculture.
Through upper-division coursework and hands-on service-learning at the PEAS Farm, students explore systems thinking, agroecology, civic engagement, and the social dimensions of food and farming.
Students graduate with career-ready skills, professional connections, and real-world experience that stands out to employers and graduate schools.
How PEAS Courses Work
Each semester at the PEAS Farm immerses students in a different stage of the farming cycle, from greenhouse planting in spring, to the height of the growing season in summer, to fall harvests. Each semester on the farm integrates field-based, hands-on farming with formal learning experiences such as lectures, workshops, discussions, field trips, and guest speakers covering interdisciplinary topics.
- No prerequisites or prior farm experience required.
- Students can take up to 10 PEAS Farm credits (the equivalent of one full growing season with the spring, summer, and fall practicums).
- Open to both graduate and undergraduate students.
- Practicums fulfill experiential requirements for several majors, minors, and certificates, including Environmental Studies and Climate Change Studies Programs.
The PEAS Farm serves over 60 students from diverse majors each year through our practicum courses. Some try it out with a fall or spring practicum while others jump right into farming with the full summer intensive. All leave with new skills, networks, and a deeper understanding of food systems.
Courses
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Time commitment: ~20 hours/week (Monday-Thursday 8AM-12PM on the farm, plus Friday field trips 8AM-1PM.) Includes one overnight field trip.
Focus: Immersive 12-week experience growing food for the community while building a close-knit student cohort and networking with leaders in food systems.
Skills gained: Basic botany and plant identification, plant families, crop rotation, seedling transplanting, field irrigation, drip irrigation, weed management, pest management, produce harvesting and packing, cooking and food preservation.
The Summer PEAS Intensive is the heart of the PEAS program. For twelve weeks, students work and learn side by side in the fields, growing food for the wider community while forming a tight-knit cohort around the shared work (and enjoyment) of food. The summer program features weekly field trips where students learn from farmers, ranchers, and food system leaders across 猎奇重口, gaining diverse perspectives on agriculture and food systems. Central to the experience is a focus on building resilient, equitable, and just food systems. Students leave with practical farming skills, a deeper understanding of food systems, and a network and community that continues long after the summer ends.
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Time commitment: 7 hours/week for 8 weeks. Choose one of four field sections (MW 9-11:50 AM, MW 1-3:50 PM, TR 9-11:50 AM, or TR 1-3:50 PM). All sections convene on Wednesdays from 4-5:20 PM for a formal lecture.
Focus: Spring-focused course on the planting and orchard season with field work in small groups.
Skills gained: Cultivar selection, greenhouse management, seeding, transplanting, orchard management, fruit tree pruning, soil preparation, field planning, land access, and business planning.
The Spring PEAS Practicum starts in the warmth of the greenhouse. Students lay the foundation for the farm season – sowing seeds, preparing the soil, and learning the early rhythms of crop growth. Students plant the farm and bring it to life while examining soil health and fertility, weed management, and field planning. In addition to annual plant care, students tend to the orchard’s perennial plants focusing on pruning and holistic orchard management. Through hands-on field work and Wednesday lectures, students build practical skills, confidence in field planning and management, and a connection to the land, all while collaborating with peers who share a passion for sustainable agriculture.
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Time commitment: 7 hours/week for 8 weeks. Choose one of four field sections (MW 9-11:50 AM, MW 1-3:50 PM, TR 9-11:50 AM, or TR 1-3:50 PM). All sections convene on Wednesdays from 4-5:20 PM for a formal lecture.
Focus: Fall-focused course on the seed and vegetable harvest and distribution season with field work in small groups.
Skills gained: Harvest ethics, vegetable harvesting, curing and storage, specialty crop marketing, food justice, seed saving, cover cropping, winter soil management, and food preservation.
The Fall Practicum immerses students in the peak of the growing season: the harvest. Students gain hands-on experience with crop-specific harvesting, packing, and storage techniques, among other topics. These harvests supply our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, the Missoula Food Bank, and the UM Food Pantry, among other community programs, giving students the opportunity to see the tangible impact of their work. Through hands-on field work and Wednesday lectures, students build practical skills, confidence in harvest techniques, and a connection to the land, all while collaborating with peers who share a passion for sustainable agriculture.
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Time commitment: Two field trips/week with K-12 groups for 5-6 weeks. The class meets each Friday morning at PEAS to practice lessons, share teaching experiences, and discuss related readings.
Focus: Farm to school practicum where students build experience in agriculture education by teaching Missoula’s schoolchildren about food, farming, and sustainability.
Skills gained: Environmental education, curriculum design, communication with diverse audiences, leadership.
In this practicum, students step into the role of educator, leading school-age visitors through hands-on activities that explore the social, scientific, and nutritional dimensions of sustainable agriculture. Students design lessons, practice teaching, and guide children through the farm fields, orchard, and gardens. Students develop communication, leadership, and environmental education skills, while building confidence in their ability to teach, mentor, and inspire others. By the end of the practicum, interns leave with tangible teaching experience and a deeper understanding of how sustainable food systems connect to community learning. Prior experience as a PEAS Farm student is helpful but not