COMPETENCY-BASED LEARNING

MATERIAL

Sector:

AGRI-FISHERY
Unit of Competency:
Produce Organic Vegetables

Module Title:
Producing Organic Vegetables

Date Developed: Document No. OAP-Core2

Issued by:
Produce Organic January 2020
Page 1
Vegetables Developed by: COLM

Jian Carlo SJ. Castillo Revision #

 HOW TO USE THIS COMPETENCY BASED LEARNING MATERIAL

Welcome to Produce Organic Vegetables!

This unit covers the knowledge, skills and attitude required to establish
nursery, plant seedlings, perform plant care and perform harvest and post-harvest.

In this module, “Producing Organic Vegetables” you are required to go

through the following series of learning activities in order to complete each learning
outcome:

● Information Sheet will provide you the required knowledge and skill in this
competency.
● Self-Checks contains questions to test your understanding at the end of each
information sheet.
● Guide Question will help you summarizes key concepts in the given activity or
task.
● Answer Key will provide you the suggested answers to self-check.
● Model Answer will provide you the suggested answers to guide questions.
● Task Sheet will provide you instructions on how to perform a single task.
● Job Sheet will provide you instructions on how to perform a combination or
series of tasks.
● Activity Sheet will provide you instructions on how to perform activities or
exercises related to the topic.
● Operation Sheet will provide you instructions on how to operate a machine or
equipment.
● Performance Criteria Checklist will gauge/measure your performance as per
task, activity, job, or operation sheet.
● References are included to supplement the materials provided in this module.

Date Developed: Document No. OAP-Core2

Issued by:
Use Farm Tools January 2020
Page 2
and Equipment Developed by: COLM

Jian Carlo SJ. Castillo Revision #

 In performing every task, operation and activity, you must practice
occupational health and safety procedures at all times.

Your trainer will be available to support and guide you and show you the
correct way to do things. If you have questions, do not hesitate to ask for
assistance from your trainer. This way you will improve your speed, memory, and
your confidence. After each activity, your trainer will update your Trainee’s Record
Book. You may also check your progress and achievement in the posted Progress
Chart and Achievement Chart.

When you feel confident that you have had sufficient practice, ask your
trainer to evaluate you. Your trainer will conduct an Institutional Assessment to
assess your knowledge, skills, and attitude regarding this competency. Your trainer
will give you feedback whether you are Competent or Not yet Competent in this
competency.

If you are “Competent”, your trainer will advise you to proceed to the next
module, “Produce Organic Fertilizer”/take the national assessment. If you are
“Not yet Competent”, your trainer will advise you to review this module and
practice the task that gives you unsatisfactory remarks.

Good luck and have a happy learning experience.

Date Developed: Document No. OAP-Core2

Issued by:
Use Farm Tools January 2020
Page 3
and Equipment Developed by: COLM

Jian Carlo SJ. Castillo Revision #

SUMMARY OF COMPETENCY-BASED LEARNING MATERIALS

List of Core Competencies

No. Unit of Competency Module Title

1. Raise Organic Chicken Raising Organic Chicken
2. Produce Producing
OrganicVegetables OrganicVegetables
3. Produce Organic Fertilizer Producing Organic Fertilizer
4. Produce Various Producing Various
Concoctions and Extracts Concoctions and Extracts

Date Developed: Document No. OAP-Core2

Issued by:
Use Farm Tools January 2020
Page 4
and Equipment Developed by: COLM

Jian Carlo SJ. Castillo Revision #

 MODULE CONTENT

UNIT OF COMPETENCY Produce Organic Vegetables

MODULE TITLE Producing Organic Vegetables

MODULE DESCRIPTOR:

This module covers the knowledge, skills and attitude required to establish
nursery, plant seedlings, perform plant care and perform harvest and post-harvest.

NOMINAL DURATION 21 hours

CERTIFICATE LEVEL NC II

PREREQUISITE

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

At the end of this module, you MUST be able to:

1. Establish nursery
2. Plant seedlings
3. Perform plant care and management
4. Perform harvest and post-harvest activities

Date Developed: Document No. OAP-Core2

Issued by:
Produce Organic January 2020
Page 5
Vegetables Developed by: COLM

Jian Carlo SJ. Castillo Revision #

 DETAILS OF LEARNING OUTCOME
LEARNING OUTCOME NO. 1 Establish Nursery
CONTENTS:
● Seed selection
● Seedbed and seedling
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
1. Seeds are selected in accordance with the PNS, and NSQCS/BPI
2. Seedbeds are prepared in accordance with planting requirements based
on Vegetable Production manual (VPM).
3. Care and maintenance of seedlings are done in accordance with
enterprise practice.
4. Potting media are prepared in accordance with enterprise procedure
CONDITIONS:
Each student/trainee must be provided with Tools
the following: Bolos
Materials/Equipment Broomstick
Booth/temporary shed Calculator
Cutting tools
Cart
Digging tools
Comb tooth harrow Hat
Computer Knapsack sprater
Farm/field Knife
Greenhouse/nursery Light hoe
Irrigation system Moisture meter
Mower Petri-dish
LCD projector pH meter
Portable chain saw Pick mattock
Power sprayer Protective gadgets
Spike tooth harrow Fertilizers
Storage room First aide supplies/medicine
Agri bags, plastic Gloves
Bamboo stick Growing media
Coconut dust Pail
Compost

TEACHING METHODOLOGY
● Self-Study
● Discussion
● Demonstration

ASSESSMENT METHOD
● Written examination
● Demonstration with oral questioning

LEARNING EXPERIENCE
Learning Outcome 1: ESTABLISH NURSERY
Activities Special Instructions
1. READ Information Sheet If you have some problem on the content of the
2.1-1: Seed selection information sheet don’t hesitate to approach your
 facilitator.
If you feel that you are now knowledgeable on
the content of the information sheet, you can
now answer Self-Check provided in the module
2. Answer Self Check 2.1-1 Compare your answers to the answer keys on
2.1-1 “Seed Selection” You are required to get
all answers correct. If not, read the information
sheet again to answer all the questions correctly.
3. DO Task Sheet 2.1-1 Evaluate your performance using Performance
Criteria Checklist
4. READ Information Sheet If you have some problem on the content of the
2.1-2 Seedbed and information sheet don’t hesitate to approach your
Seedlings facilitator.
If you feel that you are now knowledgeable on
the content of the information sheet, you can
now answer Self-Check provided in the module
5. Answer Self-Check No. Compare your answers to the answer keys on
2.1-2 2.1-2 “Seedbed and Seedlings” You are required
to get all answers correct. If not, read the
information sheet again to answer all the
questions correctly.
6. DO Task Sheet 2.1-2 Evaluate your performance using Performance
Criteria Checklist
 INFORMATION SHEET 2.1-1

SEED SELECTION

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After reading this information sheet, you must be able to:

● know the importance of selecting a seeds

● know the characteristics of a good seeds
● know the types of seeds

Good quality seed is one of the main factors that determine the success of a
crop. Good quality seeds are essential to grow a strong and healthy crop. Healthy
seeds can be bought from trusted sources or farmers can produce their own seeds.
In that case, seed selection can be used to improve the quality of seeds.

There are several diseases that are transmitted via the seeds. If seeds from an
infested field are used to grow the next crop, these seed-borne diseases will
immediately cause serious problems. Seed selection should thus start by obtaining
seeds from healthy plants.

Small shrivelled and broken seeds contain less nutrition for the developing
seedling. By removing these inferior seeds, the farmer is able to grow stronger and
healthier seedlings.

The selection of these plants may be based on characteristics such as the size
of the plant, color, or size of fruits, number of grains and etc. But selection can also
be done to keep seeds of plants that suffered less attacks by insects or diseases.

Figure: Example of crops seeds (1. Pepper seeds, 2. Pechay seeds, 3. Okra seeds, and 4. Squash seeds)

In this way the farmer will select at harvest time the best seeds to keep apart for
the next season. Still, just before starting the next season, it is recommended to
select once more to remove seeds that are too small, deforms discolored. The
characteristic of good seeds summarized as follows:
1. It should be whole and without damage (physical damage)
2. It should be clean free from any mixture of other crops (contamination)
3. Seeds should be true to its type (purity)
4. Seeds should be as fresh as possible(expiration)
5. Seeds must have a high germination percentage
6. Seeds must germinate rapidly and uniformly

Types of Seeds in Organic Agriculture

1. Open pollination varieties-Pollinated by bees, birds, moths, or even wind

and rain.
2. Heirloom (local variety seeds)-seeds are open pollinated and saved for
generations.
3. Hybrid (5 generations) - a controlled method of pollination in which the
pollen of two different species or varieties is crossed by human
intervention
4. Certified seeds- seed of good quality and established identity verified by
an official agency after inspection.
5. Non-Genetically Modified Organism

SEED STORAGE

Seeds can lose viability in 3 to 12 months if improperly dried and handled. To

prolong the viability:

● Seeds should be stored dry at 12% moisture content in airtight containers

like sealable cans, bottles, sacks lined with polyethylene plastic.
● Use of desiccant like charcoal placed inside containers will prevent further
moisture absorption by seeds.
● Storage at refrigeration temperatures and dehumidified conditions will
prolong seed viability.
● Properly dried but improper stored seeds will absorb moisture from ambient
humid air. This may trigger respiration and enzymatic activities of the
embryo and gradual loss of viability of the seed at storage.

Preparing Seeds for Sowing

Seeds of plantation crops are usually enclosed by a hard seed coat or

mucilaginous material which would prevent entry of water and oxygen into the seed
and inhibit normal germination. For easy germination the hard seed coat may be
cracked or the mucilage to remove by either of the following methods:
1. Soaking or Pre-germination- the seeds are soaked in water and wrapped
in damp cloth until they start to germinate.
2. Seed treatment-aim to disinfect the seeds or protect them against pests that
may pose hazards during germination and subsequent stages of plant
growth. Physical treatment-consists of soaking in warm water or applying dry
heat
3. Seed hardening-treatment that is applied to the germinating seed and its
effect is seen on the developing plant
4. Seed conditioning- overdried and stored at low moisture content
 SELF CHECK 2.1-1

ENUMERATION:

Enumerate the given question

1. What are 5 accepted seeds in Organic Agriculture?

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
 ANSWER KEY

SELF CHECK 2.1-1

ENUMERATION:

1. What are 5 acceptable seeds in Organic Agriculture?

1. Open pollination varieties

2. Heirloom
3. Hybrid
4. Certified seeds
5. Non-Genetically Modified Organism
 TASK SHEET 2.1.1

TITLE Seeds Selection

Given the necessary supplies, tools and equipment, you

PERFORMANCE should be able to:
OBJECTIVE
1. Demonstrate how to select a good seed
SUPPLIES Assorted seed(different varieties)

TOOLS &
Seed storage
EQUIPMENT

REFERENCES CBLM

You need to demonstrate knowledge how to select

seeds
STEPS/
1. Demonstrate different seeds.
PROCEDURES
2. Select a good characteristic of seeds.
2. Store in a seed storage.

ASSESSMENT
Demonstration with oral questioning
METHOD
 PERFORMANCE CRITERIA CHECKLIST 2.1-1

SEEDS SELECTION

Trainees
Date:
name:

After accomplishing the Task Sheet 2.1-1, Did you do the following:

CRITERIA YES NO

Did I?
1. Demonstrate different seeds?
2. Select a good characteristic of seeds.
2. Store in proper seed storage?
 INFORMATION SHEET 2.1-2

SEEDBED AND SEEDLINGS

LEARNING OBJECTIVE

After reading this information sheet, you must be able to:

● know the importance of nursery

● know about the seedbed
● identify proper care and maintenance of seedlings

Nursery Operations

Nursery is the place where starting plant materials are grown, cared for and
maintained until the plants are ready for transfer to the permanent site for
commercial growing. A standard nursery where the seeds are germinated and the
seedlings are grown until they reach the appropriate age for permanent planting in
the field and/or asexual propagation has to be established and managed.

Figure: Seedlings in a seedling tray

Basic Advantages of Greenhouse/Nursery

1. Good distribution of light inside the greenhouse

2. Energy efficiency
3. Protection against diseases, pests and other vermin
4. Excellent ventilation
5. Optimum sealing against rain and air
6. Increased production
7. Production in regions with adverse weather conditions
8. Ability to grow all the year
9. Optimizes the use of other technologies to facilitate the management of climate
POTTING MEDIA

A good potting medium, just like a good garden soil, must meet all the basic
plant requirements. The potting medium needs to supply plants with a means of
support, good drainage, adequate air circulation, and storage of water and
nutrients. The packaged potting mediums have been developed specifically to fulfil
the needs of containerized plants.

Growing media labelled as “potting soils” are often a mixture of organic and
may include coir dust, sand, compost and vermiculite. They may or may not be
sterilized (heated to about 180º F to kill microorganisms and weed seeds). Heavy
mixes that do contain some sand or mineral soil is especially suitable for large or
top-heavy houseplants. The following are the raw materials needed to make a
potting media:

Carbonized rice hull- it makes the clay soil porous because of its loose
composition and improves soil structure by increasing bulk density, water
holding capacity, and aeration.

Vermicast- Adds organic matter, helps soil to absorb and retain water up clay
soils and improves soil structure.

Coir dust- the physical features of coir dust provides more space and better
water holding capacity in the root zone when fully hydrated, generally resulting
in increased rooting and germination.

Organic fertilizer- it enhances germination, improves root health and structure

beneficial micro-organisms.

Sand- adds air space to a potting mix.

Characteristics of Good Soil Potting Medium

1. Porous enough to provide good air circulation and root development.

2. Rich in plant nutrients.
3. Pathogen free
5. Has a good water holding capacity.
6. Have a lot of microbial activity to keep plants healthy, robust and thus, higher
resistance from pests and diseases.

SEEDLING MAINTENANCE
 It’s that time of year when self-starting gardeners have sown their seeds
indoors and are contemplating the next steps. Those tiny little sprouts have shown
up and need the best care before their planting out into the world. Care for
seedlings once sprouted amounts to more than just giving them water. Healthy,
robust plants produce faster with higher yields, which is a winning situation for the
gardener.

 Water the sown seeds once a day during the first 3 days
 For seedling sown in seedbox, prick the seedlings 3-5 days after germination
and transplant to seedling trays (1seedling per tray)
 Pricking is not done for seeds sown directly in plastic seedling tray.
 Water the seedlings morning and afternoon for the succeeding days. Avoid
too much water and late afternoon watering for the seedling 7-10 days
before transplanting by exposing the seedlings under full sunlight and
gradually withdrawing water until the seedling reach temporary wilting.
 Spray indigenous Microorganism (IMO), Organic Fertilizer everyday or every
other day
 Hardened seedlings can easily recover from stress during transplanting
 Seedling 3-4 weeks old are ready for transplanting

Figure:
Seedlings in a seedling tray

SEEDBED

Soil with good tilth has a well aggregated structure. Aggregates are small,
preferably sand-sized, structures formed by arrangement of soil particles into
groups that are held together tightly. Proper tillage can form aggregates, but
aggregates will be formed only in soils that have clay or organic matter or both
constituents.

A seedbed with good tilth is granular, well aerated, and well drained, and
has good water-holding capacity. It also has a good capacity to receive water by
capillary rise from depths of the soil as well as to absorb water from precipitation or
irrigation. Proper tillage can help develop good soil tilth. Improper tillage can ruin
tilth. Tillage of wet soil should be avoided. The common use to till the soil are disk
plow and moldboard plow. Disk plow is employed commonly in tillage of land that
is rough with stones, with outcrops of rocks, or with tree stumps. Moldboard plow
is efficient in turning of soil so that desirable soil structure results and residues are
turned under.
 SELF-CHECK 2.1-2

TRUE or FALSE. Write true if the statement is correct and false if not correct.

____________1. A seedbed with good tilth is granular, well aerated, and well
drained, and has good water-holding capacity.
_____________2. Hardened seedlings can easily recover from stress during
transplanting
______________3. Good potting medium should have good holding capacity
______________4. Nursery is the place where starting plant materials are grown,
cared for and maintained until the plants are ready for transfer
to the permanent site for commercial growing.
______________5. Vermicast can add organic matter
 ANSWER KEY
SELF CHECK 2.1-2

TRUE or FALSE. Write true if the statement is correct and false if not correct .

TRUE 1. A seedbed with good tilth is granular, well aerated, and well drained, and
has good water-holding capacity.
TRUE 2. Hardened seedlings can easily recover from stress during transplanting
TRUE 3. Good potting medium should have good holding capacity
TRUE 4. Nursery is the place where starting plant materials are grown, cared for and
maintained until the plants are ready for transfer to the permanent site for
commercial growing.
TRUE 5. Vermicast can add organic matter
 TASK SHEET 2.1-2

TITLE How to take care of seedling

Given the necessary supplies, tools and equipment, you

PERFORMANCE
should be able to:
OBJECTIVE
1. Demonstrate how to take care of seedling
*Organic Fertilizers
SUPPLIES
*Concoctions
*Pail
TOOLS &
*Sprinkler
EQUIPMENT
*Greenhouse/Nursery

REFERENCES CBLM

You need to demonstrate knowledge how to take care

of seedling
STEPS/ 1.Watering the sown seeds
PROCEDURES 2.Watering the seedling
3.Apply Microorganism(IMO) and organic fertilizer
4. Hardened seedling
ASSESSMENT
Demonstration with oral questioning
METHOD
 PERFORMANCE CRITERIA CHECKLIST 2.1-2

CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF SEEDLINGS

Trainees
Date:
name:

After accomplishing the Task Sheet 2.1-2, Did you do the following:

CRITERIA YES NO

Did I?
Water the sown seed?
Watering the seedling?
Apply Microorganism(IMO) and organic fertilizer
Hardened the seedling?
 DETAILS OF LEARNING OUTCOME
LEARNING OUTCOME NO. 2 Plant Seedlings

CONTENTS:
● Land preparation activities
● Organic fertilizers and applicable concoctions
● Seedling management

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
1. Land preparation is carried out in accordance with enterprise practice
2. Beneficial micro-organisms are introduced prior to planting in accordance
with enterprise procedure
3. Seedlings are transplanted/planted based on VPM recommendations
4. Seedlings are watered based on VPM recommendations

CONDITIONS: Tools
Each student/trainee must be provided with Digging tools
the following: Cutting tools
Materials/Equipment Light hoe
Petri dish
Multimedia
Plow
Rotavator Protective gadgets
Comb tooth harrow Crate
Greenhouse/Nursery Sprinkler
Spike tooth harrow Shovel
Agri bags, plastic Cart
Mulching materials Seedling tray
Coconut dust Moisture meter
Gloves pH meter
Organic Fertilizers Bamboo stick
Concoctions

TEACHING METHODOLOGY
● Self-Study
● Discussion
● Demonstration

ASSESSMENT METHOD
● Written examination
● Demonstration with oral questioning
 LEARNING EXPERIENCE
Learning Outcome 2: PLANT SEEDLINGS
Activities Special Instructions
READ Information Sheet 2.2-1: If you have some problem on the content of the
Land preparation information sheet don’t hesitate to approach your
facilitator.
If you feel that you are now knowledgeable on
the content of the information sheet, you can
now answer Self-Check provided in the module
Answer Self Check 2.2-1 Compare your answers to the answer keys on
2.2-1 “Land Preparation” You are required to get
all answers correct. If not, read the information
sheet again to answer all the questions correctly.
DO Task Sheet 2.2-1 Evaluate your performance using Performance
Criteria Checklist
READ Information Sheet 2.2-2 If you have some problem on the content of the
Organic Fertilizers and information sheet don’t hesitate to approach your
applicable concoctions facilitator.
If you feel that you are now knowledgeable on
the content of the information sheet, you can
now answer Self-Check provided in the module
Answer Self-Check No. 2.2-2 Compare your answers to the answer keys on
2.2-2 “Organic Fertilizers and Applicable
Concoctions” You are required to get all answers
correct. If not, read the information sheet again
to answer all the questions correctly.
DO Task Sheet 2.2-2 Evaluate your performance using Performance
Criteria Checklist
READ Information Sheet 2.2- If you have some problem on the content of the
Seedling management information sheet don’t hesitate to approach your
facilitator.
If you feel that you are now knowledgeable on
the content of the information sheet, you can
now answer Self-Check provided in the module
Answer Self-Check No. 2.2-3 Compare your answers to the answer keys on
2.2-3 “Seedling Management” You are required
to get all answers correct. If not, read the
information sheet again to answer all the
questions correctly.
DO Task Sheet 2.2-3 Evaluate your performance using Performance
Criteria Checklist
 INFORMATION SHEET 2.2-1

LAND PREPARATION

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After reading this information sheet you must be able to identify different
method of preparing land.

INRODUCTION

Land preparation is important to ensure that the field is ready for planting. A
well-prepared field controls weeds, recycles plant nutrients, and provides a soft soil
mass for transplanting and a suitable soil surface for direct seeding. Land
preparation covers a wide range of practices from zero-tillage or minimum tillage
which minimizes soil disturbance through to a totally 'puddled' soil which actually
destroys soil structure.

Soil cultivation includes all mechanical measures to loosen, turn or mix the
soil, such as ploughing, tilling, digging, hoeing, harrowing etc. Careful soil
cultivation can improve the soil‘s capacity to retain water, its aeration, capacity of
infiltration, warming up, evaporation etc. But soil cultivation can also harm the soil
fertility as it accelerates erosion and the decomposition of humus. There is not one
right way to cultivate the soil, but a range of options. Depending on the cropping
system and the soil type, appropriate soil cultivation patterns must be developed

Aims of Soil Cultivation

Creating good growing conditions for plants

There are many reasons for cultivating the soil. The most important ones are to:

• Loosen the soil to facilitate the penetration of plant roots

• Improve the aeration (nitrogen and oxygen from the air)
• Encourage the activity of the soil organisms
• Increase infiltration of water
• Reduce evaporation
• Destroy or control weeds and soil pests
• Incorporate crop residues and manures into the soil
• Prepare the site for seeds and seedlings
• Repair soil compaction caused by previous activities

CLEARING
 Land clearing is the process of removing trees, stumps, brush, stones and
other obstacles from an area as required to increase the size of the crop producing
land base of an existing farm or to provide land for a new farm operation. The
newly cleared land must be ready for cultivation, including liming and leveling to
meet acceptable crop rotation and soil conservation goals.

PLOWING

Land should be prepared by plowing land 2-3 times, crushes clods, and
remove weeds, pebbles, and residues of previous crops especially, root crops
require more loose and deep soil for the well growth of root inside soil. Therefore,
clods should be crushed, and fine plowing should be done during land preparation.

BED MAKING

Vegetables are planted on beds of known dimension

 • Width 1meter
• Length 10 meters and above
• distance between plot:20 cm

Steps in Land Preparation

• Clearing and slashing of area

• Cultivate soil using tractor (large scale) plow, mattock pick, for small scale
production
• Incorporate the biodegradable materials
• Pulverize soil, remove rocks and other plant debris
• Mix organic fertilizer / dried manure
• Establish plots measure one meter wide, length depend on land area
• Construct canals in between plot for proper drainage system
• Expose the plots / raise bed to direct sunlight to eradicate the enemy live in
the soil
• Spray mixture of concoctions with a ratio of 2 tablespoon or 1 liter of water
 SELF CHECK 2.2-1

ENUMERATION:

1. What are 5 acceptable seeds in Organic Agriculture?

 ANSWER KEY

SELF CHECK 2.2-1

ENUMERATION:

1. What are 5 acceptable seeds in Organic Agriculture?

1. Open pollination varieties

2. Heirloom
3. Hybrid
4. Certified seeds
5. Non-Genetically Modified Organism
 TASK SHEET 2.1.1

TITLE Seeds Selection

Given the necessary supplies, tools and equipment, you

PERFORMANCE should be able to:
OBJECTIVE
1. Demonstrate how to select a good seed
SUPPLIES Assorted seed(different varieties)

TOOLS &
Seed storage
EQUIPMENT

REFERENCES CBLM

You need to demonstrate knowledge how to select

seeds
STEPS/
1. Demonstrate different seeds.
PROCEDURES
2. Select a good characteristic of seeds.
2. Store in a seed storage.

ASSESSMENT
Demonstration with oral questioning
METHOD
 PERFORMANCE CRITERIA CHECKLIST 2.1-1

SEEDS SELECTION

Trainees
Date:
name:

After accomplishing the Task Sheet 2.1-1, Did you do the following:

CRITERIA YES NO

Did I?
1. Demonstrate different seeds?
2. Select a good characteristic of seeds.
2. Store in proper seed storage?
 INFORMATION SHEET 2.2-2

ORGANIC FERTILIZERS AND APPROPRIATE CONCOCTIONS

LEARNING OBJECTIVE

After reading this information sheet you must be able to identify organic
matter that will apply to soil

INTRODUCTION

Just like any living organism, plant requires a balanced nutrition for optimum
growth. Plant requires 16 essential elements for their growth. Nitrogen,
Phosphorus, potassium, calcium, sulfur in addition to carbon, hydrogen, and
oxygen are elements required in higher quantity and thus are called MACRO
ELEMENTS. The rest such as iron, manganese, copper, boron, molybdenum,
chloride and zinc are called MICRONUTRIENTS since plants require these in
minium amounts.

FERMENTED PLANT JUICE

 FPJ is rich in micro and macro-nutrients. The primary elements that FPJ can
provide are nitrogen and some micro-nutrients like calcium, molybdenum,
manganese, iron and carbon. The juice also contains rich microorganisms which
give strength to plants and animals.

• As seed treatment before sowing-soak the seed in 0.2% solution for 4 to 5

hours to facilitate germination and as a start-up solution to germinating
seeds.

• As a natural growth enhancer-FPJ made from actively growing plant parts

and fast growing plants may contain natural growth hormones and
mineralized nitrogen that promotes plant growth. Mix 1 teaspoon of FPJ per
liter of water and spray on the leaves or apply directly to the soil around the
plants from seedling stage up to pre-flowering stage. You can apply weekly
or depending on plant vigor. No overdose; you may use it liberally.

FERMENTED FRUIT JUICE

This liquid have nutritional activation enzymes and help to increase nutrients
in the soil and therefore in the plants growing in it, especially potassium levels. It is
commonly used as foliar spray to enhance flowering and fruiting stage. The ripe
fruits contain phosphorous and potassium which are necessary during the flowering
and fruit setting stage which serve as a flower inducer.
FISH AMINO ACID (FAA)

• Plants-nitrogen source, supply also phosphorus, potassium, amino acids,

proteins and trace elements or micro-nutrients that are really needed to
provide deep nutrition to your soil community and plants.

• Foliar spray helps us get rid of pests too. They hate the fishy smell.

CALCIUM PHOSPHATE (CalPhos)

Can induce flowering among plants 2. Promotes higher yield 3. Induce

longer shelf life of fruits 4. Give added resistance to plants against pests and
harmful insects

INFORMATION SHEET 2.2-3

SEEDLING MANAGEMENT

LEARNING OBJECTIVE
 After reading this information sheet you must be able to know transplanting

METHODS OF PROPAGATION

DIRECT SEEDED PLANTS

Direct seeding refers to farming systems that fertilize and plant directly into

undisturbed soil in one field operation, or two separate operations of fertilizing
and planting. Only narrow strips of soil are disturbed by the equipment openers
used to place fertilizer and seed in the soil without full width tillage.
Radish, bottle guard, carrots, squash, okra, bitter guard

TRANSPLANTING

A process of planting the seedlings from the nursery to the field. Age of
seedlings for transplanting for pechay and lettuce is 3 weeks; for cabbage, broccoli
an cauliflower 4 to 5 weeks; and for tomato, pepper and eggplant is 5 to 7 weeks.
Transplanting should be done in the afternoon and during cloudy days.
Celery, Cabbage, pechay, eggplant, tomato, pepper

1. Seedlings should be hardened-off, well-fed and watered before

transplanting.
2. Prepare a weed-free surface. Loosen and aerate garden soil by tilling or
hoeing.
3. Dig a hole large enough for seedling.
4. Carefully remove seedling from its container. Try not to disturb the roots.
 5. Set seedling in hole level with soil surface. The exception is tomato
seedlings, which can be transplanted a bit deeper.
6. Feed seedling to kick start growth. I transplant each seedling with a hefty
handful of compost. If you don’t make compost, purchase specially
formulated fertilizer for transplanting.
7. Surround seedling with displaced soil.
8. Water seedling thoroughly.

9. Mulch seedling to maintain soil moisture and regulate temperature.

10. Keep area weed-free.

Planting distances
CROPS DISTANC Rows per bed (1m)
E (cm)

Leafy Vegetables 20-30 5

Tomato, Eggplant 40-50 2
Pepper, Lady Finger 40-50 2
Bell Pepper 40-50 2
Cucumber 40-50 2
Ampalaya, Upo, Patola 100 1 row every other bed
Kangkong 5 20
 DETAILS OF LEARNING OUTCOME
LEARNING OUTCOME NO. 3 Plant Seedlings

CONTENTS:

● Water management plan

● Pest, disease and weed management
● Plant management

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

1. Water management is implemented according to plan.

2. Effective control measures are determined on specific pest and diseases as
described under the “pest, disease and weed management” of the PNS
3. All missing hills are replanted to maintain the desired plant population of the
area
4. Plant rejuvenation/rationing are maintained according to PNS.
5. Organic fertilizers are applied in accordance with fertilization policy of the PNS

CONDITIONS:

Each student/trainee must be provided with Tools

the following: Knapsack sprayer
Catching nets
Materials/Equipment
Fungicides
Multimedia Killing bottles
Irrigation system (sprinkler, mist/drip Marking pens
irrigation)

TEACHING METHODOLOGY

● Self-Study
● Discussion
● Demonstration

ASSESSMENT METHOD

● Written examination
● Demonstration with oral questioning

LEARNING EXPERIENCE

Learning Outcome 3: PERFORM PLANT CARE AND MANAGEMENT

 Activities Special Instructions
1. READ Information Sheet If you have some problem on the content of the
2.3-1 Water management information sheet don’t hesitate to approach your
plan facilitator.
If you feel that you are now knowledgeable on
the content of the information sheet, you can
now answer Self-Check provided in the module
2. Answer Self Check 2.3-1 Compare your answers to the answer keys on
2.3-1 “Water Management Plan” You are
required to get all answers correct. If not, read
the information sheet again to answer all the
questions correctly.
3. DO Task Sheet 2.3-1 Evaluate your performance using Performance
Criteria Checklist
4. READ Information Sheet If you have some problem on the content of the
2.3-2 Pest, disease and information sheet don’t hesitate to approach your
weed management facilitator.
If you feel that you are now knowledgeable on
the content of the information sheet, you can
now answer Self-Check provided in the module
5. Answer Self-Check No. Compare your answers to the answer keys on
2.3-2 2.3-2 “Pest, Disease and Weed Management”
You are required to get all answers correct. If
not, read the information sheet again to answer
all the questions correctly.
6. DO Task Sheet 2.3-2 Evaluate your performance using Performance
Criteria Checklist
7. READ Information Sheet If you have some problem on the content of the
2.3-3 Plant management information sheet don’t hesitate to approach your
facilitator.
If you feel that you are now knowledgeable on
the content of the information sheet, you can
now answer Self-Check provided in the module
8. Answer Self-Check No. Compare your answers to the answer keys on
2.3-3 2.3-3 “Plant Management” You are required to
get all answers correct. If not, read the
information sheet again to answer all the
questions correctly.
9. DO Task Sheet 2.3-3 Evaluate your performance using Performance
Criteria Checklist
INFORMATION SHEET 2.2-3

WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN

LEARNING OBJECTIVE

After reading this information sheet you must be able to

 ● know the importance of water
● identify different sources

Sources of Water for Irrigation

Wells Tube wells

Pond Lake

River Canals

Water helps a plant by transporting important nutrients through the

plant. Nutrients are drawn from the soil and used by the plant. Without
enough water in the cells, the plants droop, so water helps a plant to stand.
By its gradual evaporation from the surface of the leaf, near the stomates,
water helps stabilize plant temperature. Water is also essential for effective
land preparation, efficient utilization of fertilizers by plants, germination of
seeds, establishment of transplants, flowering and maturation.

What does water do for a plant? There are three potential situations with
water: too much, too little and, of course, just enough.
 ● If a plant’s soil has too much water, the roots can rot, and the plant can’t
get enough oxygen from the soil.
● If there is not enough water for a plant, the nutrients it needs cannot
travel through the plant.
● A plant cannot grow if it doesn’t have healthy roots, so the proper
balance of water is key when growing plants.

Water requirement of different crops vary:

Most crops require large amount of water, but very few can withstand
water logging. Gabi, kangkong, calla lily and aquatic plants like lotus and water
lily are very few examples of plants that can withstand waterlogging.
Deep rooted crops as a whole are drought tolerant and so they can withstand
3-6 months period without rain. Coconut, cashew.

Leafy vegetables

Cabbage, lettuce, and spinach are generally planted at or near field capacity.
Being shallow rooted, these crops benefit from frequent irrigation throughout
the season. As leaf expansion relates closely to water availability, these crops,
especially cabbage and lettuce, are particularly sensitive to drought stress
during the period of head formation through harvest. Overwatering or irregular
watering can result in burst heads.
Broccoli and cauliflower

Although not grown specifically for their leaves, broccoli and cauliflower
respond to irrigation much as the leafy vegetables do. They are both sensitive
to drought stress at all stages of growth, responding to drought with reduced
growth and premature heading.

Root, tuber, and bulb vegetables

Sweet potato, potato, carrot, and onion crop yields depend on the production
and translocation of carbohydrates from the leaf to the root or bulb. The most
sensitive stage of growth generally occurs as these storage organs enlarge.
Carrots require an even and abundant supply of water throughout the season.
Stress causes small, woody, and poorly flavored roots. Uneven irrigation can lead
to misshapen or split roots in carrots, second growth in potatoes, and early bulbing
in onions.

Fruiting vegetables
 Cucumbers, melons, pumpkins and squashes, lima beans, snap beans,
peas, peppers, sweet corn, and tomatoes are most sensitive to drought stress at
flowering and as fruits and seeds develop. Fruit set on these crops can be seriously
reduced if water becomes limited. An adequate supply of water during the period of
fruit enlargement can reduce the incidence of fruit cracking and blossom-end rot in
tomatoes. Irrigation is often reduced as fruit and seed crops mature.

For seeded crops, reduce the rate of application and the total amount of
water applied to avoid crusting. If crusting is present, use low application rates and
small amounts of irrigation water to soften the crust while seedlings are emerging.
 INFORMATION SHEET 2.3-2

PEST, DISEASE AND WEED MANAGEMENT

LEARNING OBJECTIVE

After reading this information sheet you must be able to

● Know Integrated Pest Management
● Identify and treat diseases
● Use Proper weed management methods

Biointensive Integrated Pest Management

The goal of IPM is to deal with problems in a systematic and least toxic way.
Biointensive IPM goes further in emphasizing non-toxic methods.

There are four steps of IPM: prevention, avoidance, monitoring and

suppression.

Sustainable Animal Pest Management

Prevention: Focus on restoring and enhancing natural balance and resilience

to create healthy plants and soil, better able to withstand attacks. Maintain
soil fertility, good drainage and soil structure; plant resistant, pest-tolerant,
regionally adapted varieties; grow strong plants; practice good sanitation.

Avoidance: The next stage is taking actions to reduce the chances of a

specific pest taking over. These actions are also known as physical controls.
All these methods reduce problems without adding any new compounds into
the soil. Use good crop rotations, remove pest habitat, deter known pests,
use rowcovers, ProtekNet, low tunnels, high tunnels. Provide habitat for bats,
insectivorous birds, spiders, birds of prey and rodent-eating ground predators
(snakes, bobcats). Physically remove pests by hand-picking, spraying with a
strong water spray, flaming, vacuuming, or by using a leaf-blower to blow
bugs into a collecting scoop; solarize soil in the summer to kill soil-dwelling
pests, as well as diseases.

Monitoring (is action needed?) : regularly inspect your crops, find out when
conditions are right for an outbreak of a particular pest, set traps and lures
(sticky traps and pheromone traps) so you know when pests arrive or hatch
out. Identify the pests you catch, keep records each year. Be prepared.

Suppression: When the established action level for a particular pest has

been reached, and prevention and avoidance strategies have been
exhausted, bio-logical, microbial, botanical and mineral control measures can
be used to reduce pest damage of crops to an economically viable level,
while minimizing environmental risks. There are four types of sustainable bio-
intensive control measures to choose from, starting with the least toxic
solution:

1. Biological control involves either introducing beneficial predators

or parasites of the pest species, or working to boost populations of
existing resident predators and parasites.
2. Microbial controls refer to the use of fungi, bacteria, and viruses
to kill pests.
3. Botanical control uses plant-based products for pest control. An
example is neem oil,
4. Inorganic (mineral) controls, also known as biorational disease
controls, make use of oils and soaps.

A zipper spider on a tomato plant, catching anything that lands on its web.

Sustainable Disease Management

Diseases need a susceptible host and the presence of a

pathogen and suitable environmental conditions. Plant pathogens can be soil-
borne, foliar-borne, seed-borne, or a combination of seed-borne with one of
the others.
A. Soil-borne pathogens can live in the soil for decades, so long crop
rotations are needed. Club Root is one. Fusarium
oxysporum and Verticillium dahliae are two soil-borne
fungi. Fusarium survives a long time in soil without a host, and can also
be seed-borne.

B. Foliar pathogens need foliage! They die in soil in the absence of host

plant debris, so practice good sanitation. Late blight (Phytophthora
infestans) is a good example of this type of disease: it does not carry over
in the soil, on dead plants, the seeds or the stakes. Cucurbit angular leaf
spot (ALS) bacteria (Pseudomonas syringae) overwinter in diseased plant
material and on the seed coat

C. Seed-borne pathogens: Lettuce mosaic virus is an example of a disease

in which the seed is the main source of the pathogen and if seed infection
is controlled, the disease is prevented. Other seed-borne pathogens may
start life as a foliar-borne or a soil-borne pathogen. Infected seeds will
produce infected plants even in clean soil. Pathogens can infect the seed
via several routes: The parent plant can become infected by drawing soil
pathogens through its roots up into the seed; Pathogenic spores can float
in on the air (Alternaria solani, early blight of
tomatoes; Anthracnose fungus that affects nightshades, watermelon and
cucumber); Insects that feed on the plant can transfer the disease (striped
cucumber beetles vector bacterial wilt, which is caused by Erwinia
tracheiphila); Insects that pollinate the plant can bring infected pollen from
diseased plants.

Rolling biodegradable plastic mulch to prevent weeds, warm the soil and
prevent splash-back which can spread diseases from the soil. Photo by Wren
Vile

1. Prevention and Avoidance (cultural controls)

Apply good compost and maintain healthy, biologically active soils;

Optimize nutrients and moisture for crop vigor;

Practice good soil management (eg timing of tillage) to preserve maximum

diversity of microorganisms; Use rotations to minimize disease and improve
the environment for natural enemies of diseases; Time your plantings to avoid
peak periods of certain diseases; Practice good sanitation of tools, plants and
shoes; Use seed hot water and bleach treatments; Plant locally adapted,
resistant varieties; Provide good airflow; Use mulches to reduce splashback
from soil to plants; Use drip irrigation to reduce moisture on foliage; Use
farmscaping to encourage beneficial insects.

2. Monitor crops for problems

 Make a regular tour of your crops once a week to monitor growth and
health. Keep good records. If you see a problem, identify it. Plant
Diseases Diagnostic lab can help. The mere presence of a disease does
not automatically require spraying. The economic threshold (ET) or action
level is the point at which losses from the disease warrant the time and
money invested in applying control measures.

3. When control measures are needed

a. Physical controls: Removing diseased plant parts, protecting
vulnerable plants with rowcovers or sprayed kaolin barriers, mulching to
isolate plant foliage from the soil, tool and shoe sanitation, soap washes
for foliage, hot water or bleach seed treatments, and soil solarization to
kill disease spores are all methods that reduce problems without adding
any new substance into the mix.
b. Biological controls: Beneficial animals and insects are more
common in insect pest reduction than in disease control, but the use of
milk as a fungicide qualifies as a biological control. Plants in danger of
developing powdery mildew can be sprayed weekly with a mix of one
volume of milk with four volumes of water. When exposed to sunlight,
this is effective against development of fungal diseases.
c. Microbial controls: Homemade microbial remedies employ
liquids (simple watery extracts and fermented teas) made from compost.
For a simple compost extract, mix one part mature compost with six
parts water. Let it soak one week, then strain and dilute to the color of
weak black tea. Fermented compost tea can deal with many maladies. If
your strawberries are prone to Botrytis, apply fermented compost tea
every two weeks, starting when the berries are still green. See ATTRA or
the Soil Foodweb site for how to make fermented compost teas.
d. Botanical controls: Using plant-based products to reduce
disease. Neem oil, as well as being a pesticide, forms a barrier on
foliage that prevents some fungal diseases from establishing. It
degRolling biodegradable plastic mulchdegrades in UV light in four to
eight days and must be reapplied if the disease organisms are still
around. Like all broad-spectrum insecticides, neem can kill beneficials as
well as pests, so caution is needed if it is used. Garlic can be used
against fungal diseases: blend two whole bulbs of garlic in one quart
(one liter) of water with a few drops of liquid soap. Strain and refrigerate.
For prevention, dilute 1:10 with water before spraying; for control, use
full strength. Kelp sprays are also used to generally boost the resistance
of plants to pest, disease and weather-related problems. Biofumigation
by incorporating Ida Gold and Pacific Gold mustards into the soil
e. Inorganic controls, also known as biorational disease
controls: These include Bicarbonates (baking soda) one teaspoon (5
ml) in one quart (one liter) of water, with a few drops of liquid soap as a
spreader-sticker against fungal diseases. Oils and soaps copper and
sulfur products, as part of a prevention program (not a cure). Several of
these need to be used with caution if the plants and the planet are to
survive the treatment.

Sustainable Weed Management

 Weeds compete with crops for sunlight, water and nutrients, and can
encourage fungal diseases by reducing airflow. Too-frequent cultivation to
remove weeds can leave the soil more prone to erosion. Each tilling or deep
hoeing stirs air into the soil and speeds combustion of organic matter. Most
weeds respond well to nutrients, especially nitrogen. If you give corn too
much nitrogen, even as compost, its productivity will max out and the weeds
will use the remaining nutrients.

Remove weeds at their most vulnerable stage, or at the last minute

before the seedpods explode —ignore weeds doing little damage. There are
different types: annuals and perennials; stationary perennials (docks) and
invasive perennials (Bermuda grass); cool-weather and warm-weather types;
quick-maturing and slow-maturing types; “Big Bang” types (pigweed) versus
“Dribblers” (galinsoga).

1. Preventing weeds from germinating

 grow vigorous crops adapted to the locality,

 close spacings, leaving less space for weeds,
 switch between spring and summer crops in rotation,
 drip irrigation rather than sprinklers,
 mulch to bury short-lived weed seeds
 plant promptly after cultivation,
 transplant rather than direct sowing,
 Multiple cropping, relay planting
 Cover crops, including no-till, reduced till
 Encourage seed-eating birds, insects, worms, mice

2. Reducing weed seeding

 Reduce weed seed banks to 5 % of original levels when weeds are not
allowed to seed for 5 consecutive years.
 Timely cultivation, Mowing, Flaming, Grazing by cattle, chickens,
ducks, geese
 Using post-emergence organic weed killers: corn gluten, vinegar,
flaming
We use flaming to kill quick germinating weeds in our carrot beds.

Reducing seed viability

 Most weed emergence happens within two years of the seeds being
shed.
 Seeds lying on or near the soil surface are more likely to deteriorate or
become food for seed predators than buried seeds, so delaying tillage
generally reduces the number of seeds added to the long-term seed
bank
 If they do not get eaten, dry out or rot, seeds on top of the soil are
more likely to germinate than buried seeds.
 Small, short-lived seeds of weeds with no dormancy period, such as
galinsoga, will almost all die within a year or two if they are buried a
few inches. Till and mulch to bury short-lived weed seeds
 Longer-lived seeds (pigweed, lambs quarters, velvetleaf) if buried, may
remain viable and dormant for years
 Avoid deep tillage if you have long-lived-seed weeds
 stale bed techniques draw down the seed bank in the soil
 Solarization

4. Reducing the strength of perennial weed roots and rhizomes

 Apical dominance: when a rhizome grows a shoot, chemicals from that

shoot prevent other nearby nodes from sending up shoots.
 On long rhizomes, after a certain length, the dominance effect is too
weak and another node can grow a shoot.
 When rhizomes are cut into pieces during tillage, the apical dominance
is lost and each piece can grow a shoot
 But such shoots may be weak – Cultivate again before the new shoots
have grown enough to send energy back to the roots, or pull out the
pieces to dry on the surface: the depleted pieces of root or rhizome may
die.
 It’s more effective to wait time until the new top growth has drawn
down the plant’s reserves (in the roots) before hoeing or pulling.
 Removing top growth whenever the weeds reach the three- to four-leaf
stage can be most effective
 INFORMATION SHEET 2.3-3

PLANT MANAGEMENT

LEARNING OBJECTIVE

After reading this information sheet you must be able to

 DETAILS OF LEARNING OUTCOME
LEARNING OUTCOME NO. 4 Perform harvest and post-harvest activities

CONTENTS:
1. Pre and post-harvest activities

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

1. Pre and post-harvest activities

2. Marketable products are harvested according to PNS, PNS organic agriculture and
enterprise practice.
3. Harvested vegetables are classified according to PNS, PNS organic agriculture
and enterprise practice.
4. Appropriate harvesting tools and materials are used according to PNS.
5. Post-harvest practices are applied according to PNS and GAP recommendations
6. Production record is accomplished according to enterprise procedures.

CONDITIONS: Tools
Each student/trainee must be provided with Calculator
the following: Container
Materials/Equipment Cutting tools
Fruit crate
Multimedia
Harvesting tools
Booth temporary shed Hat
Crates Picking knife
Harvesting equipment Post-harvest treatment tools
Post-harvest treatment equipment Pruning shears
Service vehicle
Sorting equipment
Storage room

TEACHING METHODOLOGY

● Self-Study
● Discussion
● Demonstration

ASSESSMENT METHOD

● Written examination
● Demonstration with oral questioning

LEARNING EXPERIENCE

Learning Outcome 4: Perform harvest and post-harvest activities

 Activities Special Instructions
1. READ Information Sheet If you have some problem on the content of the
2.4-1 Pre- and Post-Harvest information sheet don’t hesitate to approach your
Activities facilitator.
If you feel that you are now knowledgeable on
the content of the information sheet, you can
now answer Self-Check provided in the module
2. Answer Self Check 2.4-1 Compare your answers to the answer keys on
2.1-1 “Pre- and Post-Harvest Activities” You are
required to get all answers correct. If not, read
the information sheet again to answer all the
questions correctly.
3. DO Task Sheet 2.4-1 Evaluate your performance using Performance
Criteria Checklist
 INFORMATION SHEET 2.4-1

PRE- AND POST-HARVEST ACTIVITIES

GENERAL POSTHARVEST HANDLING & SANITATION INFORMATION

Sanitation on the farm, with the aim of preventing harvested produce from
becoming contaminated, begins with general good housekeeping practices. Some
general good practices to follow on your farm include:

 Training workers on personal hygiene and cleanliness (see our Worker

Health, Hygiene, and Training page for more information)
 Keep it clean: sweep, pick up trash, and remove cull piles from buildings at
least daily.
 Separate produce handling areas from other farm activities (tractor
repair/storage, pesticide mixing, equipment storage, etc)
 Provide proper toilet and handwashing facilities and break areas for
employees and farm visitors (see Worker Health, Hygiene, and Training
section for more information)
 Minimize standing water. Bacteria thrive and multiply in water, so standing
water, both in the field and in farm buildings, can act as a significant source of
contamination. If you’re building a new pack house, design drainage systems to
prevent water from pooling anywhere. If water regularly pools in existing pack
houses, take measures to regularly clear that water – sweep/mop/squeegee the
water out of the area regularly. If your packing area is outside, be sure that area
drains well. A gravel pad can help with drainage and soil splash.
 Establish pest management programs. See “General guidelines for pest
management within farm
buildings” section below for
specific recommendations.
Overall, it is important that any
pest management program be
substantial and effective, or
modified if they are not
effective. You may need to hire
a pest control company.
 Design your wash and
packhouse layout to prevent
contamination. Wash and
packhouse flow should move
from dirty to clean, without
overlapping routes. Layouts
that are U- or L-shaped (see
 diagram) are good designs. These layouts ensure that clean, fresh produce
won’t come into contact with potential contaminants coming in from other
produce, truck tires, workers shoes, or other sources. Clearly label tools and
equipment that is used for specific tasks so that there’s no mistaking, for
example, which containers are for bringing out to the field and which are for
packing clean produce.

Infrastructure changes involving food safety can be expensive. The

Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources has annual grant
funding available through the Agricultural Food Safety Improvement Program.
See their website for more information.
See "Additional Resources" at the bottom of this page for the Produce
Packshed Design for Safety & Efficiency video series from the University of
Vermont.
Good business practices support financial viability and farm food safety.
General organization, good recordkeeping and effective communication and
labor management are all essential for any business to succeed. Organization
and efficiency are also key to preventing and managing produce
contamination. The concept of “lean” in production deals with minimizing
waste while maintaining productivity. Originating in the automobile industry,
the concept can be applied to agriculture as well. Some suggestions for
further reading on lean farming and farm business management that can also
lead to improved farm food safety practices:

Cleaning & sanitizing:

In addition to general cleanliness, it is important to know how to clean and
sanitize tools, equipment, and surfaces effectively. While cleaning and
sanitizing should be focused on food contact surfaces – any surface that
comes into physical contact with produce – you should also clean and
sanitize “secondary” surfaces that may indirectly contact food or food contact
surfaces. 
Cleaning and sanitizing refer to separate actions. Cleaning refers to the
physical removal of dirt and organic matter from surfaces, using water and a
detergent. Sanitizing is the treatment of a cleaned surface to reduce or
eliminate microorganisms. A dirty surface cannot be sanitized – cleaning
always comes first.
Cleaning and sanitizing is a four-step process:

1. Remove any obvious dirt or debris from the surface

2. Apply detergent and scrub. Detergents should be appropriate for use on
food contact surfaces.
3. Rinse the surface with clean water to remove soil and detergent.
4. Apply sanitizer approved for use on food contact surfaces. Rinse if
required by label. 
 If allowed to grow on a surface, bacteria will create biofilms, which are layers
of bacteria and excreted substances that allow bacterial colonies to stick onto
a surface. Biofilms mostly consist of non-pathogenic bacteria, but act as
sticky harbors for any passing pathogenic bacterial cell to attach to and
reproduce in. If biofilms are established, it increases the likelihood that
pathogenic bacteria will remain on a surface and proliferate, and so it is
important to avoid the formation of biofilms on harvest, wash, and pack
equipment by cleaning plant debris and soil off of equipment daily. Hard-to-
clean surfaces (like wood or surfaces with bumpy seams) should be cleaned
and sanitized more frequently than easy-to-clean surfaces. Routine use of
sanitizers can help prevent the buildup of biofilms.
Detergents/cleaners do not need to be labeled for food contact surfaces to be
used on your farm. For organic operations, detergents/cleaners do not need
to be organic. Sanitizers are pesticides and must be labeled for use on food
contact surfaces, and organic operations are limited to using sanitizers with
specific active ingredients. See the resources below for organic sanitizer
options.

General guidelines for pest management within farm buildings:

 Place traps and bait stations strategically. Check traps and restock bait
stations frequently.
 Inspect walls, doors, windows for holes and cracks, and fix any found.
 Deter birds with nets or spikes.
 Keep doors and windows closed as much as possible.
 Cut grass around building.
 Remove cull piles and garbage from buildings at least every day or as
needed.
 Keep produce covered when possible.
 Don’t use bait inside packing areas.
 Store pallets of produce at least 1 foot from walls to aid in visual inspection
and trap monitoring, or be sure they are easily moveable to aid in inspection.
 Put your pest control plans in writing and keep records of when traps are
checked, baits are replaced, or other pest management activities are completed.

Chemical and Physical Contamination

Microbial contamination is not the only concern on farms. Chemical and
physical contamination can also pose risks in wash and pack houses.
Chemicals like pesticides, detergents, and sanitizers or physical contaminants
like broken glass, wood or metal splinters, or nuts and bolts that accidentally
end up in wash water or on clean produce can also pose serious threats to
public health. While FSMA does not include requirements regarding chemical
or physical contamination, other food safety certification programs may
include such requirements, and other legislation (Worker Protection
Standards, pesticide legislation, etc) includes relevant regulations.
To prevent chemical and physical contamination of produce:

 Keep cleaning and sanitizing products and pesticides in separate,

clearly labeled locations.
 Keep Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for any chemical you have on the farm
on site in case of an emergency. SDS can be found on chemical
company websites for any cleaner, pesticide, or other chemical, and
contain information about what to do if the product is ingested.
 Use only food-grade lubricants, oils, and chemicals, according to their
labeled use.
 Use equipment made of food-grade materials that will not leach into
produce.
 Screen or cover overhead lights or replace with shatterproof fixtures.
 Set a schedule to check bearings and metal parts of machines.
 Keep packing materials and produce covered whenever possible.