SELF SUFFICIENCY II ASS101

Course Duration: 100 hours

Course Structure

There are ten lessons in this course, each requiring about 10 hours work by the student.

The content of each of the lessons is outlined below:‑

1.    Diet & Nutrition 

• introduction to good health
• basic nutrition
• food allergies
• food combining
• a well balanced diet.

2.    Establishing a Kitchen Garden    

• deciding food plants that can be grown in your garden,
• designing a productive garden.

3.    Vegetables 

• easy to grow vegetables,
• long cropping vegetables
• culture for specific types of vegetables.

4.    Fruit

• cultural techniques for different types of fruits & berries
• cross pollination

5.    Bottling      

• equipment & techniques for jelly/jam making
• bottling.

6.    Freezing & Drying

• harvesting and preserving techniques
• freezing
• drying

7.         Producing Milk & Eggs

• milk from cows, sheep & goats
• developing an egg production system
• making cheese and yoghurt.

8.    Growing & Cooking with Herbs

• selection and cultivation of culinary herbs
• drying herbs
• recipes for cooking with herbs.

9.    Egg & Cheese Cookery

• storage and use of eggs & cheese
• distinguishing different types of cheese, cooking with eggs & cheese.

10.  Grain

• growing sprouts
• cereals
• baking bread, etc.

EXAMPLES IF WHAT YOU WILL DO IN THIS COURSE

• Visit a local nursery and inspect the food plants which are available in your locality. Talk to the nurseryman and find out what types of food plants will become available at other times of the year.
• List those vegetables which you consider would be easiest to grow and give the best production for the effort you would need to put in. Consider such things as produce per unit area, time for maturing, susceptibility to pest and disease
• Prepare a list of fruit which you would grow to provide an adequate year round supply for the needs of a family consisting of two adults and two children.  List the number of plants which you feel would be needed for type of fruit.
• Bottle something which you have never bottled before.  Explain step by step the procedure you follow.  Indicate the equipment you have used in your bottling.
• List all of those foods which you feel would be worthwhile freezing, which are able to be grown by you on your property

REASONS TO STUDY WITH ACS DISTANCE EDUCATION

• Reputation:
    -teaching Horticulture since 1979
    -exceptional faculty staff (see below)
• Hands on: develop practical as well as theoretical skills
• Uniqueness:
    -successful people are always those who can offer a skill or service that others can't
    -this course is different; our graduates have different skills to set them apart.
• Relevance -curriculum developed in response to industry needs
• Lots of help: personal, prompt attention from tutors
• Holistic Courses: We teach more than just "facts"
    -success is only 20% about intelligence (and what you know)
    -you also need to build networking, problem solving & communication skills, and more!
    -this course helps you develop all of these things and more
• Value: courses compare very favorably on a cost per study hour basis
• Up to date: courses under constant review
• Student amenities: This school is backed by over one of the most unique and comprehensive private collections of intellectual property in the horticultural industry. The principal and staff have written and published over 50 books and 150 gardening magazines, as well as 20,000 hours horticultural study programs. A team of 5 horticultural writers continue to develop and update new material continually. These resources together with web sites, an online student room, social media etc. provide a unique and comprehensive facility to support students studying with the school.

Marie Beerman  B.Sc., M.Hort.