Agriculture & Gardening   

Discover fundamental landscape principles including basic design concepts, proper planting techniques of trees, shrubs and groundcovers, basic sprinkler design, scheduling and maintenance, and practical pruning of trees and shrubs. Learn how to use these techniques and budget to make your landscape successful. 

Learn how to grow beautiful flowers for your garden or for cutting. Discover easy-to-grow flowers and handy tips for ensuring blooms all summer long. Get ready to make bouquets for friends, enjoy flowers on your kitchen table all summer or just get your hands in the dirt. 

Start your own flower garden from seed. Learn different seed starting methods, how to start seeds indoors and keep them alive, and when and how to transplant seedlings outside. Plus, learn tips for annuals, perennials and native flowers, as well as which varieties are best started indoors or direct sown in the garden.

Learn to save time, effort, tools, space and water with the square foot gardening method. It is estimated to cost 50% less, uses 20% less space, 10% of the water and only 2% of the work compared to single row gardening. There’s virtually no weeds, no digging or rototilling, and no heavy tools necessary. 

Learn to prune your own fruit trees for overall tree health and high quality fruit. This field class workshop takes place in the FVCC Campus Farm orchard, seeing first hand the different tools, techniques and strategies to consider when pruning.

Learn to save time, effort, tools, space and water with the square foot gardening method. It is estimated to cost 50% less, uses 20% less space, 10% of the water and only 2% of the work compared to single row gardening. There’s virtually no weeds, no digging or rototilling, and no heavy tools necessary. 

Learn about growing staple foods in the garden for a year-round food supply. Discover simple strategies for developing new gardens, selecting crops, growing, harvesting, proper storage and more.

Explore the art of cultivating wine cap mushrooms, learning the best techniques for growing these flavorful fungi in your own backyard. Delve into the mushroom’s ecological benefits and discover how they enhance soil health while providing a sustainable food source. 

Join local natural resource experts from MSU Extension, Flathead Conservation District, Flathead County and Montana DNRC to learn techniques for managing your land. Topics include soil and pasture health, noxious weeds, landowner fire preparedness, forest health (insects, disease and wildfire), living by water and living with wildlife. Meet at Loon Lake with a special lunch presentation on loons and an optional evening campfire reception. Fee includes lunch, reception, snacks and course materials.

Explore the art of cultivating oyster mushrooms, learning the best techniques for growing these flavorful fungi in your own backyard. Dive into the ecological benefits of oyster mushrooms and discover how they enhance soil health while providing a sustainable food source.