Hauraki Plains College

Food Production (Hort)

Course Description

Teacher in Charge: Mrs B. Dyer.

Recommended Prior Learning

No prior learning is needed, but understanding of photosynthesis and other plant processes is beneficial.

Horticulture is a great course for anyone interested in going into further education with regards to horticulture, agriculture, veterinary study, animal and plant science, ecology, soil science and climate change. It is fun and engaging as you learn with your hands and your head. Learning seems to sink deeper this way.

Horticulture is the development of skills both within class and in your own garden. You will have your own garden right through the year. This is an Achievement Standards course and does contain some written projects. You will learn about how many different factors impact on plant growth. Some of these factors include light, water, air, and soil. Connections will be made between these factors and plant growth gained from the process of photosynthesis. Soil properties and management practices will be discussed in detail. A discussion about sustainable practices in a garden and commercial setting will be delved into. We will go on a trip to a commercial grower.

You must be prepared to be able to work in a garden setting and therefore get your hands dirty and also be prepared to be able to work in class and learn the theory behind growing.

IF YOU TAKE THIS COURSE YOU CANNOT TAKE 11 AGH

Course Overview

Term 1
Develop and plant up a garden
Learn about tools and equipment used in a garden
Learn about plant processes and their impact on plant growth - this is important whether you want to be a horticulturalist growing a crop or an agriculturalist growing pasture.

Term 2
A project about life processes of animals or plants. Students write about either plants or animals and talk about how a life process such as nutrition, movement, respiration, reproduction, growth etc are impacted by an action that a person takes. eg. If you change the nutrition for a sport horse, what will happen to its performance. Or if you weed a garden, how will this help the plant you want to grow better?

Bee pollination = we look at how important bees are on a farm for pasture growth and an orchard for fruit production .

Term 3
This project is about how climate, soils, topography, labour, transport, factories can impact why a farm is in a particular region of NZ. Eg. Why are kiwifruit grown in Bay of Plenty, why are dairy cattle farmed in the Waikato? Why is viticulture grown in Marlborough or merinos in Otago?

Researching and learning about the essential importance of soils for maximising production. either on an agriculture farm or a horticulture farm. Students learn about soil types and how they influence drainage, nutrition, aeration in the soil. They learn about the cool biology in the soil and how these creatures work. They also learn about soil chemistry with regards to nutrients for plant use.

Term 4
Soils exam

Learning Areas:

Primary Industries

Assessment Information

The assessments build on each other over the year. Starting with the garden gives students hands on sensory understanding for what they will learn in theory. This form of learning helps students to gain a far more ingrained understanding of what is being taught. It gives personal in site into how management practices can impact on plant growth and therefore quality and quantity of produce. This is an applied science route to learning.

Further Education in science and agriculture or horticulture, jobs within the agriculture or horticulture production sector, agriculture and horticulture scientists, agronomist, agriculture and horticulture consultant, rural banker, landscaper, arborist, ecologist, agriculture machinery, bee keeper, plant or animal genetics