2010 Educational Programs
Digging Deep: An Advanced Soils Course for Vegetable Growers
January 5th, 19th, and February 9th
The Lake Morey Resort Fairlee, Vermont
This course is designed for intermediate to advanced vegetable growers to help you develop
a deeper understanding of how to manage soils and soil fertility on your farm.
Class One: Soil Testing Tools and Their Use
Tuesday, January 5th 8:30am-4:30pm
Class Two: Using Soil Fertility Practices to Solve Problems on Your Farm
Tuesday, January 19th 8:30am-4:30pm
Class Three: Putting a System Together on Your Farm
Tuesday, February 9th 8:30am-4:30pm
For more information contact NOFA Vermont, 802-434-4122, info@nofavt.org.
Tilling the Soil of Opportunity
An In-depth Business Planning Course for Massachusetts Agricultural Enterprises
Amherst, MA on Tuesday evenings January 12, 2010 through March 16. The other location will be determined by interest (toward the east) and will meet Monday evenings January 11, 2010 through March 15.
The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) offers the widely acclaimed NxLevel© "Tilling the Soil of Opportunity" (TTS) agricultural business planning course each year January-March. This innovative, farmer friendly course focuses on existing agricultural businesses that will benefit from an organized look at their current operation in order to plan for growth and change. Over 240 Massachusetts agricultural enterprises have completed TTS.
The course Instructor guides participants through creation of a business plan to improve decision making on the owner/operator’s farm. MDAR has enhanced the 35 hours of group meetings with additional individualized technical assistance and confidential one-on-one financial planning. The Instructor visits every participant’s farm/ag enterprise at least once during the course.
To Take this Course, you should*
- have been operating for one or more years (experience on other ag enterprises and/or in school ag programs may be considered).
- have current access to land and at least minimal facilities for your enterprise (owned or leased)
- have email and web access as well as basic Office software (Word and Excel)
For additional information and an application form, contact:
Rick Chandler, ABTP Director phone: 413-548-1905 or email rick.chandler@state.ma.us
9th annual NOFA Course in Organic Land Care
January 13, 14, 15, 19 and 20, 2010
Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, 6 Plum Island Tpke.**, Newburyport, MA.*
This 5-day intensive course trains and accredits professionals to practice organic land care (caring for land without the use of synthetic pesticides or soil amendments). It is recommended for landscapers, designers, municipal and parks employees, horticulturists, master gardeners and entrepreneurs. Visit http://www.organiclandcare.net/for more information or call Kathy Litchfield kathy@nofamass.org at (413) 773-3830.
New Hampshire Organic Producers’ Workshops
Cosponsored by UNH Cooperative Extension, NOFA-NH, NH Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food, and the USDA Risk Management Agency
Tuesday, Jan 26, 2010
Stonewall Farm, Keene NH
10:00am-3:15pm
9:30 Registration
Summer and Winter CSA Marketing at Intervale Community Farm
Andy Jones, Intervale Community Farm, BurlingtonVT
Alternative Ways to Direct Market
David Trumble, Good Earth Farm, Weare, NH
Crop and Revenue Insurance for Organic Growers
Shelby Grant, Crop Growers LLP
Crop Storage Design and Implementation
Andy Jones, Intervale Community Farm, BurlingtonVT
Finding Funding: Opportunities for Farmers with SARE, NRCS and FSA
A Challenging Year: Organic Management of Late Blight & Other Diseases
Cheryl Smith, UNH Cooperative Extension
$20 registration includes Lunch. Register online here.
For more information call UNH Cooperative Extension Educator Carl Majewski, 603-352-4550
Wayland Winter Farmers' Market
January 16th -February 27th
Russels Garden Center Rt 20, Wayland MA
For more information and a list of vendors and products available click here.
Workshop series on technical assistance and financial incentives for farms and forest product businesses
January 19th, 9:30am-12:30pm
MA Department of Agriculture Office, Conference Room
101 University Drive, Suite C4, Amherst
Attend this free workshop for farmers and forest product business owners about financial incentives available through the state and the USDA 9007 Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQUIP), both part of the current federal Farm Bill. Workshop and information sessions will include an overview of technical and financial assistance programs, eligibility requirements, and anticipated application announcements. To register for a workshop, please contact Emily Boss, Massachusetts Woodlands Institute, at 413-397-8800, or emily@masswoodlands.coop . More information online.
Holistic Sustainable Agriculture from the Soil Up
February 2 & 3 Barre, MA
Veterinarian and biological agriculture expert, Paul Dettloff, will give the 2nd annual NOFA/Mass Advanced Grower's Winter Seminar. He’ll address soil fertility, raising forage nutritional quality, alternative veterinary tools, managing livestock, and growing fruits and vegetables. Registration:$165. NOFA membership discount: $15. Early registration (by Jan 16) discount: $10. nofamass.org/seminars/winterseminar.php. Also from the Winter 2009-2010 edition of The Natural Farmer is an interview with Dr. Paul Dettloff about his approach to crop nutrition and what's in store for the seminar, available here.
For info, contact Ben Grosscup: 413-658-5374, ben.grosscup@nofamass.org.
Greenfield Winter Fare
Feburary 6, 10am-2pm
Greenfield High School Come to the third annual Greenfield Winter Fare for an incredible variety of locally grown food from 30 vendors. Workshops, a barter fair, and hot soup round out this educational, festive, mid-winter celebration of local food. http://www.winterfare.org
PASA'S 19th Annual Farming for the Fuure COnference
February 4-6 2010
Penn Starter Confernece Center Hotel
State College, Pennsylvania
Pre-register by January 31. For confernece details schedule and registration information visit http://www.pasafarming.org/conference2010/index.cfm
Mid-Atlantic Fruit & Vegetable Convention
February 2-4, 2010
Hershey Lodge and Convention Center
The Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention has become the premier grower meeting in the Northeast combining three days of six or more concurrent educational sessions with a large industry trade show and numerous networking opportunities - all designed to enable fruit, vegetable and berry growers as well as direct marketers to stay on the cutting edge of their industries. About 1,800 persons from throughout the mid-Atlantic region and beyond gather each year at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center. Registration is open to all interested commercial fruit, vegetable and berry growers, direct marketers and allied industry personnel.
The 2010 Convention will feature several new sessions.
For more information visit http://www.mafvc.org/html/
Exploring Your Small Farm Dream
4-session Courses to be offered in Massachusetts
January/February-March 2010
AMHERST IS DEFINITE – following dates: Thursdays February 4, 11, 25 and March 4 with possible extra/snow session February 18
EASTERN COURSE – will be on Wednesday evenings, location TBD
The Explorer Program is intended for those who are considering farming as a (small) business. Its purpose is to help pre-venture, aspiring farmers learn what it will take to start and manage their own profitable agricultural enterprise, and to decide whether this is a path they really want to/can take. Explorer makes use of four guided group sessions, an acclaimed workbook, Instructors experienced in starting ag businesses, and extensive supporting resources. The goal of Explorer is to help you decide whether starting an agricultural business is right for you and, based on that decision, to help you plan practical next steps. It was created to help you articulate the clear vision and goals you will need to guide a new agricultural venture.This course is sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) Agricultural Business Training Program, in cooperation with the Explorer creator, the New England Small Farm Institute (NESFI) in Belchertown and our local site partners. Class size is limited to 15 prospective farms. The registration cost of $125 includes all materials, guest speakers and access to the in-class library as well as NESFI’s extensive library in Belchertown.For more information and a registration form, please contactRick Chandler; email: rick.chandler@state.ma.us or phone: 413-548-1905
New Hampshire Organic Producers’ Workshops
Cosponsored by UNH Cooperative Extension, NOFA-NH, NH Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food, and the USDA Risk Management Agency
Wednesday, Feb 19, 2010
Common Man Restaurant, Plymouth NH
10:00am-3:30pm
9:30 Registration
Season Extension Structures: The Basics
Becky Sideman, UNH Cooperative Extension
Year-Round Income through Season Extension and Winter High Tunnel Production
Paul and Sandy Arnold, Pleasant Valley Farm, Argyle, NY
Crop and Revenue Insurance for Organic Growers
Mike Sciabarrasi, UNH Cooperative Extension
Profitable Marketing through Simple Record-Keeping and Crop Evaluations
Paul and Sandy Arnold, Pleasant Valley Farm, Argyle, NY
Finding Funding: Opportunities for Farmers with SARE, NRCS and FSA
A Challenging Year: Organic Management of Late Blight & Other Diseases
Cheryl Smith, UNH Cooperative Extension
$20 registration includes Lunch. Register online here.
For more information call UNH Cooperative Extension Educator Heather Bryant, 603-787-6944
New England Farm Energy Conference
March 15-16, 2010
Radisson Hotel
Manchester, New Hampshire
Registration information coming soon!
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Mike Morris, National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT)
Mike Morris works with farmers, ranchers, and communities on more sustainable ways of using energy and water. He is especially interested in irrigation, solar energy, and small-scale biofuels. He holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Pittsburgh, and has taught at colleges and universities in Michigan, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, specializing in ethics, technology, and the environment. Mike's keynote address will focus on assessing on-farm energy options.
There will be Two Concurrent Tracks of Presentations over Two Days of the Conference.
I) Track 1: Oilseeeds and Biodiesel
* Oilseed agronomics
* Equipment for oilseed production and seed handling
* Biodiesel processing: quality and safety
* Harvesting and storing oilseed crops
* Modifying tractors and equipment for vegetable oil
* Community-based biodiesel production
II) Track 2: Greenhouse Efficiency and Renewable Energy
* Greenhouse efficiency and conservation
* Solar PV and hot water systems
* Heating with shell corn
* Heating with waste vegetable oil
* Logwood systems
* Wood pellet use
Hosted by:Cooperative Extension of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont; and the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund.
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