New Entry Sustainable Farming Project
New Entry Sustainable Farming Project (New Entry), an initiative of the Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, works locally in Massachusetts, regionally, and across the country to strengthen local food systems by supporting new farmers. They serve and collaborate with the people, communities, and organizations across these areas.
Farming Training
New Entry prides itself on helping new and prospective farm business owners launch and succeed in their business. Below are some of the courses they provide on a regular basis:
- Explore Farming is New Entry’s introductory workshop for those who are brand new to agriculture. If you dream of becoming a farm owner or getting involved in the food system, this workshop is a great place to start. In this free two-hour workshop we provide an overview of the agricultural landscape for small farms and tools to help you decide what steps you can take to get started. This workshop is offered virtually approximately 6 times a year.
- Their Crop Production Course is designed to expand your knowledge in organic horticulture. This course covers key aspects of growing mixed vegetable crops for direct markets, with a focus on soil health, fertility management, crop planning, pest and disease management, and much more.
- The Practicum in Sustainable Agriculture offers experiential on-farm practical skills training paired with facilitated online course sessions designed to help participants build farm skills, expand their knowledge of vegetable production, and prepare them to pursue a career in sustainable agriculture. The Practicum is designed for those new to farming and can prepare someone to work on a farm or start their own farm on the New Entry Incubator Farm Training Program. The course is held at Moraine Farm in Beverly, MA.
- New Entry’s Farm Business Planning Course is designed to help you write your business plan. This course is for those who have already gained an understanding of the skills and resources needed for farm business ownership and are ready to put their plan in writing.
New Entry Food Hub
The New Entry Food Hub aims to provide the following services to our program farmers and eastern Massachusetts communities:
• Direct market access for farmers through product aggregation and distribution
• Technical assistance for farmers on topics such as harvesting, packing, and marketing
• Access for our community members to sustainably grown, local fruits and vegetables and a connection to local farms
Field Network
The FIELD Network (Farm Incubation and Education through Land-Based skills Development) is a nationwide network of agricultural training programs that share a common purpose of using land-based experiential learning to create new pathways to careers in agriculture and farm ownership. The network is composed of private farms, nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, and other champions of next generation farmers and ranchers. Program models include incubator farms, apprenticeship training programs, campus farms, demonstration farms, and other experiential land-based farm and ranch training programs. The FIELD Network is a recent (2020) merger of the National Incubator Farm Training Initiative (NIFTI) and Ag Apprenticeship Learning Network (AgALN) facilitated by the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project. They host an annual FIELD School (conference) that supports professional development of staff operating land-based training program models.