Hampden Hampshire Conservation District

Profitable Meat Marketing - Pricing for Increased Profit & Sales
2023-03-07 18:00 - 20:00 UTC | Virtual (Zoom)
You are raising and selling local meat, but are you making a profit? Learn marketing techniques and how to use the NEW Cornell Meat Pricing Tool to develop prices that deliver a profit in every channel. This event is hosted by Berkshire Grown – check out the full list of their winter workshops here.

Presented by: Matt LeRoux, Extension Associate, Cornell University
Matt has over 20 years of experience serving farms through Cornell Cooperative Extension, non-profits, and consulting. Specializing in market strategy, Matt works with a diverse mix of produce and livestock farmers and food businesses. Career highlights include developing the Marketing Channel Assessment Tool for produce growers and the Cornell Meat Price Calculator.

On-Farm Research: Tillage Reduction at Sawyer Farm
2023-03-06 17:00 - 18:00 | Virtual
Over the past several seasons, Sawyer Farm has been successfully growing vegetables directly in a perennial Dutch White clover sod. Lincoln Fishman will explain how the system works, and discuss its benefits and current limitations. He’ll discuss no-till transplanter modifications designed to reduce soil disturbance and weed competition. Join CISA for a virtual presentation and discussion about progress-to-date as well as opportunities for farmers to participate in the research by conducting their own on-farm trials!
Sawyer Farm is in Worthington, MA. Lincoln, Hilary, Erica, and Butch have been growing vegetables at Sawyer since 2010.
This workshop is part of the 2023 Adapt Your Farm to Climate Change Webinar and Workshop Series: On-farm Climate Change Adaptation Case Studies from western Massachusetts. Stay tuned for additional events in this series.
This work is supported by the Beginning Farmer and Ranger Development Program grant no. 2020-70017-32420 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Contact Stephen Taranto at 413-665-7100 ext. 17 with any questions.
Register here!

Hatfield 2040 Farmer's Roundtable
2023-03-02 18:00 - 20:00 | Hatfield Town Hall – Conference Room 109, 59 Main St, Hatfield, MA, 01038, United States
The Hatfield Comprehensive Plan Committee is gathering input directly from Hatfield farmers about how agriculture in town is changing and adapting to increasingly unpredictable weather patterns. The last two growing seasons have demonstrated to many the need for improved irrigation, drainage, or both. Temperature swings, new disease pressures, and declining soil fertility are on the minds of many growers throughout the region – as well as opportunities to update infrastructure and try new farm management strategies.

Please join the Hatfield Ag Commission, Hatfield 2040 Comprehensive Plan Committee, and Regenerative Design Group for a candid farmer-to-farmer discussion about the challenges you are facing and changes you are making to adapt.

This event is for Hatfield farms of all sizes, both conventional and organic. Family members and additional farm operators are encouraged to attend. The topics discussed will also inform a follow-up workshop to provide additional learning, recommendations, and resources (technical assistance, grants, etc.) for Hatfield farmers. Funding for this work has been provided by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs through the Massachusetts Municipal Vulnerability Program.

Food and refreshments will be served. Please RSVP so we know how many are attending. Notes from the meeting will be shared with all RSVP’d attendees after the event.

https://airtable.com/shr4utPVDhMDyoVMV

Nutrient Management Decision Making Based on Soil Testing
2023-03-01 08:00 - 17:00 | Virtual
This webinar is part of the 2023 Tri-State SARE Project Webinar Series: Improving Pasture Management for Sustainable Livestock Production
Speaker: Speaker: Heather Darby (UVM Extension)
The Tri-State (CT, MA, RI) SARE Professional Development Program is planning activities for the next three years – through 2026. The project will focus on training agricultural service providers as well as farmers in CT, MA and RI on sustainable livestock production practices. Webinars are open to service providers and farmers and will be comprised of time for instruction in addition to interactive breakout sessions. Partaking in all webinars is encouraged, but not required. For more information click here or contact Rachel Bespuda, Project Director at rachel.bespuda@uconn.edu
Register here!

Making Spreadsheets Work For Your Farm
2023-02-07 18:00 - 20:00 | Virtual (Zoom)
How do you grow over 50 different crops for 500 shareholders who are coming to coming to your farm to pick up 13lb of vegetables for 24 weeks? Explore the answer to this puzzle in this workshop, where Dan will present and review the spreadsheets that has kept his farm running over the years. This workshop is hosted by Berkshire Grown – check out the full list of winter workshops here.
Presented by: Dan Kaplan
After seven years of working on farms in New England, California, and Europe, Dan Kaplan became the farm manager at Brookfield Farm in 1994 and stayed there until retiring at the end of the 2020 season. By 2006, Brookfield Farm annually grew 30 acres of vegetables which supplied a 500-share CSA for 10 months of distribution.

Effectively Managing Diseases of Vegetables
2023-01-18 18:00 - 20:00 | Virtual (Zoom)
Best Practices for Plant Disease Management Strategy:
General tips will be presented that form the foundation of both organic and conventional disease management. Recommendations based on research results will be covered for cucurbit diseases (powdery and downy mildews, Phytophthora blight) and basil downy mildew. Additional diseases will be discussed based on grower input. This workshop is hosted by Berkshire Grown – check out their full offering of winter workshops here.
Presented by: Meg McGrath
Meg McGrath is an Associate Professor with Cornell University located at the Long Island Horticultural Research and Extension Center since 1988. She conducts research and extension activities on optimizing management of diseases affecting vegetable crops and herbs within organic as well as conventional production systems. Research topics include investigating fungicide resistance in the cucurbit powdery and downy mildew pathogens, monitoring occurrence of diseases, and evaluating management practices: fungicides, biopesticides and other organic fungicides, resistant varieties, cultural practices including reduced tillage and mustard biofumigation.

Growing Your Farm Business Planning Course
2023-01-17 17:30 - 20:30 | MDAR Southborough, 225 Turnpike Rd, Southborough, MA, 01772, United States
Dates: January 17th through March 14th, 2023
Time: Tuesday evenings, from 5:30 to 8:30pm
Location: MDAR office in Southborough, MA
Cost: The course fee, subsidized by MDAR, is $150 per farm.

A hands-on course to help established farmers develop a business plan and financial projections for their farm business. This course covers topics including resource assessment, marketing strategy, financial management, risk management, quality of life, and goal setting. The course is taught by a professional business planner with years of experience working with Massachusetts farms and guest speakers on topics such as succession planning and online marketing. Enrollment is open to farmers who have been operating a farm business in Massachusetts for at least the two prior years.

The Growing Your Farm business planning course has been approved as a certified USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) borrower training for financial management.

For more information or instructions on how to apply, visit: https://www.mass.gov/…/agricultural-business-training…

NOFA/Mass Winter Conference
2023-01-14 08:00 - 2023-01-15 20:00 | Worcester State Universty, 486 Chandler St, Worcester, MA, 01602, United States
Join NOFA/Mass for their 36th annual Winter Conference! Connecting farmers, gardeners, homesteaders, educators, and environmentalists to share resources and ideas to grow our vibrant organic community.
From the NOFA website:
We are excited to come together around this winter’s theme, “Cooperative Foodways: Building Our Future Together” with this year’s keynote speaker, Ira Wallace, author and worker/owner of the cooperatively managed Southern Exposure Seed Exchange in Central Virginia.
This winter, we plan to run an in-person program at Worcester State University on Saturday January 14 and online program on Sunday January 15, 2023.

30+ Farming, Gardening and Food Systems Workshops
Free Soil Health Consultations – more info here
Community Seed Swap
Racial Equity Caucus Discussions
Details on the NOFA Tri-State Bulk Order
Silent Auction

REGISTER HERE
Full Scholarships Available
Interested in presenting a workshop? Submit a proposal here.

Exploring the Small Farm Dream
2023-01-12 18:00 - 21:00 | MDAR Southborough, 225 Turnpike Rd, Southborough, MA, 01772, United States
Dates: January 12th through February 9th, 2023
Time: Thursday evenings, from 6:00 to 9:00pm
Location: MDAR office in Southborough, MA
Cost: $100 for up to two participants per enterprise, as space allows.

This 5-session course provides guidance to aspiring farmers through the decision-making process of whether to start a farm business. Participants will learn about the many aspects of starting a farm business, assess their own skills and knowledge, and get help finding resources for support, including marketing, financing, and regulations. The course utilizes the Exploring the Small Farm Dream curriculum and workbook developed by the New England Small Farm Institute. Through four guided group sessions and a farmer panel session, participants will analyze the feasibility of their small farm dream and clarify their vision together with other class participants. This course is sponsored and financially supported by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources and is intended for new agricultural entrepreneurs planning to start their farm business in Massachusetts.

For more information or instructions on how to apply, visit: https://www.mass.gov/…/agricultural-business-training…

Note: Applications for these winter courses will be accepted until December 2, or until each course is full *Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, with course session locations selected based on interest from those on the waitlist. If you are interested, but unable to attend the current session, please consider submitting an application in order to be placed on the waitlist for an upcoming session.

A Future of Food Security for All - with Ira Wallace
2023-01-10 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual (Zoom)
How can we develop systems to build community resilience, grow local agriculture, improve access to nutrient-dense food, share growing spaces, and mitigate climate disruptions?
All seven state chapters of the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) have been working to develop food security programs and learning opportunities to address these questions. This winter, each NOFA chapter will host various workshops at our Winter Conferences that examine these topics.
To kick off the NOFA Winter Conference season, we have invited the 2023 NOFA/Mass Winter Conference Keynote Speaker, Ira Wallace, of Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, to discuss the importance of food security and how seed saving continues to play an important role in feeding our communities. We will also meet representatives from each of the NOFA chapters to learn more about the food security work being done in the Northeast states.
Register for this free online event here:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAqc–pqj4sEte4Dcp8mMyjSi3FyB9W6tA6
About the Presenter:
Ira Wallace (she/her) is a worker/owner of the cooperatively managed Southern Exposure Seed Exchange (SESE). Ira started saving herb and flower seeds in the 1970’s and became professionally involved in the seed business in 1998. At SESE she coordinates education and outreach as well as co-manages variety selection and new seed grower contracts with SESE’s network of 70+ seed producing farms. Ira also conducts variety trials for SESE and researches and documents the history of varieties offered in the annual catalog.
About Southern Exposure Seed Exchange:
Southern Exposure offers over 700 varieties of open-pollinated heirloom and organic (500+ USDA certified organic) seeds selected for flavor and regional adaptability. It is the oldest company in the southeast focusing on heirloom, organic, open-pollinated seeds. Since 1983 Southern Exposure has been helping people in the southeast get control of their food supply by supporting sustainable home and market gardening, seed saving, and preserving heirloom varieties.

USDA Micro Farm Insurance Workshop
2022-12-07 12:00 - 15:00 | Virtual (Zoom)
USDA’s new Micro Farm insurance offers whole farm insurance for farmers making up to $350,000 per year. For example, if you’re insured for $100,000 and you only make $30,000 during the year, you could receive a claim payment of $70,000 to recover the difference.
Coverage is based on your historic revenue over the past three years along with your estimated revenue for the coverage year. Unlike other crop insurance programs that cover only single commodities, this insurance covers everything under one policy. This includes income from post-production processing like freezing or drying, plus value-added products like jams, jellies, cider, canned or pickled goods, etc.
Find information here about a two part virtual workshop on December 7th and 9th, 12:00 – 3:00 EST each day. Click here for a self-assessment tool. REGISTER HERE
If you have questions, reach out to Amanda Chang, Outreach Coordinator at The Carrot Project, at achang@thecarrotproject.org or 617-674-2371 x 10.

Monthly Min-till Farmer Roundtable Call
2022-12-05 19:00 - 20:00 | Virtual (Zoom)
Hosted by NOFA/Mass:

Take some time to chat with fellow farmers and farm advisors about tillage reduction and soil health in an open, roundtable environment. The Monthly Min Till Farmer Call will be the first Monday of each month. No pre-registration required, this will be a free-form space with minimal moderation & with the goal of farmers being able to pose questions to each other and share resources, suggestions, and ideas about tillage reduction.
Some of these meeting will start with a brief presentation from one of the farmers in the group about their own farming practices. The ‘host’ may step in with questions for the attendees to keep the conversation going.
Notes and recordings from prior calls are available on our running Min Till Farmer Call Meeting Notes document.

Min Till Farmers Call
Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 932 5378 9881
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Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/acP6AlKPpV

Successful Value Added Food Product Development for Farm and New Food Businesses: Managing Food Quality and Safety
2022-11-04 09:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
Remote | $50 (sliding scale offered. See below)
About this Event
Are you a farmer diversifying into value added production or an entrepreneur developing new and exciting products? Do you have questions about how to integrate food safety and quality into the development of a value added food product? If so, this is the program for you!
Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) is collaborating with UMass Amherst, The University of Rhode Island, Commonwealth Kitchen, and the Western MA Food Processing Center at the Franklin County Community Development Corporation to offer this virtual program designed specifically to address food product development and food safety issues faced by small farmers and food producers.
This course will address the key attributes of formulating a product from concept to commercialization including food safety and scaling up considerations. You will learn about the food science basics, key elements required for product labeling, and an overview of key regulatory requirements for small and emerging food businesses, such as entrepreneurs and local food processors.
The course objective is to prepare small producers for what to expect when diving into value added food processing or scaling up an existing product. Real world local food and farm examples will be used.
Details:

This course consists of one self-paced online course with homework followed by a 4-hour virtual/online session and office hours that dive deeper into relevant topics.
Online session: Friday, November 4th, 9am-1pm
Office Hours: Will be held virtually with the option for in-person at the Western MA Food Processing Center or Commonwealth kitchen.
This is an updated version of a previous course hosted by CISA in winter of 2021.

Target Audience:
Target Audience: Ideal for farmers and specialty food producers using or planning to use licensed commercial kitchens to make value added food products whether on farm or in a shared use kitchen. It is also relevant, though not specifically tailored, to farmers considering on-farm processing of low-risk foods and producers making cottage foods in commercial residential kitchens.
Course Content

Food Safety Hazards: Understanding food safety hazards and identifying potential sources.
Product Development Life Cycle: Product development considerations from concept to commercialization.
Product Labeling: Guidance for basic nutritional labeling and claims.
Controlling Food Quality and Safety: Measurable approaches to monitoring the properties of your food product.
Food Safety Management: Introduction to regulatory bodies and the FDA Preventive Controls for Human Food Rule.
Hazard Analysis: Conducting a hazard analysis for your food product.
Preventive Controls: Identification of Preventive Controls, and the requirements for implementation.

Instructors:

Nicole Richard, Adjunct Associate Professor, The University of Rhode Island
Kate Minifie, Food Business Manager, Western MA Food Processing Center at the Franklin County Community kitchen
Ploy Khunisorn, Director of Educational Programs, Commonwealth Kitchen

Registration Fee: This program, including office hours and virtual sessions, is $50. We do not want finances to be a barrier to attendance and CISA offers sliding scale pricing to ensure anyone can attend. Please contact zoraia@buylocalfood.org or call 413-665-7100 ext. 15 for more information.
Funding for this series was made possible by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service through grant 190100xxxxG150. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA.
Registration Deadline: Tuesday, November 1, 2022
Register here
Questions? Contact Zoraia De Jesus Barros at zoraia@buylocalfood.org or at 413-665-7100 ext. 15

The Work that Reconnects Workshop
2022-11-03 19:00 - 21:00 | Virtual
Online – Free to attend. Donations are welcome, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.
Register here.
As part of their month-long Climate Action Challenge, NOFA/Mass is hosting “The Work that Reconnects Workshop”. The following description is from the NOFA/Mass website:
The Work That Reconnects offers a larger story that puts our times into perspective. It supports us in honoring all our emotions, including the painful ones, and challenges us to act. It guides us through a transformational process informed by mythic journeys, modern psychology, spirituality, and holistic science. This process equips us with tools to face the crises of our time and become more nourished, energized, empowered, and inspired to act for life on Earth.
The above description of the Work was provided by Anne Goodwin, Boston-based activist with Mothers Out Front and experienced Work That Reconnects facilitator. She and Karina Lutz, a regenerative farmer, longtime RI climate activist and Work That Reconnects facilitator now based in Western Mass, will offer an introduction to the Work that Reconnects for the NOFA/Mass community.
Join us for this participatory 2-hour online workshop on the Work That Reconnects on Thursday, November 3rd, 7:00-9:00pm.
Agenda: This workshop will follow the “Work That Reconnects” method developed by Joanna Macy, Molly Young Brown, Constance Washburn, and colleagues:
Starting with gratitude for living in Earth and all who are working for justice, healing, and regeneration, we’ll move into honoring our pain for the state of the world, then look at the world through a holistic, systems-based and life-affirming paradigm, and finally end with exercises to help us go forth into the world with renewed passion, clarity, and a sense of ‘power with’–instead of the prevailing ‘power over.’
About the Instructors:
Karina Lutz (she/her) is a workshop leader and poet. She was founding board chair and then Deputy Director of People’s Power & Light. Now called Green Energy Consumers’ Alliance, its mission is to make energy affordable and environmentally sustainable in RI and Massachusetts. She was instrumental in passage of sustainable energy legislation in Rhode Island and in thwarting a proposed megaport in Narragansett Bay. She offers Work That Reconnects workshops in the Connecticut River and Narragansett Bay watersheds (New England).
Anne Goodwin (she/her) is a Boston based activist, musician and artist. She has worked directly with Joanna Macy and has led many workshops in the Work That Reconnects for churches, activist groups, and others around New England. She particularly delights in incorporating songs, visual art, and movement into her facilitation. She works as a grassroots organizer with Mothers Out Front, a national climate action movement.
About the Framework:
Learn more about the process at www.workthatreconnects.org and www.joannamacy.net and about SpiralEcology here at karinalutz.wordpress.com/spiralecology-workshops/
Questions?
Contact Marty Dagoberto, NOFA/Mass Policy Director, at marty@nofamass.org

Mass Pollinator Network Monthly Meeting
2022-10-27 19:00 - 20:30 | Virtual
When: Thurs Oct 27th, 7-8:15 PM
On Thursday October 27th, the Massachusetts Pollinator Network will be discussing what state agencies are currently doing to improve pollinator habitat in the Commonwealth. Our guests include:

Ryan Kingston, Sustainability Program Coordinator with the Leading by Example Program (DOER)
Tara Mitchell, Landscape Architect with MassDOT
Jennifer Forman-Orth, Environmental Biologist with MDAR

The Massachusetts Pollinator Network is hosting monthly meetings for participants from across the state to exchange knowledge, ideas, and updates about local actions. Whether you’re a seasoned community organizer or new to pollinator protection concerns, all are welcome!
More details about monthly meetings: In a typical meeting, we will spent some time conversing in small groups and reviewing network updates, including new information about ongoing initiatives like our nursery outreach campaign. We often have a “special guest” who will present informally or lead us in discussion about a topic of interest. We generally meet last Tuesdays of the month. Monthly meetings are a great way to network and to meet folks with similar interests!
Register Here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0ofuuurjwsHNEvn9sDbXB7OBvhwCWuO6Mg

Dual-Use: Agriculture and Solar Photovoltaics Webinar
2022-10-27 11:00 - 12:00 | MA
In 2018, the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (MA DOER) established the Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) program. This program carries special incentives for solar systems that allow “dual-use,” defined as solar on farmland where the land continues to be used for agricultural purposes. These facilities are also referred to as “agrivoltaic” systems
This presentation will offer an overview of the guidelines for dual-use, provide a close look at the economics of a dual-use system, and outline the process for planning and installing such a system.
Hosted by SunBug Solar. REGISTER HERE.

Ditch Use, Maintenance, and Management on Commercial Farms
2022-10-24 16:00 - 17:30 | MA
Join CISA, the NRCS, and UMass Extension for a hard look at using and maintaining agricultural ditches on commercial farms. Learn what can and can’t be done when it comes to managing ditches and the water that fills them and the kinds of support available to farm owners and managers from local organizations and agencies.
Register here!
Questions? Contact Stephen Taranto, CISA Climate Program Coordinator, at 413-665-7100 ext. 17

Bulb Sale Distribution at Lilly Library
2022-10-11 14:00 - 18:00 | Lilly Library, 19 Meadow St, Northampton, MA, 01062, United States
Come pick up your bulbs at Lilly Library!

Bulb Sale Distribution at Hadley Public Library
2022-10-01 10:00 - 12:00 | Hadley Pulic Library, 50 Middle St, Hadley, MA, 01035, United States
Pick up your bulbs at the Hadley Library!

Bulb Sale Distribution at Maple Corner Farm Granville, MA
2022-09-24 13:00 - 17:00 | Maple Corner Farm, 794 Beech Hill Road, Granville, MA, 01034, United States
Come pick up your bulbs!

Bulb Sale Distribution at Yellow Stonehouse Farm
2022-09-24 10:00 - 12:00, 2022-09-23 16:00 - 18:00 | Yellow Stonehouse Farm, 354 Root Rd, Westfield, MA, 01085, United States
Pick up your bulbs!

Tours of Maple Corner Farm’s Energy Efficient Evaporator
2022-09-21 14:00 - 17:00, 2022-09-20 14:00 - 17:00 | Maple Corner Farm, 794 Beech Hill Road, Granville, MA, 01034, United States
Leon & Joyce Ripley & Sons of Maple Corner Farm (Granville, MA) will open their sugarhouse to show how, through their new reverse osmosis process and energy efficient evaporator with preheater, they produce maple syrup in less time saving firewood and energy overall.
This event is being held in collaboration with the Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture
Email Maple Corner Farm to RSVP.

Tour of Yellow Stonehouse Farm’s Innovations for Resilience & Sustainability
2022-09-19 16:30 - 18:00 | Yellow Stonehouse Farm, 354 Root Rd, Westfield, MA, 01085, United States
Join Connie Adams and John Keilch of Yellow Stonehouse Farm in Westfield, MA for a tour of the first organic vegetable farm and CSA in Hampden County. We will share the innovations we have implemented to improve climate resiliency and sustainability, demonstrate the new, lightweight equipment we use in our High Tunnels, and how we use the High Tunnels for season extension and growing cold weather crops during winter, plus show off the shallow tilling implements used in tight spaces that allow us to maintain cover cropping in areas that aren’t planted. We will also discuss the grants we’ve received to improve energy efficiency and equip our farm store to improve the availability of fresh, local produce to our community and how we are working with local food pantries and state agencies as well as providing SNAP-HIP farm shares to help address food insecurity. Join us for an informative romp around the farm!
Accessibility Info: This tour is semi-accessible as we have thresholds between some areas, such as at the store door, and the fields have uneven lanes. Individuals in wheelchairs will either need to be pushed by a helper in their party, or have great upper body strength themselves.
Rain date: September 20, 2022
For more information and to RSVP, contact Connie Adams.

Windbreak Workshop for Farmers
2020-01-08 10:00 - 15:00 | Astarte Farm, 123 West St,, Hadley, MA, 01035
Workshop will cover the basics of wind breaks, how they will help conserve your soil and how to start your own windbreak.
RSVP by December 23, 2019 to hampdenhampshireconservation@gmail.com or (413) 923-3238

Designing with Native Plants
2026-06-25 23:35 | Zoom – VIRTUAL EVENT
Do you want to use native plants in your yard, but don’t know how to find, choose, and place them in your landscape? This talk will cover how to use them in your garden to best effect for both humans and biodiversity, with examples from historic styles and current garden trends. We’ll also discuss how to purchase and propagate native plants, and suggest native substitutions for common non-native plants, and highlight the most garden-worthy native flowers, trees, and shrubs. Presented by Heidi.
