BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//CISA - Community Involved In Sustaining Agriculture - ECPv6.15.15//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-WR-CALNAME:CISA - Community Involved In Sustaining Agriculture
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.buylocalfood.org
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for CISA - Community Involved In Sustaining Agriculture
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:America/New_York
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20240310T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20241103T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20250309T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20251102T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20260308T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20261101T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20270314T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20271107T060000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250926T093000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250926T180000
DTSTAMP:20260521T074632
CREATED:20250731T133927Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250916T131952Z
UID:50362-1758879000-1758909600@www.buylocalfood.org
SUMMARY:Agroforestry Crawl: Three farms in one day!
DESCRIPTION:Register here! \nJoin CISA on Friday\, September 26th for an all-day Agroforestry Crawl visiting three innovative western MA farms with agroforestry systems on their land.  \nWe start out at The Long Game Orchard in Northfield\, a 6-acre silvopasture farm with tree crops including chestnuts\, American persimmons\, Asian pears\, Yellowbud hickory\, and pawpaws. The farm is also experimenting with fodder and biodiversity hedges and is transforming an adjacent secondary forest fragment into a silvopasture system. From there we travel to Firefly Farm in Sunderland\, a 25-acre no-till farm with perennial herbs\, a no-till veggie area and orchards of heartnuts\, hazelnuts and chestnuts. Finally\, we hit Carr’s Ciderhouse and Preservation Orchard in Hadley for a look at their apple orchards that are integrated with grazing flocks of sheep and chickens based on the farm and raised in collaboration with Meadowfed Lamb.  \nVisits to each farm include farm tours and conversations with the farmers and participants. Following the tour of Carr’s\, we will have some time to reflect on opportunities and challenges associated with implementing agroforestry systems on western MA farms and a networking session over pizza and cider.  \nThis event is oriented toward farmers and service providers\, but is open to members of the public interested in learning about agroforestry. \nDate: Friday\, September 26th\, 9:30am – 6pm (rain date Sept 27th) \nFarm Tour Locations:  \n\nThe Long Game Orchard\, Northfield\nFirefly Farm\, Sunderland\nPreservation Orchard\, Meadowfed Lamb and Carr’s Ciderhouse\, Hadley\n\nAgenda:  \n9:30am – Meet up at The Long Game Orchard \n10:00am – Begin farm tour   \n11:30am – BYO lunch break at The Long Game Orchard or elsewhere  \n1:00pm – Meet up at Firefly Farm\, begin farm tour   \n2:30pm – Depart for Preservation Orchard & Carr’s Ciderhouse/Meadowfed Lamb   \n3:00pm – Begin farm tour  \n4:00pm – Discussion on moving agroforestry systems forward – constraints and opportunities  \n5:00pm – Networking/cider/pizza at Carr’s \n6:00pm – End of event \nRegistration: Please register in advance. Although we encourage participants to attend all three farm tours\, you may select one or two tours to attend if you’re not able to commit to the full day. \nFood: CISA will provide some snacks but otherwise food will not be provided on the tour. Please bring your own lunch or plan to go out in between tours. Pizza and cider will be available to purchase at Carr’s Ciderhouse during the networking session at the end of the tour. \nTransportation: Please arrange your own transportation between tour locations. Participants are encouraged to coordinate their own rideshares to carpool between locations\, if possible. \nContact Stephen at stephen@buylocalfood.org with questions or to register. \nThis event is part of Climate Change and Farming Week 2025. Click here for more information! 
URL:https://www.buylocalfood.org/event/agroforestry-crawl/
LOCATION:The Long Game Orchard\, Firefly Farm\, Carr’s Ciderhouse and Orchard
CATEGORIES:Climate Events,CISA Events,Farmer Events,CISA Workshops for Businesses
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251031T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251031T180000
DTSTAMP:20260521T074632
CREATED:20251017T151506Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251020T142121Z
UID:50992-1761926400-1761933600@www.buylocalfood.org
SUMMARY:Making Food Fun Halloween Harvest
DESCRIPTION:CISA and the Deerfield Tilton Library are teaming up to celebrate Halloween 2025 with a harvest flair! \nJoin us at the CISA office at One Sugarloaf Street on Halloween\, Friday\, October 31st from 4-6pm for fun and games\, sips and nibbles of local food\, and a goodie bag of local treats for your trick-or-treat bag. \n\nMeet Mango\, the bearded dragon from the Tilton Library!\nPlay harvest-themed games\nEnjoy a selfie station for costume photos\nTaste pumpkin baked treats from Upinngil Farm\nSample cider & apples from Clarkdale Fruit Farms\nTake home goodie bags with chocolates from Richardson’s Candy & popcorn from Marty’s Local
URL:https://www.buylocalfood.org/event/25halloween-harvest/
LOCATION:Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture\, One Sugarloaf Street\, South Deerfield\, MA\, 01373\, United States
CATEGORIES:Family events,CISA Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260115T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260115T160000
DTSTAMP:20260521T074632
CREATED:20251229T172542Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251230T214214Z
UID:51400-1768487400-1768492800@www.buylocalfood.org
SUMMARY:Strategies for developing a motivated farm crew
DESCRIPTION:Register here for this free virtual workshop\, which will kick off CISA’s winter farmer-to-farmer series on employee management. \nAn invested farm team is essential for farms to achieve the levels of productivity they need to succeed. Employees are motivated not only by wages and benefits\, but also by opportunities to feel a sense of achievement\, curiosity\, and pride in their work. In this session\, we’ll take a close look at the factors that contribute to employees’ motivation and discuss a wide (and attainable) range of ways in which you can support internal motivation within your farm crew. Presenters Sarah Janes Ugoretz\, Farm Labor Educator at University of Wisconsin Extension\, and Katie Bishop\, owner of PrairiErth Farm\, will share tried-and-true strategies to encourage employee motivation\, grounded in real farm examples. \nContact marisa@buylocalfood.org with any questions. \nCISA’s winter farmer-to-farmer series on employee management is supported by the Northeast Extension Risk Management project award no. 2024-70027-42540\, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
URL:https://www.buylocalfood.org/event/strategies-for-developing-a-motivated-farm-crew/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:CISA Events,Farmer Events,CISA Workshops for Businesses
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260128T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260128T153000
DTSTAMP:20260521T074632
CREATED:20251229T175936Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251230T214305Z
UID:51403-1769601600-1769614200@www.buylocalfood.org
SUMMARY:Setting your team up for a successful season - orientation and onboarding with Woven Roots Farm
DESCRIPTION:Providing new farm employees with comprehensive orientation to your farm’s systems\, policies\, and work culture is a crucial step to set yourself up for a successful season. Jen Salinetti (co-director) and Aviva Klein (farm manager) of Woven Roots Farm have learned through experience the importance of making time for this early-season step. In this workshop\, Jen and Aviva will share the systems they’ve developed for onboarding both new and returning employees at the start of each season\, and they will support attendees in developing or refining their own orientation plans. \nThis in-person CISA workshop is free\, but please register here by Monday\, January 26th so we can provide food for all. Snacks will be available throughout\, and a late lunch will be provided by 1:30. The snow date\, in the event of winter weather\, is Thursday\, January 29th (at the same time and place). Contact marisa@buylocalfood.org with any questions. \nCISA’s winter farmer-to-farmer series on employee management is supported by the Northeast Extension Risk Management project award no. 2024-70027-42540\, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
URL:https://www.buylocalfood.org/event/setting-your-team-up-for-a-successful-season-orientation-and-onboarding-at-woven-roots-farm/
LOCATION:Easthampton Public Library Annex\, 52 Main Street\, Easthampton\, MA\, 01027\, United States
CATEGORIES:CISA Events,Farmer Events,CISA Workshops for Businesses
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260211T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260211T160000
DTSTAMP:20260521T074632
CREATED:20251230T015129Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251230T214317Z
UID:51413-1770820200-1770825600@www.buylocalfood.org
SUMMARY:Building skills to manage conflict on the farm
DESCRIPTION:Register here for this free virtual workshop\, part of CISA’s winter farmer-to-farmer series on employee management. \nConflict doesn’t tend to resolve itself\, and when left unaddressed\, the consequences for your farm can be far-reaching. In this session\, we explore common sources of conflict on the farm\, our different styles of dealing with conflict\, and how to actively move towards conflict resolution. Presenters Kristen Kordet\, owner of Blue Moon Community Farm\, and Katie Bishop\, owner of PrairiErth Farm\, will share concrete strategies to engage with and resolve conflict more effectively\, both within farm crews and between employees and managers. You’ll leave with new tools to proactively reduce unhealthy conflict\, manage conflict when it arises\, and incorporate lessons learned into your ongoing farm management decisions. \nContact marisa@buylocalfood.org with any questions. \nCISA’s winter farmer-to-farmer series on employee management is supported by the Northeast Extension Risk Management project award no. 2024-70027-42540\, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
URL:https://www.buylocalfood.org/event/building-skills-to-manage-conflict-on-the-farm/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:CISA Events,Farmer Events,CISA Workshops for Businesses
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260310T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260310T190000
DTSTAMP:20260521T074632
CREATED:20260206T165608Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260326T141806Z
UID:51659-1773162000-1773169200@www.buylocalfood.org
SUMMARY:Panel Discussion: Tried-and-True Strategies to Attract and Retain Great Employees
DESCRIPTION:Register here for this free in-person discussion at the Sunderland Public Library\, part of CISA’s winter farmer-to-farmer series on employee management. \nFinding\, hiring\, and maintaining a great crew of employees is no small feat\, and for farms and food businesses in particular it can require a lot of creativity to create desirable positions with long-term potential. Hear from a panel of local farm and food business managers about the strategies they’ve used to attract and retain employees\, including offering valuable benefits (like health insurance stipends and gear stipends)\, creating pathways for growth and skill-building\, offering winter work\, and finding ways to appeal to the many different reasons potential employees are drawn to working in our local food system. \nWe’ll hear from a mix of farm/food business owners and longtime employees\, including Ethan Markham from Old Friends Farm\, Lilly Israel from Kitchen Garden Farm\, David Fisher from Natural Roots\, and Annie Myers from Myers Produce. Together\, the panelists will speak to a range of practices that support employee satisfaction\, promote positive work culture\, and encourage employees to return season after season. \nA light dinner will be provided\, and there will be time for mingling and continued conversation after the panel. Please register by 3/8 so that we can have an accurate count for food. \nCISA’s winter farmer-to-farmer series on employee management is supported by the Northeast Extension Risk Management project award no. 2024-70027-42540\, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
URL:https://www.buylocalfood.org/event/panel-discussion-tried-and-true-strategies-to-attract-and-retain-great-employees/
LOCATION:Sunderland Public Library\, 20 School Street\, Sunderland
CATEGORIES:CISA Events,Farmer Events,CISA Workshops for Businesses
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260312T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260312T153000
DTSTAMP:20260521T074632
CREATED:20251230T020117Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251230T214349Z
UID:51416-1773324000-1773329400@www.buylocalfood.org
SUMMARY:Developing strong systems for communication\, feedback\, and decision-making
DESCRIPTION:Register here for this free virtual workshop\, part of CISA’s winter farmer-to-farmer series on employee management. \nWithout strong systems for communication\, feedback\, and decision-making\, farm teams can get slowed down by unresolved frustrations or conflicts and lack of clarity around how decisions are made. This session will cover some of the strategies that even time-limited farmers can use to cultivate smoother and more well-functioning farm teams in the long run\, including: building in regular time and space for feedback among farm team members\, mid-season and end-of-season check-ins between farm management and employees\, and decision-making structures that value multiple perspectives while also supporting efficiency. Maggie Cheney and D Rooney\, co-founders of the cooperative farm Rock Steady Farm\, will share from their years of experience developing and using such systems with their farm team\, with concrete examples from their farm context. Contact marisa@buylocalfood.org with any questions. \nCISA’s winter farmer-to-farmer series on employee management is supported by the Northeast Extension Risk Management project award no. 2024-70027-42540\, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
URL:https://www.buylocalfood.org/event/developing-strong-systems-for-communication-feedback-and-decision-making/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:CISA Events,Farmer Events,CISA Workshops for Businesses
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260319T121500
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260319T164500
DTSTAMP:20260521T074632
CREATED:20260224T050635Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260326T141350Z
UID:51756-1773922500-1773938700@www.buylocalfood.org
SUMMARY:First aid training for farm managers and crew leaders
DESCRIPTION:Register here for this farmer first aid training. \nAre you prepared to respond to the unexpected? CISA is hosting this in-person Institute for Wild Med training for farm managers and crew leaders to give you the skills to help ensure that everyone on the farm crew stays healthy\, safe and productive\, along with the peace of mind that you are prepared for whatever comes your way. Anyone in a formal or informal leadership role on a farm is welcome to attend. This in-person training will be held in Hadley (location will be sent following registration). Learn to prevent and treat the most common illnesses and injuries – including heat exhaustion\, dehydration\, bleeding\, allergies\, fractures\, and more – that are likely to come up in your daily lives and day-to-day work leading a farm crew. Build the skills you need to quickly respond to health issues in the field\, to confidently evaluate their severity and urgency\, and to have clarity about how and where to access the appropriate level of care when outside help is needed. \nThis training can satisfy OSHA standards for workplace first aid training. All attendees will receive a certificate of course completion from the Institute for Wild Med following the training. If you need an official certification for regulatory compliance purposes\, please indicate this on your registration form — the Institute for Wild Med is an HSI-approved training center and can provide Adult CPR/First Aid certification cards from HSI upon request. The training cost is $10\, plus an additional $10 charge for those requesting an HSI certification card. Lunch will be provided. \nPlease register early\, since this training is capped at 24 participants. And please let us know if you or others would like to receive first aid + CPR training in Spanish — we are currently scheduling a separate Spanish language training in April. Contact kristen@buylocalfood.org with any questions. \nThis work is supported by the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program\, project award no. 2024-49400-43639\, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture\, as well as by the Northeast Extension Risk Management project award no. 2024-70027-42540\, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
URL:https://www.buylocalfood.org/event/first-aid-training-for-farm-managers-and-crew-leaders/
LOCATION:Hadley\, MA
CATEGORIES:CISA Events,Farmer Events,CISA Workshops for Businesses
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260414T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260414T200000
DTSTAMP:20260521T074632
CREATED:20250311T123159Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260316T122804Z
UID:49504-1776187800-1776196800@www.buylocalfood.org
SUMMARY:An Evening of Community and Connections: CISA's Annual Meeting
DESCRIPTION:Join us for an evening of connection and community at CISA’s Annual Meeting: Tuesday\, April 14th at 5:30pm in the Carroll Room in Smith College’s College Center! \nCISA members and supporters are invited to attend as we honor our Local Hero Award recipients\, enjoy a locally-sourced meal\, and hear an update on the past year’s challenges and successes. \nThe Annual Meeting is free to attend\, but registration is required\, and space is limited. Cocktail hour with a cash bar begins at 5:30\, and the evening program begins promptly at 6:30 pm. A short business meeting will include the election of CISA’s Board members. \nRSVP now!
URL:https://www.buylocalfood.org/event/a-gathering-for-community-and-resilience-cisas-annual-meeting/
LOCATION:Smith College Campus Center\, 100 Elm St\, Northampton\, MA\, 01063\, United States
CATEGORIES:CISA Events,Community Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260421T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260421T170000
DTSTAMP:20260521T074632
CREATED:20260408T141623Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260408T190248Z
UID:51999-1776774600-1776790800@www.buylocalfood.org
SUMMARY:First Aid Training for Farm Managers and Crew Leaders (Spanish-only)
DESCRIPTION:Register here\, or click here for a Spanish-language registration link. This training will be held entirely in Spanish. \nThis in-person\, Spanish-language training for farm managers and crew leaders will give participants the skills to help ensure that everyone on the farm crew stays healthy and safe. Anyone in a formal or informal leadership role on a farm is welcome to attend. This in-person training will be held in Whately\, MA (location will be sent following registration). \nParticipants will learn to prevent and treat the most common illnesses and injuries – including heat exhaustion\, dehydration\, bleeding\, allergies\, fractures\, and more – that are likely to come up in their daily lives and day-to-day work on farms. Participants will build the skills needed to quickly respond to health issues in the field\, to confidently evaluate their severity and urgency\, and to have clarity about how and where to access the appropriate level of care when outside help is needed. \nThis training can satisfy OSHA standards for workplace first aid training. All attendees will receive an official certification following the training. The training cost is $10\, and lunch will be provided. Contact marisa@buylocalfood.org with any questions. \nPlease register early\, as this training is capped at 15 participants. \nThis work is supported by the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program\, project award no. 2024-49400-43639\, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture\, as well as by the Northeast Extension Risk Management project award no. 2024-70027-42540\, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
URL:https://www.buylocalfood.org/event/first-aid-training-for-farm-managers-and-crew-leaders-spanish-only/
LOCATION:Whately\, MA
CATEGORIES:CISA Events,Farmer Events,CISA Workshops for Businesses
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260421T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260421T170000
DTSTAMP:20260521T074632
CREATED:20260408T141701Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260408T190209Z
UID:52005-1776774600-1776790800@www.buylocalfood.org
SUMMARY:Primeros auxilios y RCP para agricultores
DESCRIPTION:Regístrate aquí para este curso de primeros auxilios en español. Esta capacitación se llevará a cabo en Whately\, MA (la ubicación se enviará después de la inscripción). \nEsta capacitación para agricultores te brindará las habilidades necesarias para garantizar la salud y la seguridad de todo el equipo agrícola. Aprenderás a prevenir y tratar las enfermedades y lesiones más comunes\, como agotamiento por calor\, deshidratación\, hemorragias\, alergias\, fracturas y más\, que pueden presentarse en tu vida diaria y en el trabajo agrícola. Desarrolla las habilidades necesarias para responder rápidamente a problemas de salud en el campo\, evaluar con confianza su gravedad y urgencia\, y saber cómo y dónde acceder al nivel de atención adecuado cuando se necesite ayuda externa. \nEsta capacitación cumple con los estándares de OSHA para la capacitación en primeros auxilios en el lugar de trabajo. Todos los asistentes recibirán una certificación oficial al finalizar la capacitación. Se proporcionará almuerzo a las 12:30\, y el entrenamiento comenzará a la 1 de la tarde. Para cualquier pregunta\, comunícate con Marisa a través de marisa@buylocalfood.org o al (413) 225-2743. \nInscríbase con anticipación\, ya que este entrenamiento tiene un cupo limitado de 15 participantes. \n\nThis work is supported by the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program\, project award no. 2024-49400-43639\, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture\, as well as by the Northeast Extension Risk Management project award no. 2024-70027-42540\, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
URL:https://www.buylocalfood.org/event/primeros-auxilios-y-rcp-para-agricultores/
LOCATION:Whately\, MA
CATEGORIES:CISA Events,Farmer Events,CISA Workshops for Businesses
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260505T163000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260505T183000
DTSTAMP:20260521T074632
CREATED:20260423T175131Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260424T174520Z
UID:52119-1777998600-1778005800@www.buylocalfood.org
SUMMARY:Local Hero Meet & Greet: Hampden County
DESCRIPTION:Local Hero members\, you are invited! Celebrate the start of another season with a light supper and beverage in the good company of other farmers! \nIn case you missed our annual meeting\, here’s our chance to be in community before the season is in full swing. Jennifer Core and CISA team members will be on hand to share updates on CISA’s programs for the year and to listen and learn about topics that concern your farm. \nThis event is free\, but we appreciate registration so we plan for enough food. If you renewed and haven’t received your 2026 Local Hero promotional materials yet\, we’ll bring them to the event for you. \nRegister here!
URL:https://www.buylocalfood.org/event/lh-meetup-hampden-county/
LOCATION:Raven Hollow Winery\, 436 Russellville Road\, Westfield\, MA\, 01085\, United States
CATEGORIES:CISA Events,Farmer Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.buylocalfood.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Bernards-photo-vegetable-crop-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260511T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260511T193000
DTSTAMP:20260521T074632
CREATED:20260505T143607Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260505T143607Z
UID:52203-1778522400-1778527800@www.buylocalfood.org
SUMMARY:SNAP/HIP Vendor Training
DESCRIPTION:Make sure your farm stand and farmers’ market staff are ready to accept SNAP this summer by having them attend this SNAP employee training. Are you a beginning farmer or new farm owner or operator interested in accepting SNAP? We will talk about the application process and resources available to help you. \n\nParticipants will learn SNAP basics including what EBT cards look like\, what items are SNAP eligible\, how to run a SNAP transaction\, and the differences between SNAP and HIP. Attendees will come away knowing how SNAP works\, how to answer questions around SNAP and HIP\, and how to successfully and legally run a transaction on FIS and TotilPay platforms. \nThis training will also cover the SNAP protocols and rules that the USDA requires businesses to cover with their employees every year. A list of employees who attended the training can be provided to the employer\, to satisfy the USDA’s requirement that SNAP training for staff be documented. \n\nThis training is designed for employees who will be processing SNAP transactions but is open to all staff of farm businesses or farmers’ markets that accept SNAP or those interested in becoming SNAP vendors. \n\nChoose from Monday May 11\, 6-7:30 pm or Wednesday May 13\, 12-1:30 pm. \n\nRegister here and a zoom link will be emailed to you: https://airtable.com/app9pfoHBkR93t6df/shrkEfIRRv7wjw4DO \n\nIf neither of these dates work for you\, please contact foodaccess@buylocalfood.org and we may be able to schedule additional sessions.
URL:https://www.buylocalfood.org/event/snap-hip-vendor-training/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:CISA Events,Farmer Events,CISA Workshops for Businesses
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260513T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260513T133000
DTSTAMP:20260521T074632
CREATED:20260505T143828Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260505T143828Z
UID:52205-1778675400-1778679000@www.buylocalfood.org
SUMMARY:SNAP/HIP Vendor Training
DESCRIPTION:Make sure your farm stand and farmers’ market staff are ready to accept SNAP this summer by having them attend this SNAP employee training. Are you a beginning farmer or new farm owner or operator interested in accepting SNAP? We will talk about the application process and resources available to help you. \n\nParticipants will learn SNAP basics including what EBT cards look like\, what items are SNAP eligible\, how to run a SNAP transaction\, and the differences between SNAP and HIP. Attendees will come away knowing how SNAP works\, how to answer questions around SNAP and HIP\, and how to successfully and legally run a transaction on FIS and TotilPay platforms. \nThis training will also cover the SNAP protocols and rules that the USDA requires businesses to cover with their employees every year. A list of employees who attended the training can be provided to the employer\, to satisfy the USDA’s requirement that SNAP training for staff be documented. \n\nThis training is designed for employees who will be processing SNAP transactions but is open to all staff of farm businesses or farmers’ markets that accept SNAP or those interested in becoming SNAP vendors. \n\nChoose from Monday May 11\, 6-7:30 pm or Wednesday May 13\, 12-1:30 pm. \n\nRegister here and a zoom link will be emailed to you: https://airtable.com/app9pfoHBkR93t6df/shrkEfIRRv7wjw4DO \n\nIf neither of these dates work for you\, please contact foodaccess@buylocalfood.org and we may be able to schedule additional sessions.
URL:https://www.buylocalfood.org/event/snap-hip-vendor-training-2/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:CISA Events,Farmer Events,CISA Workshops for Businesses
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260513T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260513T180000
DTSTAMP:20260521T074632
CREATED:20260423T180253Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260424T174257Z
UID:52123-1778688000-1778695200@www.buylocalfood.org
SUMMARY:Local Hero Meet & Greet: Franklin County
DESCRIPTION:Celebrate the start of another season with a light supper\, ice cream and the good company of other farmers! \nCISA staff member\, Stephen Taranto will share how CISA is doing some research for FRCOG on irrigation and water efficiency in Franklin county. The county hopes to use the information to help them better support farmers. Jennifer Core and other CISA team members will be on hand to listen and learn about what matters to you at this moment. \nThis event is free\, but we appreciate registration to help us plan for enough food. If you renewed your Local Hero membership and haven’t received your 2026 Local Hero promotional materials yet\, we’ll bring them to the event for you. \nPlease register here.
URL:https://www.buylocalfood.org/event/lh-meetup-franklin-county/
LOCATION:Hager’s Farm Market\, 1232 Mohawk Trail\, Shelburne\, MA\, 01370\, United States
CATEGORIES:CISA Events,Farmer Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.buylocalfood.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Bernards-photo-vegetable-crop-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260527T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260527T180000
DTSTAMP:20260521T074632
CREATED:20260508T153857Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260512T184713Z
UID:52212-1779897600-1779904800@www.buylocalfood.org
SUMMARY:Designing and optimizing irrigation systems for drought resiliency\, water efficiency and crop quality
DESCRIPTION:Location: Pioneer Gardens Farm\, 425 Greenfield Rd\, Deerfield\, MA 01342 \nRegister here \nThis workshop at Pioneer Gardens in South Deerfield\, MA will bring farmers and irrigation system designers together to look at emerging irrigation practices that increase water efficiency. Participants will have the opportunity to walk through and discuss the irrigation systems at Pioneer Gardens that were designed and implemented under the direction of a professional engineer. \nThe on‑site discussion will include: \n\n\nIrrigation water management using automated soil moisture sensors and an on‑site weather station\, with discussion of how to interpret data and translate it into real‑world irrigation decisions\nUse of pressure regulators across the system to maintain uniform flow and pressure\, a key factor in achieving even irrigation and minimizing over‑ or under‑watering\nMainline and riser layout designed with risers spaced at 42 ft 3 in\, coordinated with GPS‑guided tractor operations to improve efficiency and avoid interference with field work\nA large irrigation boom system using low‑flow\, low‑pressure rotating nozzles to achieve high application uniformity with reduced water use and energy demand\nAbove‑ground solid‑set irrigation using similar low‑flow\, low‑pressure rotating nozzles\, providing flexible coverage and consistent distribution\nAn upgrade from a fire‑truck‑based irrigation pump to a high‑efficiency\, automated electric pump\, improving reliability\, energy efficiency\, and operational control\n\nThe goal of this walkthrough is to connect engineering design choices with day‑to‑day farm management decisions\, showing how thoughtful system design can reduce labor\, improve crop quality\, and make irrigation more predictable during dry periods. \n\nThe event will include opportunities for farmers to share their own approaches to irrigation\, including discussion of labor efficiency and decision-making during droughts. We will also provide information on grants and other funding sources for irrigation and related infrastructure. \nFollowing the workshop there will be a networking session with a light meal. \n\nThis work is supported by the Northeast Extension Risk Management project award no. 2025-70027-45395\, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
URL:https://www.buylocalfood.org/event/designing-and-optimizing-irrigation-systems-for-drought-resiliency-water-efficiency-and-crop-quality/
LOCATION:Pioneer Gardens\, Inc.\, 425 Greenfield Rd\, Deerfield\, MA\, 01342\, United States
CATEGORIES:Climate Events,CISA Events,Farmer Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260713T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260713T190000
DTSTAMP:20260521T074632
CREATED:20260508T164429Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260511T174557Z
UID:52238-1783962000-1783969200@www.buylocalfood.org
SUMMARY:Preparing and planning for new & increased pest and disease risks in a warmer New England
DESCRIPTION:Location: Good Bunch Farm\, 221 N River Rd\, Shelburne Falls\, MA 01370 \nRegister here \nAs the number of growing days increases and temperature and precipitation extremes are more frequent\, producers are faced with more challenges related to pest and disease pressure. Existing pests and diseases are becoming more persistent\, and new threats are emerging due to weather variability. Farmers are also faced with crop loss\, reduced crop quality\, and increased costs due to more frequent applications of treatments or preventative controls.   \nIn this event\, the presenter will share a practical framework for assessing\, prioritizing\, and planning responses to farm risks\, using pest and disease pressure as an example in the context of a changing climate. The host farmer will then describe how these planning tools have informed decisions on the farm\, the new practices that have been implemented\, and lessons learned through on-farm experience. \nThe discussion and farm tour will be followed by some networking time and a light meal. \nPresenter:   \nStevie Schafenacker works with small food and farm businesses across New England\, helping clients with financial record-keeping\, grant writing\, budgeting\, and enterprise planning. Stevie integrates holistic decision-making and really likes talking to farmers about how to manage risk. Stevie previously worked at CISA\, where she excelled at creating engaging\, content-rich workshops geared to the needs of the target audience. \nThis work is supported by the Northeast Extension Risk Management project award no. 2025-70027-45395\, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
URL:https://www.buylocalfood.org/event/preparing-and-planning-for-new-increased-pest-and-disease-risks-in-a-warmer-new-england/
LOCATION:Good Bunch Farm\, 221 N River Rd\, Shelburne Falls\, MA\, 01370\, United States
CATEGORIES:Climate Events,CISA Events,Farmer Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260817T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260817T180000
DTSTAMP:20260521T074632
CREATED:20260508T185442Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260508T185553Z
UID:52250-1786982400-1786989600@www.buylocalfood.org
SUMMARY:Managing pasture and livestock watering for flooding\, drought and extreme heat events
DESCRIPTION:Location: Chase Hill Farm\, 74 Chase Hill Rd\, Warwick\, MA 01378 \nRegister here \nThis workshop will focus on livestock and pasture management in heat\, drought\, and flood\, including practices for managing and capturing water\, managing forage crops for water extremes\, and efficient methods of providing access to drinking water for livestock. The presenters work with American Farmland Trust’s Thriving Farms and Ranches Livestock Team and can provide risk assessment and planning tools for farms and help them access services from NRCS and will explain the process for accessing this support. Presenters and CISA staff will facilitate discussion of farm-specific challenges and potential solutions.  \nPresenters:   \nMax Breiteneicher is an Apprentice Farm Conservation Planner at American Farmland Trust\, serving on the Thriving Farms and Ranches Livestock Team. In this role\, he helps farmers prepare conservation plans for implementation on their farms and for eligibility to participate in USDA-NRCS programs. Max also owns and operates a grass-based cheesemaking farm in Cummington\, Massachusetts.    \nCaleb Smith is a Livestock and Agronomy Specialist at American Farmland Trust (AFT) and a commercial farmer. He was a professional dairyman for 13 years before joining AFT and continues to be a professional livestock producer on 350 acres. Caleb has had a career-long relationship with Vermont NRCS\, with vast experience using their conservation programs to improve the profitability and sustainability of his own farm. At AFT\, he works to help farmers maximize the profit and environmental potential of their NRCS contracts. \nThis work is supported by the Northeast Extension Risk Management project award no. 2025-70027-45395\, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. 
URL:https://www.buylocalfood.org/event/managing-pasture-and-livestock-watering-for-flooding-drought-and-extreme-heat-events/
LOCATION:Chase Hill Farm\, 74 Chase Hill Rd\, Warwick\, MA\, 01378\, United States
CATEGORIES:Climate Events,CISA Events,Farmer Events
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR