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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
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260713T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260713T190000
DTSTAMP:20260604T180403Z
CREATED:20260508T164429Z
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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. \nDaniel Greene grew up north of Boston (devoid of agriculture)\, went to UMass Amherst\, and quickly became interested in sustainable agriculture and earned a degree in Plant\, Soil\, Insect Science. After working on several local farms and experimenting with his own operation\, he founded Good Bunch Farm in 2012. After renting land and moving around the Shelburne/Ashfield/Conway area a few times\, he bought the old Johnson Farm on North River Road in Shelburne Falls in 2018 and since then has been very busy improving the land\, erecting infrastructure\, renovating a house\, and starting a family.\n\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/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,CISA Workshops for Businesses
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260716T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260716T180000
DTSTAMP:20260521T194727Z
CREATED:20260521T174257Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260521T194727Z
UID:52304-1784210400-1784224800@www.buylocalfood.org
SUMMARY:Building resilient soils: planning & resources for extreme weather events
DESCRIPTION:Register here \nLocation: Stony Hill Farm\, 899 Stony Hill Road\, Wilbraham\, MA \nJoin us for a workshop designed for farmers\, land stewards\, and growers navigating increasingly unpredictable growing conditions and seeking practical\, field-tested ways to build soil health and farm resilience. Hosted at Stony Hill Farm with farmer Alice Colman\, participants will learn directly how soil health planning and management reduces production risks and increases resiliency in the face of extreme weather events. The event includes hands-on soil health demonstrations\, a guided farm tour\, and an opportunity to connect with technical service providers from NOFA/Mass\, CISA\, the American Farmland Trust and the NRCS about available funding opportunities\, technical assistance\, and support for developing soil management plans. \nParticipants will: \n\nObserve a live\, in-field soil health assessment & learn how to evaluate their soils\nExplore funded and implemented practices including reduced tillage\, cover cropping\, mulching\, intercropping\, hedgerows\, and soil carbon amendment\nUnderstand how these practices have improved soil structure\, reduced bare soil\, and increased resilience at Stony Hill Farm\nLearn the step-by-step process for developing a soil health management plan that is based on NRCS planning steps\nConnect with technical assistance providers & funding opportunities\, including grants\, soil testing services\, and organic transition support over a local meal & drinks\n\nStony Hill Farm is a certified organic\, small-scale diversified farm on 35 acres of fields and forest (currently ~1 acre in cultivation) in Wilbraham\, MA\, founded in 2015 by Alice Colman and Brian Cunningham. They grow a wide variety of vegetables and cut flowers sold through their farm stand and CSA. Their ecosystem-based approach emphasizes diversity as the foundation of resilience. Soil health practices include compost\, cover crops\, and organic fertilizers\, alongside crop rotations\, row covers\, and beneficial insects to support ecological balance and pest management. These practices are grounded in their on-farm approach to building resilient systems and have been strengthened through technical assistance programs such as American Farmland Trust (AFT)\, Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) and NOFA/Mass\, which have helped them refine and deepen their soil health and long-term land management strategies. \nCaro Roszell works with American Farmland Trust to support farmer networks\, provide technical assistance\, and advance practical approaches to soil health and climate resilience. With 15 years of experience in environmental nonprofit work and a decade in organic farming\, she specializes in farmer education\, soil health programming\, and farmer-to-farmer learning. Before joining AFT\, Caro served as Education Director and Soil Health Projects Manager for NOFA/Mass and currently serves on the Massachusetts Food Policy Council representing the Healthy Soils seat.  \nJeremy Barker-Plotkin joined American Farmland Trust with more than 25 years of experience in organic and regenerative farming\, conservation planning\, and farm business development. As co-owner and operator of Simple Gifts Farm\, a 50-acre integrated vegetable and livestock farm\, he has firsthand experience managing diversified production systems\, infrastructure development\, and direct markets. His work focuses on soil health\, organic no-till production\, integrated pest management\, irrigation and water conservation\, and farm business planning. Through AFT\, Jeremy supports farmers with soil health planning\, conservation implementation\, organic transition\, and access to technical assistance and funding opportunities.  \nRandy Violette is in his fourth season working at Stony Hill Farm where he has been supporting implementation of practices that improve soil health and overall farm resilience. Randy also works for NOFA/Mass as a TOPP Field Engagement and Technical Learning Coordinator. In this role\, he develops programming and educational content for farmers and gardeners interested in using organic farming practices.
URL:https://www.buylocalfood.org/event/soil-management-planning-for-drought-resiliency/
LOCATION:Stony Hill Farm\, 899 Stony Hill Rd\, Wilbraham\, MA
CATEGORIES:Climate Events,CISA Events,Farmer Events,CISA Workshops for Businesses
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260811T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260811T193000
DTSTAMP:20260728T204930Z
CREATED:20260728T204832Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260728T204930Z
UID:52640-1786469400-1786476600@www.buylocalfood.org
SUMMARY:First Franklin Candidate Forum on Farms and Food
DESCRIPTION:Food and Farm Focused Forum\nMemorial Hall\, 51 Bridge Street\, Shelburne Falls \nModerated by Monte Belmonte \nCome hear from the candidates vying for the open 1st Franklin State Representative District seat on issues related to food access\, farm viability\, and the future of our local food system! Two candidates are running for the 1st Franklin Democratic nomination. Corinne Coryat of Deerfield has served as Legislative Aide and Chief of Staff to Natalie Blais\, who served as 1st Franklin State Representative from 2018 – 2026. Lora Wondoloski of Greenfield currently serves as President of the Greenfield City Council. The Democratic Primary Election is on September 1st with a voter registration deadline of August 22. Amy Lavallee of Whately is an Independent candidate who currently serves as Whately Town Clerk. \nCandidates will offer brief opening and closing statements\, answer questions focused on food and farm issues\, and field questions from the audience\, moderated by Monte Belmonte. \nPlanning to join us? Let us know here! You can also submit your questions for the candidates at that link. Walk-ins welcome too! \nThe Forum is co-sponsored by Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA)\, Food Bank of Western Massachusetts\, the Franklin Land Trust\, and the Stone Soup Café\, along with the Memorial Hall Association and the Two Town News.
URL:https://www.buylocalfood.org/event/first-franklin-candidate-forum-on-farms-and-food/
LOCATION:Memorial Hall\, 51 Bridge St\, Shelburne Falls\, MA\, United States
CATEGORIES:CISA Events,Community Events
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260817T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260817T180000
DTSTAMP:20260521T194325Z
CREATED:20260508T185442Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260521T194325Z
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,CISA Workshops for Businesses
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260915T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260915T190000
DTSTAMP:20260820T211026Z
CREATED:20260820T204433Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260820T211026Z
UID:52802-1789491600-1789498800@www.buylocalfood.org
SUMMARY:Natural Disaster Recovery II Program application support and info session
DESCRIPTION:Need help applying for the new disaster relief funding available to farms through the Natural Disaster Recovery II Program? CISA has been working hard to clarify the details of this new program and is hosting this application and info support session to help ensure local farms can access this funding before the September 30th deadline. The session will start with a brief presentation about the program’s eligibility criteria and application process and a question and answer session\, after which dinner will be provided and farmers will have the opportunity to get one-on-one application support from CISA staff. \nPlease register here to let us know you will attend — this event is free\, but registration is required. \nInformation about the Natural Disaster Recovery II Program: \nThis program is administered by MDAR and funded through a federal block grant. The $42 million available through this program is earmarked to help compensate local farmers for crop and infrastructure losses resulting from extreme weather events in 2023 and 2024. This is a significantly larger amount of funding than was available to farms through earlier disaster relief programs\, so this funding can provide additional relief for farms that were only partially compensated earlier for their losses. It can also cover a wider range of extreme weather events — covering not just flooding and frost damage but also weather events like drought\, heat\, and storms — as well as a wider range of related losses like infrastructure losses and excess labor expenses. \nThere is no minimum farm size to be eligible for funding through this program\, but farmers must have lost experienced an eligible loss of at least $2\,500\, and there are specific eligibility criteria associated with each loss — for example\, the value of crop losses must represent at least a 15% loss of value of the damaged crops and the value of infrastructure losses must represent at least a 15% loss to the value of the infrastructure that was damaged. The kinds of losses that this program can cover include the following: \n\nLosses from crops that were damaged\, destroyed\, or unmarketable (including human food crops\, ornamentals\, and many value-added products)\nLosses from perennials in need of replanting (to compensate for production losses during years before maturity of new planting)\nDamaged infrastructure (including crop-related structures\, livestock housing\, plasticulture\, maple equipment\, irrigation\, and farm roads)\nExpenses for practices to mitigate land loss (including mowing/harrowing lost crops\, cover cropping\, grading land\, restoring ditches\, and providing emergency water for crops or livestock in drought)\nTimber losses (for those with over 10 acres of continuous forest in an active forest management plan)\n\nA video presentation about the program\, including a walk-through of the application form\, is available here\, and other program details are available here. Contact Kristen with any questions about this session.
URL:https://www.buylocalfood.org/event/natural-disaster-recovery-ii-program-application-support-and-info-session/
LOCATION:Deerfield Tilton Library\, 75 North Main Street\, South Deerfield\, MA
CATEGORIES:CISA Events,Farmer Events,CISA Workshops for Businesses
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