January 2019
Planning for the Next Successor on your Farm
Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) is offering three sessions of this workshop across the state for farmers to better understand what is involved in succession planning. Experts from Land for Good and MDAR will provide tools and resources - including the state's Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) Program - to help you identify the next owner of the farm and take steps towards making the transition. 2019 Workshop dates: Tuesday, January 22nd - Boyden Library, 10 Bird St., Foxborough, 5:00 – 7:00pm,…
Find out more »GROWING YOUR FARM BUSINESS business planning course
MDAR has updated its business planning course (previously “Tilling the Soil of Opportunity”) to a new, hands-on course to help established farmers develop a business plan and financial projections for their farm business. The course has been updated to meet the current needs of farmers. It will be offered once per week this winter on Wednesday evenings in early 2019 6pm – 9pm for 7 weeks: 1/23, 1/30, 2/6, 2/13, (no class 2/20) 2/27, 3/6 and 3/13 (3/20 snow date)…
Find out more »CISA Winter Workshop: Storytelling for Your Brand
Location: CISA Office, 1 Sugarloaf St., South Deerfield In this workshop we will discover how to create a comprehensive organizational or business story, and use it to launch or strengthen your brand. In this workshop participants will create a story outline, and mock up their story via social media or direct marketing. Participants will leave with a storytelling accountability buddy for the steps they'd like to move forward. About the Presenter: Angela is an innovative educator, evaluator, and writer who…
Find out more »Pioneer Valley Regional Agricultural Conference
Regional Conference with Farmers and Ag Coms 1. Building Local Markets for All Farmers - Margaret Christie, CISA 2. Forest Health and Invasives - Polantin & Andrew Morrison, Polatin Eco System 3. Solar Development and Agriculture - Gerald Palano, MDAR Please ALSO Join Us at the MAAC Annual Meeting on Feb 23rd! CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.
Find out more »Next Generation of Farmers: FCCDC Visit
The Franklin County Community Development Corporation (FCCDC) welcomes the Next Generation of Farmers group to visit, tour, and learn about the programs and activities of the FCCDC, PV Grows Investment Fund and the Western MA Food Processing Center. Enjoy dinner (provided by PV Grows Investment Fund), tour the commercial kitchen, and see how your farm can benefit from these resources. Join them on Tuesday, January 29th from 5-7pm. RSVP here by January 17th.
Find out more »CISA Winter Workshop: Niche Marketing in the Black
Location: Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center, 100 Bigelow St., Holyoke Did you know the word “niche” comes from the French word ‘to nest’? Niche marketing is targeting a product or service to a segment of a market that is not well served. Join us to explore and identify prospective niche markets for your farm or business. Small- to mid-size farms stand to benefit financially from new revenue streams. We will pinpoint niche opportunities for the Pioneer Valley, explore marketing…
Find out more »School Food Service Workshop and Networking Session
Join food service directors and staff from schools across Franklin County/North Quabbin and beyond to learn about ways to support healthy, successful students through school food, and to connect with peers and partners! Thursday January 31 from 2:00—5:30 PM (Snow date February 7) At the John W. Olver Transit Center 12 Olive St, Greenfield, MA Local Food Procurement Training: (Peter McLoughlin, Department of El-ementary and Secondary Education) : This session will discuss the basics of incor-porating agriculture and locally procured…
Find out more »February 2019
Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training Series
Wondering where to begin with food safety? Start here! The PSA Grower Training is currently the only official FDA-recognized produce safety training to help growers implement Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and understand their responsibilities under new Federal regulations. Whether you have a farm that is fully covered by the law or a small, exempt farm and you’re just looking for information, this training is for you. The PSA Grower Training Course satisfies the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirement outlined in…
Find out more »