CISA - Community Involved In Sustaining Agriculture

Massachusetts Craft Beverage Workshops
2018-04-02 13:00 - 16:30 (America/Halifax) | Stone Cow Brewery, 500 West Street, Barre, MA, 01005, United States
The Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources have teamed up to present a series of Craft Beverage Workshops to support the Commonwealth’s craft beverage industry. Geared toward Massachusetts producers of beer, wine, cider, and spirits, the event will focus on marketing practices and brand strategies designed to attract culinary tourists. Attendees can expect presentations from host businesses, ad agency Small Army, craft beverage associations, and state resources. Panel discussions will include industry experts. There is no cost to participate, however registration is required since space is limited.
The workshops are open to craft beverage businesses, as well as tourism professionals looking to network and gain a better understanding of ways to leverage this unique component of the culinary landscape. The workshops will be held at locations throughout the state on April 2nd, 9th, and 23rd. Representation from all four categories of craft beverage – beer, cider, wine, and spirits – will be at each event.
Find more information and register here.
April 2
Stone Cow Brewery
500 West St B, Barre, MA 01005
1:00pm – 4:30pm
Host presentation by Stone Cow Brewery
Panelists: Bear Swamp Orchard (Jennifer Williams), Berkshire Mountain Distillery (Chris Weld), Black Birch Vineyard (Michelle Kersbergen), Nightshift Brewing (Rob Burns); Moderated by Katie Stinchon (Mass Brewers Guild)
Ad agency: Small Army
Industry/State: Mass Brewers Guild, MDAR, MOTT
Networking to follow

Workshop: Creating a Strong Brand for Your Farm
2018-04-03 18:00 - 21:00 | The Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, 200 Westboro Road, North Grafton, MA
Marketing can help you decide what to grow or produce, choose where and how you want to sell it, differentiate yourself from other farmers, and make effective use of social media and other marketing tools. Learn the basics to doing your own direct marketing or supervising someone else. This series of 4 workshops is designed as a complete direct marketing class, but you can register for as many as you like. Sessions will include guest speakers, handouts, discussions and in-class exercises.
Session 3: Creating a Strong Brand for Your Farm (4/3/2018)
Your farm brand consists of everything that you offer, say, or do, from the quality of your produce or meat to the color of your logo to the way you greet your customers. This session will explain how to creating a clear, consistent, and compelling brand that can help people remember your farm, build customer loyalty, and increase sales. Participants will receive and learn to use a worksheet to help you define and express your brand. A guest graphic designer will provide tips on how to create a powerful visual presence.
Guest Speaker: Susan Bergeron-West, Sirius Design
Find more info and register here
Instructors:
Myrna Greenfield, founder and “Top Egg” at Good Egg Marketing, provides expert marketing for good food and good causes. Good Egg helps businesses increase sales and build customer loyalty through brand development, sales and marketing strategies, websites, and social media. Greenfield is a frequent speaker, trainer and workshop presenter. She holds an MBA from the Simmons School of Management and lives in Boston, Massachusetts.
Justin Chase, Farmer Training Program Manager at New Entry Sustainable Farming Project. Justin is also a twelfth-generation farmer on his family’s farm in Newburyport, Massachusetts. He was faculty at Northern Essex Community College where he taught business and advanced mathematics and he holds an MBA from Bentley University.
Funding for this Direct Market Education series was made possible by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service through Grant Agreement No. 16FMPPMA0047. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA

2018 PVGrows Forum
2018-04-07 09:00 - 16:00 | Gateway City Arts, 92 Race Street, Holyoke, MA, 01040, United States
Attendees will dig deep on the urgent and timely topics of immigration, food access, and land access through a series of speakers and discussions. Join the PVGrows Network to learn from local and regional efforts and craft strategies for action.
Keynote speakers from Vermont’s Migrant Justice will discuss their work, which builds the voice, capacity, and power of the farmworker community. Migrant Justice’s Milk with Dignity Campaign calls on corporations to take responsibility for the farm worker rights abuses in their supply chains. Launched in 2014, the Milk with Dignity Campaign achieved a major success after years of effort when Ben and Jerry’s signed the first Milk with Dignity agreement in 2017. Learn more about Migrant Justice’s work at: migrantjustice.net
In addition to their keynote address, Migrant Justice will join a workshop with local workers, advocates and PVGrows participants to discuss approaches to supporting food system workers in the Pioneer Valley during this time of heightened stress and fear for foreign-born residents.
The PVGrows Forum will also feature a workshop and discussion on food access, with an emphasis on community responses to the suspension of the Healthy Incentives Program and the threats to SNAP in the Farm Bill reauthorization process. A third workshop will address the challenges of land access for urban, rural, and immigrant farmers, recognizing the long history of enslavement and racial discrimination that created and maintain patterns of land and wealth ownership.
Register today to join this conversation about challenges facing the local food system, to broaden and deepen your relationships with others in the field, and to identify ways to take collaborative action for a more just, equitable food system.
Note: We want the PVGrows Forum to be accessible to everyone regardless of financial standing or institutional support. For this reason, there are six different fee level options, ranging from FREE to $75. These options exist to give attendees the opportunity to select a fee level that fits within their budget. Attendees will not receive additional benefits for paying a higher fee.
Live Spanish language interpretation services will be available. To register for the Forum in Spanish, please call CISA at (413) 665-7100 and ask for Mia.
Register for the 2018 PVGrows Forum

If you registered for the Forum in December:
If you registered for the 2018 PVGrows Forum before the December postponement, you have been automatically registered for the new date. If you will not be attending the April 7th Forum, we will be happy to issue a full refund. Contact Noah for more information. Thank you.

The Forum
PVGrows is a collaborative network dedicated to enhancing the environmental and economic vitality of the Pioneer Valley food system. For years, PVGrows Forums have provided our community valuable opportunities to make new connections, adopt fresh perspectives, and expand our capacity to work together. Our network is made up of professionals, workers, advocates, and students from the fields of agriculture, food justice, public health, community development, local economic development, environmental sustainability, social justice, and more. Our events are open to all!
PVGrows Forums bring together food system stakeholders and participants to spend a day deeply exploring the Pioneer Valley food system. Our events are open to all. The 2018 PVGrows Forum is made possible by a volunteer planning committee, our sponsors, and CISA (Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture). Learn more about PVGrows Forums. Contact Noah with questions.

Respirator Train-the-Trainer Course for Farmers, Beekeepers, and Other Employees who Need to Use Respirators
2018-04-09 13:15 - 15:45 | Hadley Farms Meeting House, 41 Russell Street, Hadley, MA, 01035
UMass Extension is offering a series of Respirator Train-the-Trainer workshops in 2018. Farmers, beekeepers and others who need to wear respirators, required by pesticide labels, can benefit from the workshop. Participants will learn how the fit test a respirator and select, use, clean, maintain and replace respirators. All handlers must be trained under the EPA Worker Protection Standard (WPS) Respirator Requirement if they apply any pesticide that requires a respirator. Several organic approved (OMRI) pesticides and some miticides used by beekeepers require respirators. The respirator train-the-trainer workshops are 2 hours long and will be held in Marlboro, Taunton, Hadley, and Marlborough. The registration fee is $30.00 per person. Participants will received a Certificate of Attendance, a check list for respirator training, and a fit test protocol. This is an hands on workshop. Bring your respirator or use one of ours. To register for these workshop via the mail please click here for the registration form. To register online with a credit card (extra $5.00/person) see below.
When: Monday, April 9, 2018 from 1:15 PM to 3:45 PM
Where: Hadley Farms Meeting House, 41 Russell Street, Hampton Village Barn Shops on Route 9, Hadley, MA 01035
REGISTER HERE: https://www.regonline.com/registration/Checkin.aspx?EventID=2267207

Workshop: Building Online Engagement to Market Your Farm
2018-04-10 18:00 - 21:00 | The Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, 200 Westboro Road, North Grafton, MA
Marketing can help you decide what to grow or produce, choose where and how you want to sell it, differentiate yourself from other farmers, and make effective use of social media and other marketing tools. Learn the basics to doing your own direct marketing or supervising someone else. This series of 4 workshops is designed as a complete direct marketing class, but you can register for as many as you like. Sessions will include guest speakers, handouts, discussions and in-class exercises.
Session 4: Building Online Engagement to Market Your Farm (4/10/2018)
Websites, social media, email, and other types of digital marketing are great tools, but they can also be a huge waste of time. This session will cover basic dos and don’ts of websites, tips for getting found on the web through search engine optimization and online directories, and making the most of email and social media marketing. Participants will receive and learn to use a worksheet to help you create an online marketing planning calendar. A guest farmer will share their tips about using social media to build customer loyalty.
Guest Speaker: Maddie Elling, Co-Owner, Hosta Hill
Find more info and register here
Instructors:
Myrna Greenfield, founder and “Top Egg” at Good Egg Marketing, provides expert marketing for good food and good causes. Good Egg helps businesses increase sales and build customer loyalty through brand development, sales and marketing strategies, websites, and social media. Greenfield is a frequent speaker, trainer and workshop presenter. She holds an MBA from the Simmons School of Management and lives in Boston, Massachusetts.
Justin Chase, Farmer Training Program Manager at New Entry Sustainable Farming Project. Justin is also a twelfth-generation farmer on his family’s farm in Newburyport, Massachusetts. He was faculty at Northern Essex Community College where he taught business and advanced mathematics and he holds an MBA from Bentley University.
Funding for this Direct Market Education series was made possible by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service through Grant Agreement No. 16FMPPMA0047. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA

CISA Annual Meeting
2018-04-12 18:00 - 20:30 | Garden House at Look Park, Northampton
CISA supporters and members, you are invited to our Annual Meeting at the Garden House at Look Park!
Join with the CISA community to celebrate CISA’s 25th anniversary, honor this year’s Local Hero awardees, and participate in a vibrant discussion about our local food economy with CISA staff, board, and your community!
Dinner will be provided, with catering from River Valley Co-op!
This event is free, and seating is limited to 175 people. RSVP to save a seat. Call 413-665-7100 or e-mail Jennifer.

Understanding Customer Behavior at Farmers Markets to Improve Farm Sales
2018-04-19 09:30 - 14:30 | Lake Morey Resort, 1 Clubhouse Road, Fairlee, VT, 05045, United States
Please join NOFA/VT as they welcome the folks from GrowNYC’s FARMroots and Greenmarket Programs for this unique workshop for both farmers and farmers market managers. The workshop will start with both audiences together learning about GrowNYC’s Customer Behavior at Farmers Markets Study. After lunch, the two audiences will break apart, with the farmer audience diving into FARMroots’ research and presentation about ways to use POS systems, and the market manager audience learning how to measure customer behavior at their market and exploring how to use this information to support their market’s vendors.
Find more info and register here.

The Farmer's Office Live Webinar: Managing Cash Flow
2018-04-24 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
You’ll never have to worry about cash in the bank with proper cash flow management. In this webinar, participants will review how to create monthly cash flow projections and how to manage day-to-day cash flows. First, you will work through creating a yearly cash flow projection using historical data to lay-out cash needs on a monthly basis, then discuss how to manage cash on a weekly basis and prevent accidentally bouncing a check.
Participants will be able to ask questions during the webinar. At the end of the session, you will receive a dynamic cash flow excel template that will help you with your own projections.
Register here
*This webinar is available for free to all Premium and Soft Launch members of The Farmer’s Office. Learn more about memberships

Farm to School Sales: Are They Right for Your Business?
2018-04-30 15:00 - 17:30 | The Food Bank of Western MA, 97 North Hatfield Road, Hatfield, MA, 01038
Join CISA and MA Farm to School for School Food 101 introduction! Come learn what makes K-12 school meal programs distinct from other food service programs, how to cater to school meal providers, and how to troubleshoot potential barriers. We’ll discuss some of the unique benefits and opportunities of partnering with schools. Representatives from schools and farms selling to them will join the conversation so you can hear directly from them about how it works. Farmers and school representatives will get to meet and network as well.
Presentation: 3:00-4:30pm Open to All Farmers
Networking: 4:30-5:30pm Farmers and School Purchasers
RSVP to Aja@buylocalfood.org or call 413-665-7100 by April 27th. Light refreshments provided.

Have you thought about the future of your land?
2018-04-30 18:00 - 20:00 | Erving Senior Center, 1 Care Drive, Erving, MA, 01344, United States
At this informational workshop, you will learn about resources for:

Farm succession
Forestry management
Land conservation
Financial planning
Estate planning
Leasing to a farmer

FREE light dinner and refreshments from Diemand Farm will be served.
Please RSVP to Kat Kowalski at (978) 248-2055 x29 or Kowalski@mountgrace.org.
Unable to attend? Call to schedule a free meeting with Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust to talk about your goals for your land: 978-248-2055 x22.

Webinar: Land Access Basics for Livestock Farmers
2018-05-02 13:00 - 14:00 | Online
Overwhelmed by the challenges of accessing farmland? Don’t be. Whether you are a new, beginning or established farmer, this webinar will help you navigate the issues around accessing farmland or a farm property. Jason Silverman with Land For Good will discuss land tenure arrangements, including leasing and owning, as well as provide tips for finding and evaluating land. Come with your questions!
Register here.

Farm Share Fair 2018
2018-05-10 17:30 - 20:30 | The Armory, 191 Highland Ave, Somerville, MA, United States
Do you love local, fresh food? Maybe you’ve been thinking about joining a CSA – a Farm Share? A Farm Share program allows you to receive a fabulous box of great stuff every week direct from a Massachusetts farm. Check out the Farm Share Fair at The Armory in Somerville on May 10th and meet the fantastic farmers and home delivery companies from across this state, which bring local produce to the Boston area. Compare and learn about all the various options: veggies, fruit, flowers, meat, fish eggs, dairy, and specialty products. Over 40 vendors will be at the fair, including some wonderful sustainable food product companies and service providers. Spend your food dollars on locally grown, and sign up at the Farm Share Fair!
Sponsored by: Farm Share Fair
Thursday, May 10th
5:30-8:30 pm
The Armory
191 Highland Avenue
Somerville, MA
www.farmsharefair.com
Questions? maria@farmsharefair.com
We’re social!
Facebook: www.facebook.com/FarmShareFair
Twitter: @FarmShareFair
Instagram: @FarmShareFair

Northfield Mount Hermon Food Systems Teach-In and Farmers' Market
2018-05-11 11:00 - 16:00 | Northfield Mount Hermon, 1 Lamplighter Way, Gill, MA
On Friday, May 11, 2018, Northfield Mount Hermon will host local food and agriculture experts in a day of connecting, teaching, and selling their products.
The school’s classes focus on various aspects of the local food system to engage students in the effort of becoming responsible citizens through their food choices. In the afternoon, the local community is invited to campus to shop and learn at a farmers’ market and associated workshops. NMH’s goal: to build educational connections between youth and adults and between the food producers and consumers of the Pioneer Valley.
11 am – 4 pm Open to alumni, parents, and the NMH community
2 pm – 4 pm Open to the public
At the market in Beveridge Bowl:

NMH and locally produced farm goods and gifts are for sale, including fresh eggs, cheeses, maple syrup, and bath products
Local farmers, foresters, and sustainability specialists hand out information and talk with visitors
Experts discuss ways that the school and others can be greener
NMH’s own furry and feathered farm animals are brought out for the public to pet and to study.

Webinar: The Nutritional Benefits of Pasture-Raised Animals
2018-05-15 16:00 - 17:00 | Online
Are you a farmer who raises your animals on pasture? Or perhaps you are a consumer who buys humanely-raised meat, milk, and eggs. This is the webinar for you! Join us to learn more about the nutritional benefits that come from raising food animals on grass.
Our presenter, Collette Lentz, MS, will discuss the nutritional advantages and the associated human health benefits of pasture-raised versus conventionally-raised animals. The superior nutritional content of pastured animal products provides a new perspective and justification for supporting humane farming.
Register here.

Have you thought about the future of your land?
2018-05-15 18:00 - 20:00 | Swift River School, 201 Wendell Road, New Salem, MA, 01355, United States

Webinar: Intro to BFRDP Grant Program
2018-05-29 13:00 - 17:00 | Online
Join New Entry Sustainable Farming Project to learn more about the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program. They’ll review a general overview of the program, application information, and implications of the upcoming Farm Bill re-authorization. Presented by Allison Goin, Strategic Development & Program Design Consultant; Jan Perez, Social Science Research and Education Specialist at the Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS) at the University of California Santa Cruz; and Juli Obudzinski, Deputy Policy Director at National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
Find more info and register here.

CISA Workshop & Tour: Bringing Visitors to Your Farm
2018-05-29 16:00 - 19:00 | Glendale Ridge Vineyard and Winery, 155 Glendale Road, Southampton, MA
Join us at Glendale Ridge Vineyard for an early evening farm tour to learn about resources, ideas, and need-to-know information for engaging the public on your farm. We will discuss the many ways that farms can provide education, experiences, and products, and how to assess if an agri-tourism enterprise is the right direction for your farm – PLUS get to know how Glendale Ridge engages the public with summer music series, events, and tastings. Cost is $5 and includes food. Children are welcome!
Location: Glendale Ridge Vineyard & Winery, 155 Glendale Road, Southampton
Presenter: Lisa Chase, University of Vermont Extension/Director of Vermont Tourism Research Center and Mary and Ed Hamel of Glendale Ridge Vineyard & Winery.

RSVP to: Stevie Schafenacker via email or at (413) 665-7100, ext. 27 OR RSVP online below.

Register for Workshop

May 29: Bringing Visitors to Farm $5.00 USD

Enter name(s) of attendees:

Funding for this event is provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Marketing Service through grant 16FMPPMA0002, and by individual contributors and Local Hero members. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Marketing Webinar Series: Use Market Research to Guide Farm Business Decisions
2018-05-30 19:00 - 20:00 | Online
Marketing can help you decide what to grow or produce, choose where and how you want to sell it, differentiate yourself from other farmers, and make effective use of social media and other marketing tools. Learn the basics to doing your own marketing or supervising someone else. This series of 4 webinars is designed as a complete marketing class, but you can register for 1 or all 4.
Find more info and register here
Webinar 1: Use Market Research to Guide Farm Business Decisions
If you want to grow your business, you need to sell more to your existing customers, sell to new customers, and/or expand the number of products or services you offer. Market research can help you generate new ideas and choose the best options. This session will show you how to use basic market research to assess market trends, understand your current or potential customers, and decide what products, prices and channels make sense for your farm.
About the Instructor:
Myrna Greenfield, founder and “Top Egg” at Good Egg Marketing, provides expert marketing for good food and good causes. Good Egg helps businesses increase sales and build customer loyalty through brand development, sales and marketing strategies, websites, and social media. Greenfield is a frequent speaker, trainer and workshop presenter. She holds an MBA from the Simmons School of Management and lives in Boston, Massachusetts.

Employment Law for the Farm: Q & A Webinar
2018-05-31 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
Please join New Entry Sustainable Food Project and the Legal Food Hub for Employment Law for the Farm: Q & A Webinar.
As the farming season begins, do you have last minute questions about the legal implications of your farm apprentice program? Do you have questions about the agricultural exemption from minimum wage? Wondering whether you need to worry about overtime or what records you need to keep about your farm employees this summer?
Join this webinar to ask your employment law questions to a leading expert in Massachusetts. Beth O’Neal, an employment law attorney and partner at Conn Kavanaugh in Boston, will answer your questions.
Please contact legalfoodhub@clf.org with any questions.
More info and register here

Small Business Administration Rural Small Business Lending Roundtable
2018-06-01 08:30 - 12:00 | Greenfield Community College, 1 College Drive, Greenfield, MA, 01301
Come learn about assistance and loans offered by the SBA, USDA, FSA and other support organizations that can help you start or grow your business or farm!
Special Guests Congressman McGovern and SBA Region 1 Administrator Wendell Davis

8:30 – 9:00 Registration/Networking/Refreshments
9:00 – 9:15 Welcoming Remarks, SBA New England Regional Administrator
9:15 – 9:30 Congressman McGovern
9:30- 9:45 Speaker: Caroline Pam – Kitchen Garden Farm
9:45 – 9:55 Break
9:55 – 11:00 Rural Lending Roundtable Discussions

(SBA, USDA-RD, USDA-FSA, Mass Growth Capital, Franklin County CDC, Berkshire Bank, Greenfield Co-op Bank, Greenfield Savings)

11:00 – 11:05 Break
11:05-11:25 SBDC: Social Media Marketing Workshop
11:30-11:50 SCORE: Business Plan Basics Workshop

FAQs
What are parking options?
Parking is FREE in any LOT (Do Not park in Lot A)
Who should attend:
Entrepreneurs, Agricultural-based businesses, Businesses in rural areas, Lenders

Marketing Webinar Series: Create a Farm Marketing Plan to Achieve Your Sales Goals
2018-06-06 19:00 - 20:00 | Online
Marketing can help you decide what to grow or produce, choose where and how you want to sell it, differentiate yourself from other farmers, and make effective use of social media and other marketing tools. Learn the basics to doing your own marketing or supervising someone else. This series of 4 webinars is designed as a complete marketing class, but you can register for 1 or all 4.
Find more info and register here
Webinar 2: Create a Farm Marketing Plan to Achieve Your Sales Goals
Learn how to create a simple marketing plan that will help you reach your sales goals. We’ll review product, pricing, and distribution options and discuss the design, promotion, and people you’ll need to implement your plan.
About the Instructor:
Myrna Greenfield, founder and “Top Egg” at Good Egg Marketing, provides expert marketing for good food and good causes. Good Egg helps businesses increase sales and build customer loyalty through brand development, sales and marketing strategies, websites, and social media. Greenfield is a frequent speaker, trainer and workshop presenter. She holds an MBA from the Simmons School of Management and lives in Boston, Massachusetts.

Greater Quabbin Food Alliance Spring Gathering
2018-06-08 08:00 - 13:00 | Orange Innovation Center, 131 West Main Street, Orange, MA
Register Now
email: kowalski@mountgrace.org

Armed to Farm 2018
2018-06-11 - 2018-06-15 | The Inn at East Hill Farm, 46 Monadnock Street, Troy, NH, 03465, United States
The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) is bringing its nationally recognized Armed to Farm training to Troy, New Hampshire. The Armed to Farm Program provides military veterans the skills they would need to transition from a military life to a farming life and is offered free-of-charge thanks to a grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Armed to Farm is scheduled for June 11 – June 15, 2018 at The Inn at East Hill Farm in Troy, NH. The event is free for those chosen to attend; lodging, transportation to local farms, and most meals will be provided. Participants must pay their own travel costs to and from the event.
Veterans can visit ncat.org/armedtofarm to complete an application by April 27, 2018. The program is available to military veterans in the Northeast who are interested in starting a farm or who have recently begun farming (less than 10 years). Spouses and farming partners are also invited to apply. NCAT will notify selected participants by May 4.
Armed to Farm combines engaging classroom sessions with farm tours and hands-on activities. Participants learn about business planning, budgeting, recordkeeping, marketing, livestock production, vegetable production, and more. Participants gain a strong foundation in the basic principles of operating a sustainable and regenerative farming enterprise. In addition, Armed to Farm attendees join a nationwide network of supportive farmer-veterans and agricultural advisors.
Instructors for this New Hampshire Armed to Farm will include NCAT sustainable agriculture specialists, UNH Cooperative Extension agents, representatives from USDA agencies, and experienced crop and livestock producers.

Webinar: Explore Farming Workshop
2018-06-11 17:00 - 19:00 | Online
This free two-hour workshop and discussion is designed to help you start thinking about farming and how you can get involved in the local food system. We will discuss the basics of starting a farm business – and whether or not it is right for you. We will also talk about alternative roles that people can play within our local food system that go beyond farming.
This class is a prerequisite for New Entry’s classroom-based Farm Business Planning Course.
In this informal workshop, we will explore:

agriculture in Massachusetts and New England
the variety of roles in the food system and opportunities to get involved
the challenges and rewards of starting a farm business
what resources and knowledge you will need in order to start farming

You’ll hear about the experiences of other beginning farmers and begin a self-assessment of how farming would fit into your life. Whether you decide to pursue starting your own farm business or not, we have lots of resources to share that can help you move forward in your agricultural endeavors.
To register, fill out the General Registration Form by clicking here. For questions about this event, please contact Juliette Enfield at juliette.enfield@tufts.edu

Marketing Webinar Series: Creating a Strong Brand for Your Farm
2018-06-13 19:00 - 20:00 | Online
Marketing can help you decide what to grow or produce, choose where and how you want to sell it, differentiate yourself from other farmers, and make effective use of social media and other marketing tools. Learn the basics to doing your own marketing or supervising someone else. This series of 4 webinars is designed as a complete marketing class, but you can register for 1 or all 4.
Find more info and register here
Webinar 3: Creating a Strong Brand for Your Farm
Your farm brand consists of everything that you offer, say, or do, from the quality of your produce or meat to the color of your logo to the way you greet your customers. This session will explain how to creating a clear, consistent, and compelling brand that can help people remember your farm, build customer loyalty, and increase sales.
About the Instructor:
Myrna Greenfield, founder and “Top Egg” at Good Egg Marketing, provides expert marketing for good food and good causes. Good Egg helps businesses increase sales and build customer loyalty through brand development, sales and marketing strategies, websites, and social media. Greenfield is a frequent speaker, trainer and workshop presenter. She holds an MBA from the Simmons School of Management and lives in Boston, Massachusetts.

Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream Speed Coaching: Holyoke
2018-06-18 18:00 - 20:30 | Holyoke Community College, 303 Homestead Avenue, Holyoke
Are you a food, beverage or craft brewing small business owner? Are you looking for business advice? We can help!
Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream and Common Capital are excited to bring a Speed Coaching event to Holyoke!
The event will kick off with a networking reception at 6:00. During the reception you will have the opportunity to network with other entrepreneurs and sign up for the consulting stations that are most relevant to your business such as:

Marketing and E-Commerce
Packaging
Sales and Distribution
Business Financing
Legal Advice for Your Business

…and more!
We will give brief welcome remarks, and after that you will have the chance to meet for multiple 20 minute sessions with Samuel Adams employees and local business experts to receive personalized coaching and network with other small business owners. Make sure to bring your questions and anything you want feedback on, such as packaging, materials, and ideas. Please note that the sessions are at first come, first serve basis.
This event is free with light fare and beverages to be served. Must be 21 and over to attend!

Dollars and Sense: Finding Resources for Conservation Improvements on Your Farm
2018-06-19 13:00 - 16:30 | Jones Library, 43 Amity Street, Amherst
The Hampden-Hampshire Conservation District is hosting a free workshop on finding resources for conservation improvements on your farm. Learn how to identify conservation projects and where resources are available to implement them. Presentations from Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, United States Department of Agriculture, UMass Extension, Land for Good, Northeast SARE and more.
Please join us on Tuesday, June 19, 2018 at the Jones Library Woodbury Room (43 Amity Street, Amherst, MA) from 1-4:30 PM for this free workshop.
Space is limited. To register, contact: Sarah Rippere, Hampden-Hampshire Conservation District: 413-932-3235 or Sarah.Rippere@ma.usda.gov
More info on Facebook

CISA Workshop for Farmers: Park Hill Orchard
2018-06-28 18:00 - 20:00 | Park Hill Orchard, 82 Park Hill Road, Easthampton, MA, 01027, United States
Join us for an early evening farm tour and round table with our hosts, Russell Braen and Alane Hartley at Park Hill Orchard who practice the “Three T’s” of agritourism – Tours, Talks and Tastings – in order to create meaningful participatory experiences for visitors.
” There are several areas of tension in every agritourism operation. Parts of the business that are always at issue and never will be perfect. Things like PYO pricing and management, food and visitor safety, parking issues, children and parenting, arrangements for older and disabled people – not to mention dialing in the profit centers, branding and publicity, sponsorship and product placement, labor practices, regulation.
We propose to sit down, round table style, and share the bit we know about the devils in the details and we would really like to hear the experiences and insights gleaned from other operations like yours. So if you’re interested in what it’s like to have thirty thousand folks visit your farm during the three month season then make it a point to attend!”
~ Owners/Managers Russell Braen and Alane Hartley
Location: Park Hill Orchard, 82 Park Hill Road, Easthampton
Presenter: Russell Braen and Alane Hartley, owners and operators of Park Hill Orchard
RSVP below OR to Stevie Schafenacker via email or at (413) 665-7100, ext. 27

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Webinar: Quickbooks for Farmers (Session 1)
2018-07-09 18:00 - 19:00 | Online
The Farmer’s Office is offering a 3-part webinar series of Quickbooks for Farmers.
QuickBooks is a powerful tool that goes way beyond just tracking income and expenses for taxes; it can help you manage cash, understand how to increase profits, and plan for growth. In this series of live webinars, we will cover:
Session 1, Monday July 9th:

An overview of QuickBooks, and how to decide between online and desktop
Basic accounting concepts that underlie QuickBooks
Set-up including creating a customized chart of accounts
Basic transactions such entering expenses, creating wholesale customer invoices and recording bank deposits

Find more info here.

Webinar: Quickbooks for Farmers (Session 2)
2018-07-17 18:00 - 19:00 | Online
The Farmer’s Office is offering a 3-part webinar series of Quickbooks for Farmers.
QuickBooks is a powerful tool that goes way beyond just tracking income and expenses for taxes; it can help you manage cash, understand how to increase profits, and plan for growth. In this series of live webinars, we will cover:
Session 2, Tuesday, July 17:

How to use classes, customers and items to better understand your different enterprises and customers
General journal entries – what they are and how they can help you understand greater details of your revenue and profitability

Find more info here.
