CISA - Community Involved In Sustaining Agriculture

RESCHEDULED: Next Generation of Farmers Gathering
2018-03-21 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Halifax) | Greenfield Farmers Cooperation, 269 High St., Greenfield, MA, 01301, United States
This event was originally scheduled for March 7th. It has been rescheduled for March 21st due to snow.
Organized by farmers, for farmers.
On Wednesday, March 21st at 6:00pm the Greenfield Farmers Cooperative Exchange will host an event for farmers who are carrying on their family business. The organizers, who are next generation farm owners themselves, are creating an opportunity to gather with their peers and collaborate on current needs, future goals, and actions to support the continuation of their family farm legacies.
This event is intended to form a network of support and resources among those who may be returning to their own family farm, taking on leadership roles at their family farm, or stepping out on their own. Young and beginning operators and managers are encouraged to attend!
CISA is proud to support this event. It is a great opportunity for future generations to continue their farming legacy and keep the family business viable for many years to come.
For more information and the RSVP, contact Jeff Budine at Greenfield Farmers Cooperative Exchange – farmers@crocker.com or 413-773-9639.
This event is co-organized by Tessa White-Diemand of Diemand Farm, Greenfield Farmers Cooperative, Hardwick Farmers Co-op, and Community Involved In Sustaining Agriculture, with support from Local Hero “next generation” farmers.

Workshop: Use Market Research to Guide Farm Business Decisions
2018-03-20 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 1: Use Market Research to Guide Farm Business Decisions (3/20/2018)
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. Participants will receive and learn to use a worksheet to profile the demographics, interests, and needs of your target customers. A guest speaker will discuss how to sell to wholesale and institutional markets.
Guest Speaker: Simca Horwitz, Mass. Farm to School Project
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

Preventive Controls for Human Food Certification Training
2018-03-13 - 2018-03-15 | UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, United States
Under the Food Safety Modernization Act, or FSMA,certain activities must be completed by a “preventive controls qualified individual” who has successfully completed training in the development and application of risk-based preventative controls, intended to ensure safe manufacturing, processing, packing, and holding of food products for human consumption. This course meets the standardized curriculum recognized by the FDA-successfully completing this course is one way to meet the requirements to become a preventive controls qualified individual. This is a 20 hour (2.5 day) training and the cost is $595 per person. You can register here.
For more information on whether or not you should attend this training, contact Amanda Kinchla at UMass Extension or call 413-545-1017.

Bella Foodie at Iron Duke Brewing
2018-03-08 17:00 - 21:00 | Iron Duke Brewing, 100 State Street #122, Ludlow, MA, 01056, United States
Stop by to try Bar Bites by Bella Foodie, enjoy a raffle, and try an excellent selection of locally brewed beer from Iron Duke!

Strategies to Optimize Yield and Quality of Forage on Your Farm
2018-03-06 09:30 - 15:30 | UMass Crop & Livestock Research & Education Farm, 89 River Rd, South Deerfield, MA, 01373, United States
Free registration, lunch provided.
Please join the UMass Extension Crop, Dairy, Livestock, & Equine team for a multi-state collaborative event that focuses on innovations in sustainable forage production, featuring presentations from several distinguished professors and professionals in the Northeast. Featured
Topics: Perennial Forage Variety Selection (Dr. Heather Darby, UVM; Double Cropping: Making Money on Both Ends (Tom Kilcer, NY); Managing Weeds in Pastures (Dr. Sid Bosworth, UVM); Estimates of MA Dairy Costs and Returns (Dr. Dan Lass, UMass); Understanding the Importance of Fiber Digestibility (Rick Kersbergen, UMaine); Get Your Planter Ready for No-Till (Jeff Sanders, UVM); Troubleshooting Corn After Cover Crops (Sam Corcoran, UMass); and Forage Sorghum: The Other Corn Crop (Tom Kilcer, NY). Please RSVP if you plan on attending to ensure that the event runs smoothly.
For questions or to RSVP, please contact: Alexa Smychkovich, asmychko@umass.edu; (413) 545 -5221
For more information, please visit: https://ag.umass.edu/crops-dairy-livestock-equine/events/strategies-to-optimize-yield-quality-of-forage-on-your-farm

Local Specialty Crop & Local Food Trade Show
2018-03-05 08:00 - 15:00 | Curry Student Center, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
The Sustainable Business Network of Massachusetts (SBN) is offering our 7th Specialty Crop and Local Food Trade Show. The 2018 Local Food Trade Show is designed to facilitate connections and stimulate business relationships between producers and wholesale buyers of local food, with a focus on specialty crop food products in Massachusetts. At this event, buyers will have the unique opportunity to meet nearly 100 farmers and producers who grow and craft some of New England’s finest foods.
This event is ideal for restaurants, retailers and institutional buyers interested in trading with local food suppliers and who desire to buy more locally produced products from growers, fishermen, and value added producers from Massachusetts and New England.
The Local Specialty Crop Trade Show, Presented in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR)
Exhibitors will include New England based farmers, produce distributors and local specialty crop producers (products made with 50% or more specialty crops also qualify). Please view the USDA definition of specialty crops here. This Trade Show is funded by the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant, sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources. The deadline to register is February 10, 2018. Please note that booths may sell out.
Exhibition booths are free for specialty crop farmers + producers.
Specialty Crop Farmers and Produers–> REGISTER HERE
Local Food Trade Show
This trade show is open to all non-specialty crop food producers including meat and dairy farms, fisheries, baked goods and other added value producers.
Exhibition booths are $150.00, $25 Discount for SBN Members
Local Food Vendors (Non-Specialty Crop) –> REGISTER HERE
Attendees + Buyers
The Trade Shows will include workshops offering best practice topics around some of the most pressing barriers to specialty crop sales in Massachusetts. One-on-One consultation sessions with industry experts will also be available.
Who should attend?
Any wholesale buyers, who are interested in purchasing Massachusetts or New England-produced food items. These buyers can be supermarkets, co-ops, restaurants, hotels, resorts, institutions, schools, food processors in search of ingredients, distributors, or anyone else interested in local purchasing options.*This event is intended for commercial buyers, not individual consumers.*
Admission is $30, $10 Discount for SBN Members
Buyers & Attendees –> REGISTER HERE

Mass Aggie Fruit Seminar: Edible Landscaping with Fruit
2018-03-03 10:00 - 12:00 | French Hall, UMass, Amherst, MA
This presentation will explore how fruit can be incorporated into an edible landscape setting. Participants will talk about common fruit like strawberries and blueberries and also more unusual fruit like Aronia and Lingonberries. Participants will learn what these plants can contribute to a home landscape and what it takes to grow them successfully. The end of the class we will tour the UMass Permaculture Garden.
Register and pay via credit card for this Mass Aggie seminar by clicking here (link is external). You will be taken to a secure RegOnline site where you will be able to choose which seminars you wish to attend and to pay. You will receive an e-mail receipt of your transaction.
If you do not wish to register and pay online, you may print a registration form to mail. Click here, and you will open a pdf version of the registration form. You can print this form, select the seminars that you wish to attend, and mail it with a check for the appropriate amount.

Get to Know the Springfield Food Policy Council
2018-02-28 17:30 - 19:30 | Springfield Central Library, 220 State Street, Springfield, MA, 01103
Learn more about the Springfield Food Policy Council here.

CISA Winter Workshop: Farmer to Farmer
2018-02-27 16:00 - 19:00 | World War II Club, 50 Conz Street, Northampton, MA, 01060, United States
Join farmers from across the Northeast as we talk about experiences, successes and challenges in our relationships as managers and people in the broader community of food and agriculture. We will also talk with each other about the future of farmers as managers, workers, leaders, activists, and family members.
Farmer Guests:
Ben Dana and Danielle Allen – Root 5 Farm, Fairlee VT
Al and Nancy Rose – Red Apple Farm, Phillipston MA
Jody Bolluyt – Roxbury Farm, Kinderhook NY
Location: World War II Club, 50 Conz. St. Northampton

Price is slightly less than other Winter Workshops:

Register for Workshop

1 Attendee: February 27 $10.00 USD2 Attendee: Feburary 27: $15.00 USD3 Attendee: February 27 $20.00 USD

Enter name(s) of attendees:

About the Farms:
Red Apple Farm:
Red Apple Farm is a 4th generation farm established in 1912. Although once a predominantly apple wholesale operation it is now a diversified direct-marketing farm operation. The farm grows over 50 varieties of apples, peaches, pears, blueberries, raspberries, pumpkins, and potatoes. The farm produces and makes a wide assortment of products year-round that include cider donuts, fudge, apple crisp, fresh cider, etc. The farm operates and manages four retail locations. The farm hosts several major events and festivals throughout the year and operates a function barn for private events and farm weddings.

Red Apple Farm is proud to employ 100% local employees. Many of the employees have family who have been part of the farm for several generations. In the peak Fall season the farm employs over 100 folks. The stall at the Boston Public Market has staff of approximately 20 folks while the farm staff at Wachusett Mountain is close to 40. The farm has a team of 8 year-round managers overseeing different aspect of the operations. Nancy and Al, the current generation, have four kids and live and work full time at the farm.

Root 5 Farm:

Root 5 Farm is located in Fairlee, Vermont. We grow 8 acres of certified organic vegetables and we hire 5 full time employees from March to December. We grow for 175 CSA members, 2 local grocery stores, 6 restaurants, and 2 farmers markets. One of our strategies to maintain happy, healthy employees is to avoid huge spikes in the workload, which is a burden on workers and causes burnout. We focus on careful crop planning and season extension so we can spread out the workload and provide consistent work for our employees for 10 months of the year.

Roxbury Farm:

Roxbury Farm is a community supported farm; a partnership between the farmers and the customers. Through this partnership we can work together to create a food system that works for everyone. Our customers know where their food comes from and who grows their food. They have a direct relationship with the farmers and the land. Our customers trust us to farm in a regenerative way and to produce the freshest and highest quality food possible at a fair price.
We have a guaranteed market for our products and we receive a fair price. This allows us to pay better wages to people working on the farm, use regenerative farming practices, raise our livestock humanely, and to share our farming knowledge with other farmers. We want our farm to be here for our customers for generations to come.

This workshop is part of the CISA Winter Workshop Series:
Policies Practices, and People
Farmers and related business owners and operators, you are invited to participate in CISA’s seven-workshop series “Labor Management: Policies, Practices and People” beginning January 2018.
A well rounded farm operation needs to be a positive workplace that meets the needs and expectations of managers and employees. Addressing the issues of ethical management, staff retention, and effective communication and training tools, this series’ topics span the needs of multiple farm audiences. Whether you are new to farm employment or looking for advanced methods to improve staff management and workplace culture, these workshops will provide tools for a productive, healthy, and just workplace that improves farm operations. Examples in the workshops will be farm related, but the skills and methodology will be relevant to all businesses.
By participating in at least three workshops, you will be eligible to receive a one-on -ne consultation to improve your staff management and operations.
The cost to attend the whole series is $75 for Local Hero Members or $15 for each individual workshop. The non-member cost is $95 for the series, or $18 for each individual workshop. Food will be provided at each session. If cost is a barrier to your participation, please feel free to contact Stevie to discuss options—we want everyone to be able to get the training they need to effectively operate their business. Scholarships may be available.
Contact Stevie Schafenacker via email or at (413) 665-7100, ext. 27 for more information.
Translation services may be provided upon request.
Funding for CISA’s Winter Workshop Series is provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)/National Institute of Food and Agriculture under award 2016-70017-25423, USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program through grant USDA-AMS-SCBGP-2016, USDA/Agricultural Marketing Service through grant 16FMPPMA0002, and by individual contributors and Local Hero members. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

SEMAP 2018 Ag & Food Conference
2018-02-25 09:00 - 17:00 | Bristol County Agricultural High School, 135 Center Street, Dighton, MA, 02715, United States
**This event is presented by the Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership (SEMAP) and is focused on Bristol, Plymouth, and Norfolk counties.**
More details about SEMAP’s 2018 conference coming soon, check back for updates!
Whether you’re a professional farmer, a backyard gardener, or just curious about locally grown food, this is the event for you! Each year, the lineup includes workshops for the general public as well as info-packed sessions for farmers and gardeners of all experience levels.
Registration includes a locally-sourced lunch and at the Resource Fair you’ll learn about local organizations and businesses that provide services and products to help you grow, whether you’ve got a hundred acres or a couple of window boxes.
SNAP Resource Workshop & Retailer Sign-up – Day long Drop-in, 9:00 am – 5: 00 pm
Concerned that accepting HIP benefits will be a long and complicated process? SEMAP will be offering a drop-in information session where you can get your farm, farm stand or farmers market authorized for the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP), SNAP (formerly food stamps), and receive your USDA FNS number the very same day! USDA staff will be on site to walk you through the process and assist with your application. Find out about wireless equipment options to process HIP/SNAP payments (as well as credit/debit) and learn about other resources available.

Grow Food Northampton Seed Swap
2018-02-24 11:00 - 13:00 | Northampton Senior Center, 67 Conz St, Northampton, MA, MA, 01060, United States
On February 24th, Grow Food Northampton is hosting their 4th annual Seed Swap! The Seed Swap is co-sponsored by Nuestras Raices, Northampton Winter Farmers Market, and the Hilltown Seed Saving Network. The Swap will be held at the Northampton Senior Center located on 67 Conz Street in Northampton. Please check out this Facebook event page to learn more and RSVP (but you can come without an RSVP).
All are welcomed – you do not need to bring any seeds to participate!
Come and share the seeds you saved from your garden or have purchased and don’t need. Pick out seeds for your garden and attend workshops on basic seed saving, plant breeding, and indigenous seed saving. Meet other community members that are passionate about gardening and the local food system.
Suggested minimum donation $5, cash or check.
SCHEDULE:
10:00am to 11:00am – Drop off Seeds at the Seed Swap
11:00am to 1:00pm – Seed Swap
WORKSHOPS:
10:00am to 11:00am – Intro to Seed Saving with Daniel Botkin of Laughing Dog Farm. Gill,MA
11:30am to 12:30pm – Indigenous Seed Keeping with Liz Charlebois, Abenaki basketmaker and agriculturalist
11:30am to 12:30pm – Seed Breeding with Tevis Roberston-Goldberg of Crabapple Farm
KIDS PROGRAM:
11:00am to 1:00pm – Seed Paper Making. Join Heather Smokler, our Youth Education Coordinator, in making homemade recycled paper with seeds that you can take home and plant in your garden!
Those wishing to drop off seeds before the event can do so on Saturdays at the Northampton Winter Farmers Market at Northampton Senior Services, 67 Conz Street, between 9am and 2pm. Please label them with variety names, collection date, and information on whether they are open-pollinated or hybrids.
Thank you to River Valley Co-op, Amherst Nurseries, and Bear Path Compost for being Leading “Heirloom” sponsors for this event!

Mass Aggie Seminar: Pruning Grapes
2018-02-24 10:00 - 12:00 | UMass Cold Spring Orchard, 391 Sabin St, Belchertown
Grapes are one of the most universally enjoyed fruits available. Many of the new varieties have excellent taste, are winter hardy, and can make excellent wine. Grapes are fun to grow but present some challenges. One of the biggest challenges is knowing how to correctly prune them. Participants will have the opportunity to conduct actual pruning and gain both experience and confidence in pruning and training grapes in order to produce a bountiful crop. We’ll learn about tool maintenance and sharpening, too. Bring your own tools or use ours.
This workshop will be partially out of doors, so please dress appropriately for potentially wet, cold, and muddy conditions.
Fee: $35. To register, go to: UMassGarden.com. or mail a check payable to: Mass Aggie Seminars. Attn: Doreen York, UMass, 101 French Hall, Amherst, MA 1003-9294
To view the full schedule, go to: UMassGarden.com
Sponsored by: Nourse Farms and OESCO,Inc..

Responsible Backyard Beekeeping Series: Increasing Your Hives without Buying Bees
2018-02-24 10:00 - 12:00 | Berkshire Botanical Garden, Route 102 and 183, Stockbridge, MA
Learn how to sustainably increase the size of your apiary using your own bees without buying more packages or nucs. Some beekeeping experience is recommended. Following this class, participants are welcome to stay to meet and discuss beekeeping with others. Light refreshments will be provided. Members: $5 Non-members: $10 .

Hunger Forum with Congressman Jim McGovern
2018-02-22 18:30 - 20:30 | Shea Theater, 71 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Join the Franklin County Young Professionals for a panel discussion to bring awareness to food insecurity in Franklin County. Hear from Congressman Jim McGovern about his work to fight hunger on a federal level as well local leaders that are working every day, right here, to ensure food equality for all.
This discussion is for and open to the community.
Hear about the proactive work being done from the Community Meals Program, The Coalition to End Hunger, Lifepath and Center for Self Reliance Food Pantries.
Panelists include:
Congressman Jim McGovern
Andrea Leibson – Executive Director, Franklin County Community Meals Program
Justin Costa – Program Coordinator – Center for Self Reliance Food Pantries/ Franklin County Hunger Task Force
Roseann Martoccia – Executive Director – Lifepath (Meals on Wheels Program)
Monte Belmonte – WRSI, Coalition to End Hunger, President of the Shea Theater and leader of Monte’s March.

Find more information here.

CISA Winter Workshop: Agriculture Labor Laws
2018-02-13 16:00 - 19:00 | Holyoke Community College Kittredge Center, Room 303, 303 Homestead Ave, Holoyke, MA, 01040, United States
We will cover federal and state labor laws, including the Fair Labor Standards Act. CLF’s Legal Services Food Hub will present resources for understanding how to comply with regulations, as well as how laws protect both workers and farm owners.
Location: Holyoke Community College Kittredge Center, Room 303, 303 Homestead Ave., Holyoke
Presenter: Attorney John S. Gannon, Skoley Abbott – Springfield, MA, Conservation Law Foundation, New Entry Sustainable Farming Project

Register for Workshop

February 13: LH Member $15.00 USDFebruary 13: non-LH Member $18.00 USDWinter Workshop series- LH member $75.00 USDWinter Workshop series- non-LH member $95.00 USD

Enter name(s) of attendees:

Snow Date: March 14

This workshop is part of the CISA Winter Workshop Series:
Policies Practices, and People
Farmers and related business owners and operators, you are invited to participate in CISA’s seven-workshop series “Labor Management: Policies, Practices and People” beginning January 2018.
A well rounded farm operation needs to be a positive workplace that meets the needs and expectations of managers and employees. Addressing the issues of ethical management, staff retention, and effective communication and training tools, this series’ topics span the needs of multiple farm audiences. Whether you are new to farm employment or looking for advanced methods to improve staff management and workplace culture, these workshops will provide tools for a productive, healthy, and just workplace that improves farm operations. Examples in the workshops will be farm related, but the skills and methodology will be relevant to all businesses.
By participating in at least three workshops, you will be eligible to receive a one-on-one consultation to improve your staff management and operations.
The cost to attend the whole series is $75 for Local Hero Members or $15 for each individual workshop. The non-member cost is $95 for the series, or $18 for each individual workshop. Food will be provided at each session. If cost is a barrier to your participation, please feel free to contact Stevie to discuss options—we want everyone to be able to get the training they need to effectively operate their business. Scholarships may be available.
Contact Stevie Schafenacker via email or at (413) 665-7100, ext. 27 for more information.
Translation services may be provided upon request.
Funding for CISA’s Winter Workshop Series is provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)/National Institute of Food and Agriculture under award 2016-70017-25423, USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program through grant USDA-AMS-SCBGP-2016, USDA/Agricultural Marketing Service through grant 16FMPPMA0002, and by individual contributors and Local Hero members. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Amherst Winter Fare
2018-02-10 10:00 - 14:00 | Amherst Winter Farmers’ Market, Hampshire Mall, 367 Russell St, Hadley
Join CISA at the Amherst Winter Farmers’ Market on February 10 for a special Winter Fare day! A full day of free demos, activities for kids, music, and more, plus the amazing range of great local food and crafts that await you weekly at this market.
Workshops
All Day: Sam Coates of Backyard Bread
Bread and pizza samples, and dough-making and pizza-making demos
All Day: Ed Rutledge of the Center for EcoTechnology
Upcycling craft workshop—making old cabinet doors into home chalkboards
11am: Matt Kushi of the North Hadley Chili Pepper Company
Growing, and cooking with, local chili peppers
12pm: Willie Crosby from Fungi Ally
Growing mushrooms at home
All Winter Fare events are free, open to the public, and do not require an RSVP. Come join us!

CISA Winter Workshop: Developing Farm SOPs and Training Staff
2018-02-09 13:00 - 16:00 | 125 Long Plain Rd., South Deerfield, MA, 125 Long Plain Rd., South Deerfield, Massachusetts
In collaboration with MDAR and UMass we will go over how to create and implement Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and how to train your staff as it relates to Food Safety and the Produce Safety Rule under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Gary Gemme of Harvest Farm of Whately will talk about some of his methods for staff training and management.
Location: Harvest Farm of Whately, 125 Long Plain Rd., South Deerfield
Presenter: Lisa McKeag – UMass Extension, Michael Botelho and Alexandra Hachem – MDAR, Gary Gemme – Harvest Farm of Whately

Register for Workshop

February 9: LH Member $15.00 USDFeburary 9: non-LH Member $18.00 USDWinter Workshop series- LH member $75.00 USDWinter Workshop series- non-LH member $95.00 USD

Enter name(s) of attendees:

Snow Date: February 23

This workshop is part of the CISA Winter Workshop Series:
Policies Practices, and People
Farmers and related business owners and operators, you are invited to participate in CISA’s seven-workshop series “Labor Management: Policies, Practices and People” beginning January 2018.
A well rounded farm operation needs to be a positive workplace that meets the needs and expectations of managers and employees. Addressing the issues of ethical management, staff retention, and effective communication and training tools, this series’ topics span the needs of multiple farm audiences. Whether you are new to farm employment or looking for advanced methods to improve staff management and workplace culture, these workshops will provide tools for a productive, healthy, and just workplace that improves farm operations. Examples in the workshops will be farm related, but the skills and methodology will be relevant to all businesses.
By participating in at least three workshops, you will be eligible to receive a one-on-one consultation to improve your staff management and operations.
The cost to attend the whole series is $75 for Local Hero Members or $15 for each individual workshop. The non-member cost is $95 for the series, or $18 for each individual workshop. Food will be provided at each session. If cost is a barrier to your participation, please feel free to contact Stevie to discuss options—we want everyone to be able to get the training they need to effectively operate their business. Scholarships may be available.
Contact Stevie Schafenacker via email or at (413) 665-7100, ext. 27 for more information.
Translation services may be provided upon request.
Funding for CISA’s Winter Workshop Series is provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)/National Institute of Food and Agriculture under award 2016-70017-25423, USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program through grant USDA-AMS-SCBGP-2016, USDA/Agricultural Marketing Service through grant 16FMPPMA0002, and by individual contributors and Local Hero members. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Leah Penniman from Soul Fire Farm
2018-02-08 19:30 - 20:30 | Amherst College, 100 Boltwood Ave, Amherst, MA, 01002, United States
Leah Penniman from Soul Fire Farm is a woman of color, educator, farmer, writer and food justice activist. She will speak about the intersection of Black Lives Matter and food justice, land and food as tools to end mass incarceration, and how gender influences this dynamic.
Find more information here

Herbal Extractions: Making Herbal-Infused Oils, Vinegars and Tinctures
2018-02-07 18:30 - 20:30 | Berkshire Botanical Garden, Route 102 and 183, Stockbridge, MA
A hands-on exploration of the world of herbal extractions. Straddle the line between food and medicine. We will learn to make three categories of herbal extractions: infused oils, infused vinegars, and tinctures. The class will make a spiced bitters tincture that will serve as both a health-supporting digestive aid and a warming remedy for a cold winter’s day. Supplies Fee $20 Members: $15; Non-Members: $25.

Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training
2018-02-06 09:00 - 17:00 | Holyoke Community College Kittredge Center, Room 303, 303 Homestead Ave, Holoyke, MA, 01040, United States
Fruit and vegetable growers and others interested in learning about produce safety and the FSMA Produce Safety Rule are invited to attend this course. This course is one way to satisfy the Produce Safety Rule requirement outlined in §112.22(c) that requires ‘At least one supervisor or responsible party for your farm must have successfully completed food safety training at least equivalent to that received under standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by the Food and Drug Administration.’
Instructors Lisa McKeag of UMass Extension and Michael Botelho of the MDAR Commonwealth Quality Program will discuss produce safety best practices, key parts of the Produce Safety Rule requirements, and how these requirements will be enforced in MA through MDAR’s Commonwealth Quality Program (CQP). There will be time for questions and discussion, so participants should come prepared to share their experiences and produce safety questions.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.
Registration costs $40, which includes the required PSA Grower Manual ($50 value), a certificate of course attendance from AFDO ($35 value), a certificate of attendance from UMass/MDAR, and lunch and refreshments. This course is co-sponsored by UMass Extension, MDAR, and CISA.
What to expect:

Participants will learn about Good Agricultural Practices, Produce Safety Rule requirements, and how to develop a farm food safety plan. The following topics will be covered:

Introduction to produce safety
Worker health, hygiene, and training
Soil amendments
Wildlife, domesticated animals, and land use
Agricultural water (used both in production and postharvest)
Postharvest handling and sanitation
How to develop a farm food safety plan

After attending the entire course and submitting the appropriate paperwork to instructors, participants will receive a certificate from the Association of Food and Drug Officials that verifies they have completed the training course.

For more information, contact Lisa McKeag at 413-577-3976.

Cheesemaking at Home
2018-02-03 14:00 - 17:00 | Berkshire Botanical Garden, Route 102 and 183, Stockbridge, MA
Make a simple cheese in your own kitchen. Learn of the equipment, supplies, and basic techniques used in making most types of cheese. Participants will learn to make 2-3 types of cheese, including fresh mozzarella from start to finish. Then take home instructions and a set of ingredients to make a batch or two at home. This workshop is for beginners, and participants will learn by doing. Space is limited. Members: $25 Non-members: $35.

Greenfield Winter Fare
2018-02-03 10:00 - 13:00 | Four Corners School, 21 Ferrante Avenue, Greenfield, MA, 01301, United States
Come on out to the Greenfield Winter Farmers’ Market on February 3 at the Four Corners School for a special Winter Fare day! A full day of free demos, activities for kids, music, and more, plus the amazing range of great local food and crafts that await you monthly at this market. Come on out and bring a friend!
Workshops
All Day: Upcycle Your T-Shirts! with Jess Rigollaud
10am: Cultivating Mushrooms at Home with Paul Lagreze of New England Wild Edibles
11am: Seed Saving and Heirloom Vegetables with Danny Botkin of Laughing Dog Farm
12pm: Make Your Own Ghee with Hannah Jacobson-Hardy of Full Moon Ghee
CISA is also organizing a special Winter Fare day at the Amherst Winter Farmers’ Market on February 10. All Winter Fare events are free, open to the public, and do not require an RSVP. Come join us!

The Food Project's Winter Institute
2018-02-01 - 2018-02-03 | The Food Project, Greater Boston Area, MA, United States
Want to Learn About Youth Development and Sustainable Agriculture?
Learn, grow, and connect with your peers from across the country and the world at The Food Project’s Winter Institute from February 1 to 3, 2018.
The Food Project’s three-day Winter Institute is packed with activities, workshops, and engaging conversation that will teach you about youth development, sustainable urban and suburban agriculture models, food and social justice initiatives, and how to build more food secure communities.
The Winter Institute fills up quickly. Sign up today to secure your spot!
Learn

The foundations of youth leader development in the context of farming, social justice and food access initiatives
Summer season planning and youth crew design
How to build a year-round tiered youth leader development structure to support your work
What it takes to run dynamic farm operations with high school youth

Grow

Inspire and support others to create change in their own communities
Work alongside youth and hear about their work

Connect

In-depth conversations with The Food Project staff
Enjoy engaged conversations with Dirt Crew and Root Crew youth
Interact with and learn from Institute peers
Network with others interested in youth-led sustainable, local agriculture

Cost: $450. Click for more information and to register!
Questions? Contact Cindy Davenport via email at institute@thefoodproject.org.

CISA Winter Workshop: Employee Manuals: Policies, Ethics and Law
2018-01-31 17:00 - 20:00 | Holyoke Community College Kittredge Center, Room 303, 303 Homestead Ave, Holoyke, MA, 01040, United States
We’ll walk through the steps of creating an employee manual that your employees with understand We’ll also discuss federal and state laws, policies that support the health and well-being of your staff, and best practices for upholding those policies.
Sarah is Counsel for the firm Bulkley Richardson in the Business and Finance department and is a member of the Employment Law Practice Group. Her practice encompasses a wide range of industries and clients including entrepreneurs, closely-held / family businesses, restaurant and bar owners, equestrian facilities / family farms, crafters, gourmet markets, artists and musicians. She is a frequent speaker and lecturer on employment law, corporate compliance, intellectual property protection and export control at conferences, panels and workshops across the country.
Location: Holyoke Community College, Kittredge Center Rm 303, 303 Homestead Ave., Holyoke
Presenter: Sarah K Willey, Esq.

Register for Workshop

January 31: LH Member $15.00 USDJanuary 31: non-LH Member $18.00 USDWinter Workshop series- LH member $75.00 USDWinter Workshop series- non-LH member $95.00 USD

Enter name(s) of attendees:

This workshop is part of the CISA Winter Workshop Series:
Policies Practices, and People
Farmers and related business owners and operators, you are invited to participate in CISA’s seven-workshop series “Labor Management: Policies, Practices and People” beginning January 2018.
A well rounded farm operation needs to be a positive workplace that meets the needs and expectations of managers and employees. Addressing the issues of ethical management, staff retention, and effective communication and training tools, this series’ topics span the needs of multiple farm audiences. Whether you are new to farm employment or looking for advanced methods to improve staff management and workplace culture, these workshops will provide tools for a productive, healthy, and just workplace that improves farm operations. Examples in the workshops will be farm related, but the skills and methodology will be relevant to all businesses.
By participating in at least three workshops, you will be eligible to receive a one-on -ne consultation to improve your staff management and operations.
The cost to attend the whole series is $75 for Local Hero Members or $15 for each individual workshop. The non-member cost is $95 for the series, or $18 for each individual workshop. Food will be provided at each session. If cost is a barrier to your participation, please feel free to contact Stevie to discuss options—we want everyone to be able to get the training they need to effectively operate their business. Scholarships may be available.
Contact Stevie Schafenacker via email or at (413) 665-7100, ext. 27 for more information.
Translation services may be provided upon request.
Funding for CISA’s Winter Workshop Series is provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)/National Institute of Food and Agriculture under award 2016-70017-25423, USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program through grant USDA-AMS-SCBGP-2016, USDA/Agricultural Marketing Service through grant 16FMPPMA0002, and by individual contributors and Local Hero members. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Women in Ag: Building an Accessible Community Food System
2018-01-30 17:30 - 19:00 | UMass Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, United States
Join Meryl and Jessica from Just Roots for their presentation on farm-based programs and the community equity work they have been doing in collaboration with the health center, part of The Stockbridge School of Agriculture’s Sustainable Food and Farming program’s “Women Entrepreneurs in the Food System” lecture series in 202 Paige Laboratory.
Find more info and RSVP here.Women Entrepreneurs in Agriculture and the Food System: Building an Accessible Community Food System

Making it Happen: Profitability and Success
2018-01-29 12:00 - 17:00 | Kittredge Center, Holyoke Community College, 303 Homestead Ave, Holyoke
This is a two-part workshop. Part I will be held on Friday, January 12th from 12-5:30pm. Part II will be held on Monday, January 29th from 12-5:30.

Presented by Julia Shanks and The Carrot Project, Making It Happen: Profitability and Success training will give producers the ability to use four core financial management tools to improve decision-making. Participants will learn and apply financial management tools to their business that will help them answer questions such as: “Can I pay my bills?”, “Is a capital investment worth it?”, “Is this the right price?”, or “Should I add a new product line?” The training is intended for producers with at least one year of operating experience and is approved as a Massachusetts USDA Farm Service Agency borrower training.
**The workshop will be hosted simultaneously in two locations:
LIVE IN-PERSON: at Holyoke Community College Kittredge Center Rm 303, 303 Homestead Ave, Holyoke.
LIVE SIMULCAST: at the Franklin County CDC (FCCDC), 324 Wells St., Greenfield. Through cutting edge technology and the generous support of the PVGrows Investment Fund, we are able to offer a second location for this workshop at the same time, using interactive simulcast and in-person facilitation with CISA, FCCDC and PVGrows staff.
When registering, please specify which location. The capacity of the remote FCCDC location is 8 attendees. **
Registration includes materials, lunch, and two supplementary webinars. For more information contact Stevie Schafenacker – stevie@buylocalfood.org, 413-665-7100 ext. 27
You must attend Part I on January 12th in order to attend Part II on January 24th.
To register for both days please visit:
https://www.buylocalfood.org/event/making-it-happen-profitability-and-success/

This material is based upon work supported by USDA/NIFA under Award Number 2015-49200-24225.

Livestock Institute of Southern New England 2018 Conference
2018-01-28 | Bristol County Agricultural High School, 135 Center Street, Dighton, MA, 02715, United States
The Livestock Institute of Southern New England (TLI) is hosting its 2nd annual livestock conference on January 28th, 2018. TLI promotes best practices in animal husbandry to further strengthen the agricultural activities of the region. This conference is designed for producers of all experience levels and all farm sizes. We are seeking speakers on the following general topics, and are open to related ideas and suggestions:

Marketing
Silvopasture
Animal welfare basics
Raising rabbits
Basics of raising animals: poultry, cattle, goats, pigs
Inventory management from pasture to package
Goatscaping
Advanced discussions on pasture
Pest and rodent management

Proposals are due by October 15th.
To learn more about TLI, see here: www.thelivestockinstitute.org
For questions, contact Gena: Gena@thelivestockinstitute.org

Propagating Native Plants from Seed - Part 1
2018-01-27 17:00 - 20:00 | Nasami Farm Nursery, 128 North Street, Whately, MA, 01093
Part 1: Seed Dormancy and Sowing Techniques
Learn to propagate native plants from seed in this two-part, hands-on workshop that focuses on practical methods for small-scale propagation. This workshop is appropriate for beginners and propagators with some experience. Take one or both classes. During part 1 of this series join us to explore seed biology and practice sowing seed. Take home your work.

Part 2: Seedling Germination and Establishment, has yet to be scheduled and will take place in spring 2018. In Part 2 of this series you will learn the science behind successful seed starting and practice transplanting. Take home your work.

Responsible Backyard Beekeeping Series: Beeswax: Production, Collection, Processing, and Uses
2018-01-27 13:00 - 15:00 | Berkshire Botanical Garden, Route 102 and 183, Stockbridge, MA
Beeswax is a unique substance produced within the body of the honeybee. This workshop will cover its origins to its human uses for health and healing, everyday practical use, and artistic expression. We will explore the origins of beeswax within the hive, its properties, how the bees use it, and how we can benefit from this incredibly useful substance. Space is limited! Members: $25 Non-members: $35.

Forest Park Winter Fare
2018-01-27 10:00 - 14:00 | The Old Monkey House at Forest Park, Trafton Road Entrance, Springfield
Join CISA at the Farmers’ Market at Forest Park on January 27 for a special Winter Fare day! A full day of food demos, sampling, and more, plus the amazing range of great local food and crafts that await you twice a month at this market. Come on out and bring a friend! Find more details about the Farmers’ Market at Forest Park.
We’ll be joined by Ashley Tresoline of Bella Foodie—learn how to eat well and stay healthy with local veggies all winter long!
CISA is also organizing a special Winter Fare day at the Greenfield Winter Farmers’ Market on February 3 and the Amherst Winter Farmers’ Market on February 10. All Winter Fare events are free, open to the public, and do not require an RSVP. Come join us!
