This is the fourth workshop of CISA’s Winter workshop series. Farmer Missy Bahret from Old Friends Farm will advise on the importance of having goals for your farm operation. A clearly articulated vision allows farmers to make business decisions that help them reach their goals. Business decisions made without thought to the short and long-term goals of the farm run the risk of providing misled results or being harmful to the long-term vision of the farmers. It isn’t easy to clearly identify goals. Learn techniques to help you create your goals for: retirement or farm transfer, inclusion of grown children, financial sustainability, quality of life, and much more. A portion of this meeting will also be devoted to the initial meeting of cohort groups, focused on getting to know each other and identifying goals for the cohort group meetings.
Events
Calendar of Events
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Whether you intend to borrow money or not, heading into a farm venture without a business plan is like setting sail across the ocean without a map. Either way, you’re likely to run into bumps and twists that can derail your venture. Arm yourself with a business plan and you will have a guide to […] |
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1 event,
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Please join the hampshire Community Energy Co-op and guest David Bollier, author of Think Like a Commoner: A Short Introduction to The Life of the Commons for the February Hampshire CEC Dinner Club, where David will read a bit from the book and give a brief talk on the commons. Cooperatives like Co-op Power are part of the commons, […] |
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Many of us readily accept this oft-repeated statement, but if we unravel it, how much is actually known about the interrelationships and dependencies between soil health, crop health and human health? The 5th Annual 2016 Soil & Nutrition Conference will gather farmers, researchers, nutritionists and food system advocates for a multidisciplinary conversation exploring the potential […] |
2 events,
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Making It Happen: Profitability and Success will help small farmers build sound financial systems and use those systems to make business decisions. Farmers will learn about effective financial management tools and how and when to use them to improve their farm business. The workshop will help farmers: improve productivity, reduce costs, increase net farm income, […]
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Come check out the hard cider company in your backyard. Join Artifact Cider Project and the Springfield Young Professionals Society (YPS) for an entrepreneur spotlight talk and hard cider tasting. Hear from Jake Mazar, the co-founder of Artifact, about what inspired him to move from the corporate consulting world to hard cider. You will also have […] |
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1 event,
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It's never too early - or too late - to plan for your future and the future of your farm. Join us for this free workshop for information on how to transition your farm to the next generation or owner. Learn about estate planning, lease arrangements, preservation options, and more. Hear first-hand from a Northern Connecticut farmer, Susan […] |
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2 events,
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Selecting and saving heirlooms and other "open pollinated" seed allows growers, large and small, to preserve, adapt, share and improve the most delicious, diverse and exceptional cultivars, year after year, generation after generation, while simultaneously strengthening local food security and regional food "webs". This basic level, hands-on class, by farmer Danny Botkin, will dive into […]
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During class we will mix up 3 different infused spirits (gin, lavender liqueur + 1 surprise), taste them, and mix them into 3 delicious rounds of cocktails. Bring your sweetie for a fun Valentine's date! (Yes, we will be consuming alcohol during this class--please attend responsibly!) Register here Taught by Melody & Chris Figge, Co-Founders of […] |
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Little Brook Farm Camp takes place on a small family farm in Sunderland. The farm owner and camp director is a DOE certified educator and Registered Nurse. Children at camp will have the opportunity to learn about livestock and sustainable agriculture in a hands-on program. Animals include sheep, goats, pigs, horses, llamas, ducks, turkeys and […] |
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This is the fifth class in the winter workshop series. Structured Decision Making (SDM) is a decision making process that integrates empirical and on-the-ground data with values-based objectives. SDM provides outcomes that are grounded in reality and represent the ethics, values, and desires of those individuals involved in decision making. SDM is the standard decision making process used by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and this workshop transfers the steps of SDM from the field of wildlife conservation to the field of sustainable agriculture. During the workshop you will learn about, practice, and apply the steps of SDM to specific on-farm decisions thanks to Assistant Professor, Curt Gervich from SUNY Plattsburgh. At the end of the session you will have the skills you need to implement and adapt this process to your specific farm. Farmer, Marco Turco from Manzini Farm will share his experiences using this tool for decision making. |
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The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) has been the talk of the town these past few years. The final regulations are out, so join us as we dive in and figure out what they mean for your farm business. We will also be discussing food safety beyond FSMA, including how food safety incidents play out […] |
5 events,
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Sauces, pickles and jams...Exploring contract production to add value to your fruit and vegetables! CommonWealth Kitchen, a licensed commercial kitchen in Boston, can make value-added products for you from your excess farm produce or seconds, to be sold at farmers markets, farmstands, retail stores or foodservice customers including colleges. Come learn what we offer and […]
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Around the country, local food is picking up steam. As consumers, restaurants, grocery stores and schools buy more and more product, farmers need clear information on their obligations and expectations. In this tutorial, learn how to build a strong relationship with your buyers to ensure that they become life-long customers and advocates of your farm. […]
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These meetings will give winter workshop participants the opportunity to network with one another and also provide additional time to discuss and consider their own individual farm needs as it relates to the workshop topics. Each session will have a CISA staff facilitator and a farmer expert (Missy Bahret–Old Friends Farm, Pete Solis– Hampshire College Farm, and Gary Gemme– Harvest Farm of Whately). The topics for the meeting will be determined based on participant interest and determined as the class date gets closer. |
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Email Michael Madole or call (413) 628-4485 ext. 4 to register |
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Benneth Phelps from The Carrot Project will provide farmers with applicable and effective financial management tools that can be used to make business decisions during this seventh workshop in the series. These tools can be easily used by farmers to implement into farm business operations, to improve productivity, reduce costs, increase net farm income, and improve overall quality of life. This class will use real-world experience of farmers and their service providers to describe farm operation experiences, provide insight into what has worked, what hasn’t, and why. The class will also review the concept of benchmarking, both against your own farm and against others.
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The Springfield Food Policy Council will host a series of workshops focused on community gardens and gardening. This one will focus on community garden organizing a finding a suitable site for your garden. For more information and to register, contact: Anna Muhammad - 413-214-1237.
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The second installment of the free webinar series offered by NOFA/Mass is happening Tuesday February, 23 at 7:00pm with Tevis Roberston-Goldberg of Crabapple Farm in Chesterfield, MA. Tevis will go through the benefits of having a beef herd on his diversified farm and give management tips for balancing the management and labor demands of the animal and vegetable […] |
2 events,
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This full day event focuses on farmers and industry perspectives on robotic milking. We will discuss if robotic milking is a viable option for your farm. Come and speak with farmers who have the system in place to get the facts. Also, presenters from a multi state collaboration will discuss some options for improving productivity and profitability of forage production. […]
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Learn how to invest money from your IRA in our local economy. If you are interested in investing in our local economy, and have an IRA, please join us for this workshop on Self-Directed IRAs. We will cover the basics, and help make it possible for you to put your hard earned savings to work […] |
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Three days of activities to celebrate the tenth birthday of the Cup and Top!
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The Springfield Food Policy Council will host a series of workshops focused on community gardens and gardening. This one will focus on introducing participants to seed libraries. For more information and to register, contact: Anna Muhammad - 413-214-1237. |
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The Department of Agricultural Resources is pleased to present three Agricultural Fair Judging Workshops this winter to be held in the western, eastern and northeastern area of the State. In order to be a Certified Judge for Fruits, Vegetables, Canning and Community/ Grange Exhibits, a judge candidate needs to attend instructional training as well as […] |
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Welcoming farmers, gardeners, foodies, and kids! Earn pesticide credits! New Livestock Track! Kids Workshops! Local Lunch and MORE! 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 […]
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This hands-on, food farming workshop, presented by Laughing Dog Farm manager Danny Botkin, focuses on the practical details of winter/spring 'hoophouse" horticulture as well as the design/ construction and management of high and low tunnel greenhouses, crop selection, soil building, harvesting and processing tips, etc. There will be a detail-heavy class on cold weather botany and […] |
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The workshop is led by Skills-for-Life, a Royalston, Mass-based group which imparts skills that strengthen communities and support individual growth. Participants explore the idea of balancing outer skills such as carpentry and gardening with inner skills such as self-awareness. The workshop is part of Talking Truth: Finding Your Voice Around Climate Change, a collaborative community […] |
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Register now This is a full day, interactive workshop where you will learn about best practices for: Working with Wholesale Buyers Post-Harvest Handling On-Farm Food Safety Our trainer, Atina Diffley, is an organic farmer and author of the 2012 award-winning memoir, Turn Here Sweetcorn, Organic Farming Works. Atina draws on her decades of experience in […]
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These meeting will give winter workshop participants the opportunity to network with one another and also provide additional time to discuss and consider their own individual farm needs as it relates to the workshop topics. Each session will have a CISA staff facilitator and a farmer Expert (Missy Bahret–Old Friends Farm, Pete Solis– Hampshire College Farm, and Gary Gemme– Harvest Farm of Whately). The topics for the meeting will be determined based on participant interest and determined as the class date gets closer.
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Food is essential to human life and to Christian community. And yet we do not often spend time thinking about the relationship between food and faith. Phil Korman, executive director of CISA, will discuss the move back to small farms and a local food economy as part of the Lenten discussion series "Bread for the […] |
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Some of the strongest, most resilient farm businesses sell all their product before they drop a single seed in the ground. Does contracting for sales ahead of your production sound good to you? Attend this tutorial to learn the legal ins and outs of these relationships. We will explore the unique sales arrangements farmers are creating such […] |
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LEARN about seed saving. CELEBRATE the magic of seeds. SHARE seeds that you've saved from your farm or garden (or seeds that you've purchased). TAKE HOME seeds to plant. MEET other people who see regionally adapted seeds as an important part of a healthy food system. COME even if you don't have seeds to share! […]
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Seasonal workshop on tree fruit growing at Brook Farm Orchard located in the Apple Valley section of Ashfield, Massachusetts and taught by orchardist Alan Surprenant. THE WORKSHOP WILL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING TOPICS: Variety selection Site selection Site preparation Hands-on pruning in the orchard Last but not least, local hard cider tasting after the workshop! Coffee, […] |
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