2024
April
- April 26 - Notice of Public Hearing - Massachusetts Prohibited Plant List - 10:00 - 11:00am. Details here.
- April 28 - No-till Gardens and Farms: Healthy Soil, Heal Climate - 1:00 - 4:00pm, Orange, MA. An experiential learning packed afternoon suitable to farmers or enthusiastic gardeners seeking to learn and use no-till methods that use simple tools, build healthy soil, reduce labor and cost inputs, and promote climate resilience. A perfect time of year to learn and introduce several no-till techniques that build healthy soil while promoting climate resilience. Details here.
- April 30 - Crop Production Course - 5:30pm to 7:00pm. 9-week online course covering essential topics related to sustainable crop production, enabling participants to grow food while caring for the soil at the farm or in the garden. Details here.
May
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May 2 - NOFA's Chemical Harmony: Balancing Nutrients for Healthy Growth - 10:00am - 2:00pm, Winchendon. Dive into the fascinating realm of nutrient management and soil analysis to explore the intricate balance of elements essential for healthy plant growth. Details here.
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May 10 - Massachusetts Food Policy Council Meeting - 9:30 am - 11:30 am. Details here.
- May 11 - Organic Orchard and Berry Management for Whole Farm Health - 10:00 am - 1:00 pm. Old Frog Pond Farm, Harvard. Hands-on exploration of organic management practices for orchards and small-scale fruit production, perennial intercropping system and its impact on soil health and pest management: we’ll learn about Old Frog Pond’s foliar spraying methods and approach to tree nutrition. Tour the orchard and berry patch, and see Old Frog Pond’s pruning system for managing fire blight and other pathogens. We’ll also have a hands-on demonstration of whip-and-tongue grafting, and examples of top worked trees. Details here.
- May 15 - Spotted lanternfly in Massachusetts: Quarterly Update - MDAR to provide the green industry, environmental groups, and other interested parties with the latest information about spotted lanternfly occurrences, survey updates, and more. Pesticide credits available. Register here.
- May 15 - Bloom Time Twilight Meeting - 5:00-7:00pm, Cold Spring Research and Education Orchard, Belchertown. Dr. Elsa Petit and Dr. Duane Greene will be there along with UMass Ext. staff to cover grapes, apple blossom thinning and a number of other in season concerns. Details here.
- May 19 - NOFA's Chemical Harmony: Balancing Nutrients for Healthy Growth - 10:00am - 2:00pm, Woven Roots Farm, Tyringham. Dive into the fascinating realm of nutrient management and soil analysis to explore the intricate balance of elements essential for healthy plant growth. Details here.
June
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June 1 - Level 1 - Fairs Judging Workshop - 9:00am - 2:00 pm, MA Building, Eastern States Exposition, West Springfield. Kevin England will be leading a Judging Class which will cover judging for jams, jellies, relishes, fresh fruits, and fresh vegetables. The class is open to anyone wanting to obtain Level 1 Judging Certification. Register here - Deadline May 24th.
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June 29 - NEAOBA Alpaca Summer Fest - 10:00am - 4:00pm, Middlesex County Fairgrounds, Westford. New England Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association is hosting all things alpaca. Open to any alpaca owner and to the public. Demonstrations on fiber-related processing, 4-H obstacle course and more are planned as well as showcasing our alpacas. Details here
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July
- July 10 - MA Fruit Grower Annual Meeting - Save the date - Updates here.