Agriculture Industry Calendar

March

• March 28 - State of the State: Update on Honey Bee Health in the Commonwealth -  7:00pm - 9:00pm, virtual. Apiary and Forest Pest Education and Outreach Teams from MDAR give updates on honey bee health in the Commonwealth. Flyer here.

• March 29 - Free Webinar: Marketing Your Farm - Virtual, 12-1pm. Learn the three essential components of marketing your farm, with a focus on agritourism. With Myrna Greenfield of Good Egg Marketing, Ellen Parlee of Parlee Farms, and Ryan Wilson of DeMeritt Hill Farm. Hosted by the International Workshop on Agritourism. Register here. 
• March 29 - UMass Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training - Hampshire College, Amherst, 8:30am. Wondering where to begin with food safety? Start here! The PSA Grower Training is an FDA-recognized produce safety training to help growers implement Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and understand their responsibilities under state and federal regulations. Whether you have a farm that is fully covered by the law or a small, exempt farm and you’re just looking for information, this training is for you. Details here.
• March 30 - Introduction to FSA and NRCS Assistance Programs -12:00pm to 1:00pm virtual. Intended for beginning growers who have never worked with these organizations before and for producers who are familiar with FSA and NRCS Programs but have questions about the process and/or programs. Details here.
• March 30-31 - ArborEXPO ’23 - Eastern States Exposition, W. Springfield - Tree care industry’s fastest-growing trade show and conference. Offers tree care teams the opportunity to learn, network, demo gear and equipment, and invest in business essentials. Details here.
• March 31 - NEVBGA Blueberry Pruning Meeting - 10am-12pm, Parlee Farm, Tyngsborough. Hands-on blueberry pruning meeting will demonstrate pruning techniques for experienced and new commercial growers. RSVP to Chris Grant by March 29 at nevbga@gmail.com or 978-423-6694.

April

• April 3 - What’s SNAP got to do with it? Accessing Food Nutrition Programs to Mitigate Risk- 6-8pm, New Entry's Incubator Farm and Online (Hybrid) Beverly. Would like to accept SNAP at your farm stand? Or participate in the Farmers Market Coupon program?  Join Rebecca Davidson(MDAR), David Webber (MDAR), and Tarissa Johnson (FNS) to learn about eligibility requirements, equipment considerations, and the application process on the state and federal level. At the end of the session eligible applicants will have the opportunity to sign up for a one-on-one enrollment session with an FNS agent. Details here.
• April 7 - Northeast Honey Bee Update: Lunch and Learn Series - 12:30 - 1:30pm, virtual - Join the Apiary Inspectors from New England and New York to “Lunch and Learn” - get the opportunity to meet the dynamic group of Apiary Inspectors who support apiculture in our region as well as ask questions related to honey beekeeping and get advice from the experts in the field. Flyer here.
• April 9 - Honey Bee Education Day at State Apiary - 12-2pm, Amherst - Join the MDAR Apiary Program Team at the State Apiary to get a tour of live honey bee colonies, hands-on demonstrations related to colony management, and exposure to the latest information on how to best sustain bee health. Flyer here. 
• April 11 - Greetings from the Field: Bee Inspector Notes - 10-11am, virtual. Join the MDAR Apiary Program Team as we provide the latest updates in the field regarding honey bee seasonality, development, and health. Inspectors will also provide management recommendations and practical tips to aid beekeepers in making timely apiary decisions. Flyer here.
• April 11 - Online Explore Farming Workshop -  virtual, 6pm-7:30pm. If you are at the very beginning of exploring farm business ownership, this is for you. Identify resources you have and resources you'll need for your farm business, identify next steps to get started with your new farm business, hear the perspective from a local farmer about getting started in agriculture, n more. Free workshop designed to help you identify what actions you will need to take towards a career in farming. Details here.
• April 11 - CISA's Annual Meeting and Celebration - 5:30-8pm (with optional tour of Ground Up Grain/Valley Malt beginning at 4pm) - Gateway City Arts, 92 Race St, Holyoke. Dinner is free, but space is limited, so please RSVP here.

• April 12 - Agriculture Day at the Statehouse - Come to Boston to meet with your representatives and celebrate all things Agriculture!

• April 13 - Berksgire Grown's Grazing School at Gould Farm: Best Practices for Pasture Management - 9:00am-4:00pm. Will discuss the basics of how set up a new grazing system, and how to troubleshoot and improve an existing one.  Will provide a solid understanding of how to meet the needs of the plants and livestock from the soil up.  Topics will include how to use the “Graziers Toolbox” including varied stock densities, trampling and different regrowth periods, pre & post grazing heights to use livestock to improve the pastures as well as fertility inputs, soil testing and reseeding strategies. Details here.

• April 18 – Online Crop Production Course - For those interested in digging deeper into the enthralling world of sustainable agriculture, New Entry Sustainable Farming Project offering 8-week course online, Tuesday evenings. Will include an abundance of resources and activities to help learners increase their ability to work with nature to grow good food, and cover: fostering soil health, greenhouse management, irrigation, nutrient management, cover cropping, pest and disease management, season extension, and more. Details here.

• April 18 & 19 - 2023 Northeast Farm to Institution Summit - virtual - Theme: CommUNITY Powers the Food System. Learn & share online during two days of educational virtual content. Details here.

• April 22 - Nuestras Raíces Farmer Training Program 2023 - 10-11:30am, Holyoke. Beginner farmers, veterans, students, and gardeners, invited to join farmer training program, where participants will receive one-on-one technical assistance from agricultural experts and a stipend for tools, seeds, farmland rent, or any other necessities for their farm, garden, or business. Sign up here. Questions, 413-640-9539.

• April 25 - Planning for the Future of Your Farmland - 5:30-7:30pm, Dalton. Thought about the future of your farmland? Want to learn how to plan for, protect, lease, finance, or pass on your farm? We invite you to join your fellow Berkshire County farmers and farmer support organizations to learn about tools and resources for helping you put into motion your goals for your land. Details here.\
• April 27 & 28 - 2023 Northeast Farm to Institution Summit - In person, Providence, RI. Coordinate, Strategize, Connect & Celebrate in person with networking and action-oriented strategy sessions designed to integrate and align our (net)work, plus exhibitor fair, facilitated field trips and discussions, followed by an evening networking reception. Details here.

*SAVE THE DATE* - Agriculture Day at the Statehouse - Wednesday, April 12th!

May

• May 2 - Planning for the Future of Your Farmland - 5:30-7:30pm, Adams. Thought about the future of your farmland? Want to learn how to plan for, protect, lease, finance, or pass on your farm? We invite you to join your fellow Berkshire County farmers and farmer support organizations to learn about tools and resources for helping you put into motion your goals for your land. Details here