Congratulations! Your small business is ready to hire your first employees. This is both an exciting and daunting process. Luckily, we have Tara Walker of Bernstein Shur Portland, Maine who will walk you through this process. Tara will cover common legal traps for the hiring manager in the hiring and interview process, she will provide […]
Certified Naturally Grown is currently offering a 25% discount on their upcoming Foundations of Crop Production course for farmers who apply to join and are accepted! Farmers who are accepted will receive the discount code via email. Dealing with pest and disease outbreaks can be a real head-scratcher, especially for farmers relying on natural methods. In this session, […]
Join Farm & Coast Market and Bill Braun of Ivory Silo Farm and The Freed Seed Federation for a free evening workshop on February 23 at 6 p.m. The event will be held at Farm & Coast, with registration open at the front desk. Bill is a farmer and seed keeper at Ivory Silo Farm […]
January 17th – March 14th, 2023 Tuesday evenings 5:30 – 8:30pm MDAR offices, Southborough, MA A hands-on course to help established farmers develop a business plan and financial projections for their farm business. This course covers topics including resource assessment, marketing strategy, financial management, risk management, quality of life, and goal setting. The course is taught by […]
If you are a farmer interested in opening a farmstand on your property, please join us to learn about key federal, state and local regulations that impact small food producers who seek to make and sell value-added products from home. We will cover what’s allowed when selling meat, eggs, dairy, cottage foods such as pickles […]
Thursdays January 26, March 2, and March 30, 2023 Thursdays 10:00am – 4:00pm Boyden Library, Foxborough MDAR is hosting Land For Good’s Farm Succession School for Massachusetts farmers again this winter! This is an opportunity for senior generation farmers to talk with peers, learn from advisors, and get support on the challenging process of farm succession […]
Over the past several seasons, Sawyer Farm has been successfully growing vegetables directly in a perennial Dutch White clover sod. Lincoln Fishman will explain how the system works, and discuss its benefits and current limitations. He’ll discuss no-till transplanter modifications designed to reduce soil disturbance and weed competition. Join CISA for a virtual presentation and discussion about […]
January 17th – March 14th, 2023 Tuesday evenings 5:30 – 8:30pm MDAR offices, Southborough, MA A hands-on course to help established farmers develop a business plan and financial projections for their farm business. This course covers topics including resource assessment, marketing strategy, financial management, risk management, quality of life, and goal setting. The course is taught by […]
You are raising and selling local meat, but are you making a profit? Learn marketing techniques and how to use the NEW Cornell Meat Pricing Tool to develop prices that deliver a profit in every channel. Presented by: Matt LeRoux, Extension Associate, Cornell University Matt has over 20 years of experience serving farms through Cornell Cooperative […]
In this all-day workshop with Berkshire Grow, folks will discuss the basics of how set up a new grazing system, and how to troubleshoot and improve an existing one. The day will start from the perspective of pasture plants, and then shift to look at grazing from the perspective of the livestock. This will provide […]
Complete Cow Butchering Workshop and Cow-share! Sat 3/11: 10-4 AND Sat 3/25: 10-4 Learn how to slaughter, dress, quarter and butcher a cow using traditional methods, with a pastured, grass-fed beef meat-share option! In this workshop, we'll take apart a noble Jersey bull at Turtle Bend Farm in Montgomery, MA. We’ll learn about butchering, charcuterie […]
The Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-based Preventive Controls for Human Food FDA regulation is intended to ensure safe manufacturing/processing, packing and holding of food products for human consumption in the United States. The regulation requires that certain activities must be completed by a “preventive controls qualified individual” who has “successfully completed training in the development and application of risk-based preventive controls.” This course developed by the FSPCA is the “standardized curriculum” recognized by FDA; successfully completing this course is one way to meet the requirements for a “preventive controls qualified individual.” Upon completion of this course, the trainee will become a FDA-recognized “Preventive Controls Qualified Individual” (PCQI). The course covers: How to create a Food Safety Plan meeting the FDA requirements as required by the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). How to conduct a Hazard Analysis, and differentiate between prerequisite programs and risk-based preventive controls. Guidelines for choosing Critical Limits, setting up monitoring programs, and implementing corrective actions when deviations occur. Documentation for all aspects of the PCHF-required Food Safety Plan including verification and validation activities, monitoring, corrective actions, and records review. ADDITIONAL NOTES: To complete the course, a participant must be present for the entire workshop and actively participate in all of the presented exercises. INSTRUCTORS: This course is being taught by FSPCA Lead Instructors that have been trained to teach the FDA recognized standardized curriculum. Program Coordinator and Lead Instructor: Amanda Kinchla, Extension Assistant Professor/Food Safety Specialist, University of Massachusetts 413-545-1017, amanda.kinchla@foodsci.umass.edu(link sends e-mail)LODGING: Rooms are NOT included in the registration fee. There is a room block for participants at a rate of $169/night plus fees for those that reserve their room no later than March 6th using promo code: PCH23C at the Hotel UMass(link is external). Additionally, there are a variety of lodging options available in the area, which can be found here: http://www.umass.edu/visitorsctr/lodging . Speaker(s) / Instructor(s): Amanda Kinchla, Lynne McLandsborough, Christina […]
January 17th – March 14th, 2023 Tuesday evenings 5:30 – 8:30pm MDAR offices, Southborough, MA A hands-on course to help established farmers develop a business plan and financial projections for their farm business. This course covers topics including resource assessment, marketing strategy, financial management, risk management, quality of life, and goal setting. The course is taught by […]
Where do you start when you have a project that needs funding? How do you know which program is best for the improvements you want to make? Where can you get help with your application? This online panel will highlight farmers who have used a variety of sources to finance their farm. They will discuss […]
As one of the few mushroom farmers in New England, Farmer Elizabeth partners with agricultural and community organizations to offer educational programs that are designed for foodies, gardeners, homesteaders, and curious families who wish to learn more about this fascinating food and the important role it plays in our diet, our environment and the economy. […]
