Your farm’s fertility plan doesn’t have to be a guessing game. With the right tools and approach, it can be grounded, methodical, informed and even fun.

In this full-day, hands-on workshop, we’ll explore practical ways to assess soil health and develop effective fertility strategies, with a focus on agroforestry systems. The morning will center on building a clear, functional understanding of soil health through biological, physical, and chemical lenses. Participants will practice simple, field-based assessments to better understand compaction, soil structure, and nutrient dynamics, and discuss amendment and management strategies that support soil function over time, especially in degraded or transitioning landscapes.

After lunch, we’ll shift our focus to foliar sprays: liquid nutrient and biological applications applied directly to plant leaves. Foliar sprays can be a powerful tool on any farm, and particularly in agroforestry systems, where perennial crops, young trees, and compromised soils often benefit from targeted, responsive nutrition. Used thoughtfully, they can help support plant health, improve nutrient uptake, and reduce stress while longer-term soil improvements take hold. Participants will learn how to choose appropriate foliar strategies, mix and apply sprays, and evaluate their effectiveness in the field.

Throughout the day, we’ll:

• Assess key soil health indicators such as compaction and nutrient needs
• Understand Big River Chestnuts’ approach to soil remediation and supporting young tree establishment
• Enjoy a delicious, locally sourced lunch
• Compare different foliar spray methodologies and determine which are appropriate for your operation
• Mix and apply a foliar spray in a hands-on demonstration
• Use application equipment and a refractometer to measure results in the field

About Big River Chestnuts

Big River Chestnuts (BRC), founded in 2018, is a diversified agroforestry business operating on three properties totaling 81.5 acres in Sunderland, South Deerfield, and Easthampton, MA. We grow chestnuts, other tree crops, and small fruits. Our goal is to aggregate crops from partner farms across Western New England at our developing tree crop processing hub in Sunderland. 

The farm integrates agroforestry through several practices: by grazing sheep and chickens under the chestnut trees (silvopasture), alley cropping with small fruits to optimize ecological benefits and windbreaks and riparian buffers. These regenerative practices enhance soil health, increase climate resilience, and support biodiversity, while helping the farm meet financial goals. In addition the farm utilizes biological soil management such as use of microbial inoculants, foliar sprays, cover crops, and diverse perennial understory mixes. 

They recently expanded their operation, planting several thousand new chestnut trees as part of their growing agroforestry system. The newly acquired land is heavily degraded, with compacted soils in need of thoughtful, holistic fertility strategies. This workshop is a working example for how to restore soil health and support long-term tree success.

About the Instructors:

Jono Neiger, Big River Chestnuts; Regenerative Design Group

Jono Neiger is an agroforestry planner at Regenerative Design Group Cooperative, a small worker-owned design and planning firm in western Massachusetts. Jono has 30+ years of professional experience in agroforestry, permaculture, ecological land and site planning, conservation, and restoration; working with clients widely around the US. He teaches agroforestry at UMass Amherst and has held positions as faculty at the Conway School of Landscape Planning and Design, Restoration Specialist with the Nature Conservancy in California, Land Steward at Lost Valley Educational Center, and PDC instructor through Sirius Ecovillage. He authored The Permaculture Promise and operates Big River Chestnuts, a chestnut agroforestry farm in Sunderland, Massachusetts.

Rubén Parrilla, Soil Technical Coordinator, NOFA/Mass 

Rubén is a Certified Lab Tech with 15 years of experience working at different capacities in the environmental laboratory industry. He trained in microscopic soil microbial identification through the Soil Food Web School and studied Environmental Design at the University of Puerto Rico. He leads and performs all components of NOFA/Mass soil technical services and has extensive experience farming and working with growers, including beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers. Rubén performs soil health-related outreach and education for NOFA/Mass through monthly farmer learning calls, hands-on workshops and instructional events, and networking with farmers and individuals in the agricultural industry. Finalmente, Rubén es bilingüe y quiere saber de usted.

Information & Accessibility:

Portions of our farm tour will cover uneven and bumpy terrain. There is an on-site composting toilet. 

We will do our best to plan for your accessibility during the event. Please share with us your needs regarding (but not limited to): physical accessibility, allergies, noise, scent, gender, intellectual accessibility, and any instructions or tips to help you fully participate. 

Refund/Inclement Weather Policy:

For information on our refund and inclement weather policy, click here. 

Questions?

Contact Hannah at hannah@nofamass.dreamhosters.com