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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260715T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260715T193000
DTSTAMP:20260605T172907Z
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SUMMARY:Soil Health in Organic Systems Monthly Calls: Managing Summer Stress: Pests\, Pressure & Plant Resilience
DESCRIPTION:As crops hit peak summer growth\, they also face increasing pest and disease pressure and environmental stress. In this one-hour call\, we’ll discuss practical approaches to managing both biotic (e.g. pests and pathogens) and abiotic (e.g. extreme weather) stress through resilient growing systems\, integrated pest management (IPM)\, and biological approaches to crop health. We’ll also explore how observation\, timing\, and ecosystem balance can reduce pressure while supporting productive\, healthy plants. \nGuest speaker: Dr. Jaime Piñero is an Extension Professor of Fruit Entomology and Integrated Pest Management and Program Coordinator for the Sustainable Food & Farming Program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. His research focuses on sustainable pest management\, insect ecology\, and developing practical IPM strategies that help growers reduce pesticide use while maintaining healthy\, productive crops. Through his research\, teaching\, and Extension work\, Jaime works closely with farmers across New England to advance biologically based approaches to pest management and resilient agricultural systems. \nRegister in advance for this meeting: \nRegister Online on Zoom\nAfter registering\, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. \n\nJoin NOFA/Mass for our monthly soil health calls\, where we explore the on-farm processes and practices that shape resilient\, thriving soils. Our facilitators will guide participants through practical strategies that influence soil integrity in organic systems. Each session offers space to ask questions\, discuss specific methodologies\, and learn directly from peers about what’s working on their farms. \nTopics range from organic amendments\, cover cropping systems\, reduced tillage and compaction mitigation strategies\, nutrient cycling\, soil biology and microbial life\, organic systems plans\, and other stewardship practices designed to strengthen the long-term health and productivity of your farm. \nDate: Every 3rd Wednesday of the month starting in March – September\n \nTime: 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM \n\n  \n \nTOPP is a network assembled by the USDA’s National Organic Program to support transitioning and organic producers with mentorship and resources. Farmer-to-farmer mentorship\, workshops\, webinars\, field days\, technical assistance\, and other educational events will offer opportunities to learn about organic production\, the certification process\, market opportunities\, and more. Read more and sign up to be a mentor or transitioning farmer mentee at organictransition.org
URL:https://nofamass.dreamhosters.com/event/soil-health-in-organic-systems-monthly-calls-6/
LOCATION:Online
CATEGORIES:Beginning Farmers,NOFA/Mass Community Call,NOFA/Mass Event,Online,Soil Health,TOPP
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ORGANIZER;CN="NOFA/Mass Ed Events":MAILTO:events@nofamass.dreamhosters.com
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260722T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260722T140000
DTSTAMP:20260610T172521Z
CREATED:20260610T172302Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260610T172521Z
UID:10001799-1784714400-1784728800@nofamass.dreamhosters.com
SUMMARY:Streamlining Soil Health on the Organic Farm
DESCRIPTION:Farmers are constantly juggling recordkeeping\, compliance requirements\, crop planning decisions\, and soil health management\, often across multiple spreadsheets\, notebooks\, and disconnected systems. Whether you’re certified organic\, transitioning toward certification\, or simply looking for better ways to organize your farm data\, this workshop at Farming is Life will introduce their new platform\, FAHM (Farm App Hub and Manager)\, designed to simplify farm management and strengthen decision-making. Together\, we’ll explore how FAHM is already being used on working farms to streamline compliance\, automate recordkeeping\, manage soil health data\, and support long-term planning. Participants will also get a look at tools emerging from the farmers at Farming Is Life around soil monitoring\, greenhouse automation\, and grower distribution networks\, along with guidance on setting up profiles and accounts. \nRegister Online Now\nParticipants will: \n\nLearn how FAHM supports compliance\, organic certification records\, and day-to-day farm management\nSee examples of how farms are automating crop planning\, soil health tracking\, greenhouse systems\, and recordkeeping\nSee the interactions with soil testing\, and that data can be stored\, interpreted\, and used to guide management decisions over time\nUnderstand how this tool interacts with the Organic Product Database to better understand approved & prohibited materials\nHear about how this tool is connecting growers\, distributors\, and farm networks\nHave the opportunity to win a complimentary subscription including onboarding assistance including setting up accounts\, profiles\, and workflow systems. The farm(s) selected for this will be announced in 2026.\n\n  \nAbout: \nFarming is Life is a family farm in North Central Massachusetts that does not use chemicals and plastics to aid in the production of vegetables for our communities. We follow regenerative farming practices with the goal of minimizing off farm inputs. We do this in part by using trees from our forests to build mulch for compost\, using manure from cows that are fed chemical free hay from our farm to add nutrients and harnessing biology to create the balance needed for healthy soil\, happy beneficial bugs and bountiful harvests. This is all done with a holistic approach to the farm as a self-contained ecosystem that aims to work with nature not against it.  \n  \nAbout the Instructors: \nRichy is the founder of FAHM (fahmapp.com)\, a multi-tenant SaaS platform built to help farms run every side of their operation and automate essential functions\, all in one place. The platform is currently in beta testing\, and he puts the platform through its paces on his own family farm\, Farming is Life Farm\, where it handles the POS\, inventory\, CSA programs\, consignment\, payments\, and IoT integrations. Before farming and software\, Richy built a career as a Grammy-winning music producer. He works at the intersection of agriculture\, software\, and AI\, with a particular interest in giving small farms the kind of tools that have historically only been available to enterprise operations. \nRubén Parrilla (he/him) is the Soil Technical Coordinator for NOFA/Mass and trained in microscopic soil microbial identification through the Soil Food Web School. He is a Certified Lab Tech and studied Environmental Design at the University of Puerto Rico. Rubén has 15 years’ experience working at different capacities in the environmental laboratory industry. He has been performing soil carbon proxy testing\, soil health assessments\, soil chemical analysis\, and soil microbiological evaluations for NOFA/Mass over the past year and has extensive experience farming and working with farmers\, including beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers. Rubén performs soil health-related outreach and education events for NOFA/Mass by leading monthly farmer learning calls\, providing hands-on workshops and instruction at soil health education events\, and networking with farmers and individuals in the agricultural industry. He is a fluent and native Spanish speaker and fully English/Spanish bilingual. \n  \nMore Information: \nPortions of our farm tour will cover uneven terrain.  We want to make sure your accessibility needs are met 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.  \n  \nRefund/Inclement Weather Policy: \nFor information on our refund and inclement weather policy\, click here.  \n  \nCapacity: \nCapacity for this event is limited to 20 people. Register ahead of time to secure your space!  \nRegister Online Now\nQuestions? \nContact Hannah at events@nofamass.dreamhosters.com \n  \nSponsors
URL:https://nofamass.dreamhosters.com/event/streamlining-soil-health-on-the-organic-farm/
LOCATION:Farming is Life\, 683 River St.\, Winchendon\, 01475\, United States
CATEGORIES:NOFA/Mass Event,TOPP
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260729T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260729T193000
DTSTAMP:20260622T222219Z
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SUMMARY:Microplastics in Agriculture
DESCRIPTION:Microplastics are an increasing concern in agriculture\, with potential implications for soil health and food systems\, and both ecosystem and human health. This webinar is designed for farmers who want to better understand microplastics in agricultural soils\, as well as anyone concerned about the future of our food system and the health of the environment. Much of the research on this topic remains locked behind science journal paywalls or is communicated through highly technical language. The goal of this webinar is to make current research more accessible\, to raise awareness of this emerging issue\, and to help growers and community members leave with a clearer understanding of where microplastics come from\, how they affect agricultural systems\, and what actions can help address the problem.  \nRegister Online on Zoom\nIn this webinar\, we will: \n\nLearn about common pathways through which microplastics enter agricultural systems\nCover the impacts of microplastic contamination \nExplore strategies for reducing\, mitigating\, or preventing contamination\nDiscuss priorities for research\, policy\, and practical action to address microplastic pollution over the long term\n\n  \nAbout the Instructors: \nDavid Liu is a rising senior at Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter\, NH. He has published research related to microplastics in agriculture and presented at the 2026 NOFA/Mass Winter Conference.  \nAbout the Project: \nThis webinar is part of David’s goal of educating as many people as possible about the risks and threats of contaminants in agriculture. This session is an attempt to connect the microplastics research David has done with the NOFA/Mass community. He will also be developing a fact sheet/tool kit for widespread access that covers all the different contaminants to agriculture.  \nAccessibility: \nThe webinar will be held on Zoom. Captions available. Please reach out to events@nofamass.dreamhosters.com with any questions. \n  \nRegister Online on Zoom\n  \nQuestions? \nIf you have questions about attending\, contact events@nofamass.dreamhosters.com. Questions regarding the content of the webinar can be directed to soilhealth@nofamass.dreamhosters.com. \n  \nSponsors
URL:https://nofamass.dreamhosters.com/event/microplastics-in-agriculture/
LOCATION:Online
CATEGORIES:NOFA/Mass Event,Online,TOPP,Webinars
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