Cultivating Organic Practices for a Thriving Farm and Community

Date & Time: August 21, 2024 - 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Location:
Earth Sky Time Community Farm, 1547 Main Street Manchester, VT 05255

Description: Innovative organic practices contribute to a thriving diversified farm. Join for a workshop at Earth Sky Time Community Farm aimed at commercial growers of all scales and see some of the farm's many organic practices at work. Tour the farm with Bonnie and Oliver of Earth Sky Time, along with Becky Maden, UVM Extension Nutrient Management Specialist, to learn about how their 5 acres of no-till permanent beds are maintained without disposable plastics, understand their method of planting soil blocks on bare ground with a water wheel transplanter, mulching crops with a modified manure spreader, green chopping adjacent pasture for mulch, prepping beds with specialized equipment, and irrigating with a modular system. Plus, meet Vermont Organic Farmers staff to ask your burning organic certification questions and learn about the Transition to Organic Partnership Program. This workshop earns one RAP Agricultural Water Quality education credit.

To learn more & register: https://www.nofavt.org/events/cultivating-organic-practices-thriving-farm-and-community-0

Organized by: NOFA-VT
To learn more, contact: Hannah Sporn, hannah@nofavt.org

Working and Weaving with Willow

Date & Time: September 8, 2024 - 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Location:
Cloud Water Farm, 284 Vermont Rte 100, Warren, VT 05674

Description: Willow trees provide increasingly vital ecosystem services as riparian buffers: they mitigate the effects of flooding and rapidly absorb excess nutrients. In addition to aiding Vermont’s flood-prone landscapes, willow is an excellent local weaving material. In this workshop, Joe Bossen and Racheal Ouellette will give a tour of Cloud Water Farm’s willow plantings and share the ecological roles of different willow varieties. After learning about the source of the weaving material, Racheal will give hands-on instruction to weave a small napkin holder. Attendees will have the chance to make their own and take it home with them. This workshop is great for anyone who is looking to learn more about how to utilize willow as a local weaving material, and for folks looking to start a willow planting on their land.

To learn more & register: https://www.nofavt.org/events/working-and-weaving-willow

Organized by: NOFA-VT
To learn more, contact: Hannah Sporn, hannah@nofavt.org

Preparing the Ground for Successful Agroforestry Plantings

Date & Time: September 11, 2024 - 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Location:
Bread & Butter Farm, 200 Leduc Farm Rd, Shelburne, VT 05482

Description: Agroforestry is a set of practices that are becoming increasingly popular with Vermont farms. Farmers, are you looking for a natural climate solution to build resilience while expanding products and enterprises? This workshop at Bread & Butter Farm will focus on site preparation, critical for successful agroforestry plantings. In the coming years, the farm will be adding silvopasture, alley cropping, and windbreaks to the 400 acres that they steward. Tour the property to understand their vision, discuss soil types, hydrology, seeds, biostimulants, fertilizers, and the equipment being used, including a demonstration of the RipSower. Plus, meet Vermont Organic Farmers staff to ask your burning organic certification questions.

To learn more & register: https://www.nofavt.org/events/preparing-ground-successful-agroforestry-plantings

Organized by: NOFA-VT
To learn more, contact: Hannah Sporn, hannah@nofavt.org

Small-Scale Cut Flower Production & Floral Design Basics

Date & Time: September 15, 2024 - 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Location:
By Hand Farm, Newfane, VT, 05345 (physical address will be emailed to registered participants in advance of the workshop)

Description: Learn how to garden like a cut flower farmer! Using primarily no-till cultivation methods and hand tools, Laura Xiao of By Hand Farm grows cut flowers on a small plot of leased land. During a tour of the farm, Laura will share cultivation and harvesting techniques as she takes you through the variety of flowers she grows. Following the tour, Laura will lead a demo on basic principles of floral design, where attendees will have the chance to play with flowers and arrange their own bouquets to take home. This workshop is perfect for gardeners and homesteaders looking to begin or innovate their cut flower production.

To learn more & register: https://www.nofavt.org/events/small-scale-cut-flower-production-floral-design-basics

Organized by: NOFA-VT
To learn more, contact: Hannah Sporn, hannah@nofavt.org

Climate Adaptation and Soil Health Practices

Date & Time: September 24, 2024 - 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Location:
Evening Song Farm, 680 Shunpike Rd, Shrewsbury, VT 05738

Description: Climate change mitigation and adaptation has been a key motivation for Evening Song Farm owners Ryan and Kara Fitzbeauchamp since relocating their farm in 2012. For 12 years they have been increasing farm resilience by improving soil health and fertility with management strategies, such as no-till planting through cover crop residue, undersowing cash crops, and transplanting through clover sod. Ryan will be joined by Justin Rich from Burnt Rock Farm; together, they will lead a tour of the farm. Fellow farmers are invited to see these soil-building techniques in action and hear about farming with organic practices at their two different scales. Alissa White from American Farmland Trust will discuss how adaptation planning can identify strategies and prioritize actions that will increase water quality, farm success, and resilience. Plus, learn about the Transition to Organic Partnership Program and earn one RAP Agricultural Water Quality education credit.

To learn more & register: https://www.nofavt.org/events/climate-adaptation-and-soil-health-practices

Organized by: NOFA-VT
To learn more, contact: Hannah Sporn, hannah@nofavt.org

Please post this event to https://agriculture.vermont.gov/calendar if appropriate. This event was submitted via the form https://forms.office.com/g/ncNvPiUDar.

NOFA-VT Farmer Olympics

Date & Time: August 7, 2024 - 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Location:
Flack Family Farm, 3971 Pumpkin Village Rd, Enosburg Falls, VT 05450

Description: Farmer Olympics has become an annual tradition for NOFA-VT and we’re excited to host this year’s games at Flack Family Farm in the northwest part of the state. Farmers, start putting together a team today! This fun-filled event brings together farms from around the state for a silly mid-summer break from work. Join us for friendly competition, delicious pizza, and camaraderie. Farm teams come up with names and costumes or team t-shirts, and compete in both physical and brainy activities. Dinner from the NOFA-VT pizza oven closes out the night. Spectators are also welcome to attend and cheer on your local farmers!

To learn more & register: https://www.nofavt.org/events/farmer-olympics-0

Organized by: NOFA-VT
To learn more, contact: Katie Robinson, katie@nofavt.org

Please post this event to https://agriculture.vermont.gov/calendar if appropriate. This event was submitted via the form https://forms.office.com/g/ncNvPiUDar.