10th Annual SEMAP Ag & Food Conference 

Sunday, February 26th!

Kids Workshops! Livestock Track! Pesticide Credits! Food! Fun!

Registration includes a locally-sourced lunch.  At the Resource Fair you’ll learn about local organizations that provide services and products to help you grow, whether you’ve got a hundred acres or a couple of window boxes.

Schedule
9:00 AM - Registration
9:30 AM - Opening Remarks
10:00 AM - Keynote
10:45 AM - Workshop #1
12:15 PM - Lunch
1:30 PM - Workshop #2
3:15 PM - Workshop #3

Click here for workshop schedule

Keynote:

Multigenerational Farming in Southern New England, Megan Moniz and Jacob Dame

Megan Moniz and Jacob Dame will discuss how their family farm, Arruda's Dairy in Tiverton, RI has survived and evolved since it's inception in 1917. Learn about how the operation is functioning along with a history of the farm over the past 100 years.

Day long drop in :

SNAP Resource Workshop & Retailer Sign-up, 9:00 am – 5: 00 pm

A drop-in information session where you can get your farm, farm stand or farmers market authorized for SNAP (formerly food stamps) and receive your USDA FNS number the very same day! USDA staff will be on site to walk you through the process and assist with your application. Find out about wireless equipment options to process SNAP payments (as well as credit/debit) and learn about other resources available. If you intend on getting an FNS (SNAP) number, bring copies of the following documents which will be attached to your application: 1. Picture ID (driver’s license or passport) 2. Social Security Card (or other official document with your name and SSN) 3. Copy of voided check for bank account you will use to deposit funds. For non-profit 501(c)(3) Only: Farmers markets operated/sponsored by a non-profit are the ONLY applicants that are not required to submit verification of Social Security number for corporate officers/board members. Documentation Required: a. Copy of the IRS Determination Letter stating the organization is a 501(c)(3). A (c)(4) and (c)(6) will not be accepted. b. Letter from the sponsoring agency stating that they are sponsoring the farmers market and who they have appointed as their legal representative to operate the farmers market. c. The application must be signed by a corporate officer or a board member. For Government Owned/Operated Farmers Markets Only: Documentation Required: a. Copy of the City/Town IRS EIN/TIN Tax Exempt Letter. b. City/Town Official must sign the Application Certification Page. c. No personal information is required or needed.

Ag Com Workshop :

held during session 1

The workshop will bring together Agricultural Commission members and any others for a free-ranging discussion of issues and projects that AgComs around the state are dealing with. These may include the new Ag Commission statute, Chap 40A Sec 8L, which allows AgComs to acquire and manage land; federal Farm Bill funding and technical support programs; nutrient management regulations, farm transition planning, farmland inventories and mapping, farm leases, farmland protection, farmers markets, chicken regs, right to farm bylaws and signs, special farm events, and others.

Gaining Power and a Seat at the Table: Food Policy/Agribusiness, Michelle Cruz & Georgina Sarpong

Michelle will dissect elements of our food supply chain and how we can gain power and access within that system as underserved/small farmers. Showcasing successful models, such as Farm Fresh Rhode Island's farm to business delivery system, Market Mobile, we will explore how to work with different distribution models, accessing infrastructure through wholesale and distribution channels. Working smarter through technology, how do we market and brand and ourselves to gain access to niche customers and have more of a voice in regards to food sourcing? How do we partner with like-minded people in the food system like food incubators?  How can we add resiliency to your crop by producing more Value added products and allow B-Grade Produce to work in your favor to reduce waste and bring you profits? Michelle will discuss all of this and more in this agribusiness and marketing session. 

Business and Bookkeeping Basics For Farmers, Julia Shanks

You decided to become a farmer because you love being outside, working the land and making a difference in the way we eat and farm.  And when you decided to become a farmer, you also became an entrepreneur and business person.  In order to be ecologically and financially sustainable, you must understand the basics of accounting and book-keeping, and as Richard Wiswall says, a plan for profit. In this course, we will review the basics of accounting from the income statement (profit and loss) to the balance sheet.  We'll discuss the importance of classifying revenue and expenses so you can make important managerial decision like whether you can afford a new greenhouse or whether It makes sense to sell at a new farmers' market.

Speed Guide to Creating a Marketing Plan for Your Farm or Food Enterprise, Myrna Greenfield

A simple marketing plan can help you increase sales and build customer loyalty.   We'll go through the four steps of creating a quick marketing plan and answer your marketing questions.

Diversifying Revenue through Wholesale, Matt Tortora & Todd Sandstrum

Presentation on how to diversify a farm's revenue by making wholesale a more constant revenue source. Discussion on the various avenues of selling wholesale and how to tap into the wholesale network.

Farm to School Procurement, Todd Sandstrum, Meg Athearn, Jenny Devivo, and Matt Tortora

Panel Discussion -Todd, Meg, Jenny, & Matt will provide brief overview of institutional purchasing from their perspectives as Farmers, Food Service Director, and Chef. They will answer questions from farmers about how to successfully get products into these institutions.

Growing:

Organic Pest and Disease Management for Urban Farms, Laura Fedderson

We will identify the common pests and diseases we see in our work in the greater Boston area, and discuss both standard and more creative management strategies!  We'll focus on concerns specific to urban and suburban areas, such as maintaining plant health in small spaces and containers, animal pests, and safer management options for education gardens.

Integrated Pest Management for Cucurbit Crops, Susan Scheufele

Cuke beetles, and squash bugs, and mildews, oh my! Cucurbits are susceptible to many many insects and diseases. This session will cover the biology of key insect pests and diseases and discuss management systems that utilize and integrate cultural, biological, and chemical control strategies to effectively manage pests over the long-term. Earn 1.5 Credits

A discussion of tree fruit management strategies of various pests of apple, pear, and peach with an emphasis on integrated pest management and organic materials use. The workshop will include information on indenifying and protecting predatory insects and pollinators. Earn 1.5 Credits.

Backyard Organic Farming, Andy & Valerie Tomolonis
Learn how to run your own micro-scale commercial farm enterprise, or just become better at providing fresh foods for your family. Presenters Andy and Val Tomolonis ran a small-scale diversified organic CSA from their 1-acre suburban plot, supplying organic veggies, fruit, vegetables, berries and eggs for eight families per year.

The Finances of Vegetable Fertility:  Where to Focus Your Fertilizer Dollars on New Land, Derek Christianson

This workshop will cover strategies for maximizing production (quantity & quality) when starting out on new land.  Considering prior land use, reading soil maps, taking and interpreting soil tests, and factoring expected yields (and income) form the foundation of an initial fertility plan.  We’ll cover fertilizer strategies to help you make wise investments for year 1 and beyond.

Creating Farm and Garden Infrastructure and Trellises, Phil Nichols

Including information on creating: 8ft double and single width germination tables with measured shop drawings, organically approved 4 bay wash station with nutrient retention drainage, expandable tomato A frames using hung fencing and wind tethers, 8 foot pea trellises, pole bean tripods for up to 10 plants, cheapest, easiest way to make a 45 degree cucumber trellis for standard cultivars including direct sew technique, how to support and harvest husk cherries. All projects including measured shop drawings, cut lists and materials cost hand outs. This is an interactive workshop where Phil will make a germination table from pre cut materials. Attendees of the workshop are invited to use various tools to assemble it.

Livestock:

Foodie:

Kids:

Honey Bees and Me, Heidi Pelletier

A child friendly workshop educating the importance of honey bees.

Get to the Point!  Needle Felting for Kids, Meghan Riley

Fiber is fun and needle felting is a super skill to learn.  Miss Meg will bring wool from her sheep and show you how to safely use a felting needle to make an easy animal craft to bring home.  This workshop is geared towards kids over age five but all are welcome to this introduction to needle felting.

Bristol Aggie Farm Tour

Great workshop for kids!  We will meet up in the school before we head off to tour the farm and see the animals at Bristol Aggie.