All posts in Events

NESAWG It Takes a Region Conference, Virtual Nov 8-11, 2021

NESAWG’s annual It Takes a Region Conference brings together farm and food systems practitioners across the 12-state Northeast region to learn, debate, collaborate, and innovate solutions to critical food systems issues. Each year, we look at the trajectory of the food and farm movement and the role our network can play in shaping its future. We offer in-depth working sessions that tackle important questions about our regional food system and how to strengthen it, drawing from the collective expertise and wisdom of conference attendees.

To Register or Learn More, click here.

OCT 27, 2021: CT FARM WINE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL TO HOST GROWER EDUCATION MEETING

The CT Farm Wine Development Council, administered by the Connecticut Department of Agriculture, will be hosting a virtual grower meeting on Wednesday, October 27, 2021, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. The meeting is available at no cost to growers and eligible attendees will earn 2 pesticide recertification hours.Guest speaker will be Dr. Wayne Wilcox, Professor Emeritus of Cornell University. He led Cornell’s grape pathology program for 25 years until his retirement in 2018. His research and extension efforts focused on the applied biology and practical, integrated management of Eastern vineyards’ major fungal diseases, utilizing both viticultural and fungicidal tools. Since retiring from the university, he has continued to run fungicide trials and to interact with the industry through programs such as this.Please RSVP with your name, business and email by Friday, October 22 to Rebecca.Eddy@ct.gov. An email with instructions to join via WebEx will be sent in advance of the meeting.

September 8, 2021, CT Farm Bureau Live Webinar, 6-8 PM, CT Public Act 490, $40 for non-members

PA 490 Webinar

Learn about Connecticut’s PA 490 act which provides for reduced property taxes on farmland, open space and forest land.

Click here to register.

Oct 12, 2021, 12:00- 1:00 PM, $10: CT NOFA Online Learning: Understanding Soil Health and Its Principles for Improving Landscape Resilience

Up your understanding of the part soil plays in developing resilient landscapes. Join Dr. Yamily Zavala for this presentation that provides an overview of soil health. Learn the properties of healthy, resilient soils; find out how we assess soil health; and discover the importance of soil biology in the development of soil resilience.

To learn more or register, click here.

Sept. 20, 2021: CT NOFA No-Till Field Day at Assawaga Farm, Free in Putnam CT, 3:00- 6:00 PM

Includes farm tour, regenerative ag methods training, refreshments.

Assawaga Farm is located at 626 Providence Pike in Putnam CT. Register for this free event here.

Sept. 11, 2021, 10:00 am-12 PM CT NOFA Online Learning: Year Round Greenhouse Production, $25- $35

Hosted by NOFA New Jersey, this virtual webinar is all about producing food year-round, in a greenhouse.

A century ago New Jersey greenhouses produced vegetables all winter long, with manure hotbeds, forcing of blanched shoots, and other techniques. Today gardeners and farmers are re-learning how to produce food all winter with little or no heating required. This workshop will cover insulated bioshelters, winter vegetables in unheated greenhouses, growing subtropical and warm-temperate fruits like pomegranates, citrus, and more. Eric Toensmeier will be teaching this virtual class. Get ready for Winter with NOFA-NJ! Saturday, September 11 from 10 AM-Noon.

Click here to register.

Connecticut Virtual Farmer Veteran Meet and Green, June 30

Register at https://ctrcd.org/agriculture/farmup/

Virtual Farm Field Day July 15, 2021, 6 PM Establishing a Chestnut Agroforestry, by CT Resource Conservation and Development

About this event

Thinking about diversifying your farm? Considering how to incorporate tree crops using agroforestry?

Tree crops such as chestnut and hazelnut in CT are becoming a source of additional farm income and an opportunity to diversify crops and use spaces that aren’t suited to tillage or other activity.

Come learn about establishing chestnut agroforestry from farmers, agricultural, and NRCS service providers. We’ll walk though the process of assessing the property for potential tree crops and agroforestry uses. Look at the steps to establish and maintain the perennial tree crop planting at Adamah Farm which recently planted chestnuts as part of an initial phase of farm expansion. We’ll go through the process in this webinar, hear about lessons learned, and how the newly planted trees are part of the farm’s bigger plan. Hear how farms in Connecticut can get started in improving farm diversity and expand into agroforestry.

This event is FREE. However, donations are welcome in order to support the continued work of the CT Soil Health Initiative.

Click here to register.

Tour Des Farms 2021 registration opens June 1, 2021

2021 TOUR DES FARMS STARTS JUNE 1
Connecticut Resource Conservation and Development’s (CT RC&D) annual Tour des Farms (bicycle, motorcycle or car) ride is returning statewide! On Tuesday, June 1, registration will open for participants to access eight regional routes to farms all around the state.

As a program, Tour des Farms aims to move around Connecticut, ensuring diverse regional agriculture promotion. In 2019, CT RC&D held an in-person ride in Connecticut’s Quiet Corner, and for the ride’s reemergence in 2018, participants biked farms throughout the Litchfield Hills.

Adapting to social distancing guidelines, Tour des Farms pivoted for 2020. As part of the new approach to their annual ride, CT RC&D now hosts a summer-long statewide Tour des Farms event for riders to enjoy at their own pace and schedule. The event includes eight regional routes, each featuring 6-10 farms throughout the state. That’s over 75 farms getting direct support from their communities!

Registration opens June 1 at https://ctrcd.org/tourdesfarms/ and will close on October 1. A $20 registration fee includes access to 8 regional routes and the accompanying Ride with GPS Event Maps with printable cue sheets, a customizable riding bib, a TDF Farm Passport, and the chance to win exciting prizes for completed and returned TDF Passports. Riders are also welcome to offer an additional donation, as 50% of the profit generated for the event will be going toward purchasing farm products which will be donated directly to food security initiatives in the state.