Farmer Profile: Introducing Rock Paper Scissors Goat Dairy of Cummington, MA
Partners Angie Arahood and Lee Lewis are launching Rock Paper Scissors Goat Dairy, a goat microdairy selling Certified Grade A raw milk in Cummington, MA.
"An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Farming in Massachusetts" Now Released!
Our friends at the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project in Massachusetts just published their new guide for aspiring MA farmers, entitled “An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Farming in Massachusetts.” The guide covers everything from finding land to business management to resources on developing farming infrastructure. While the guide is intended for Massachusetts-based farmers (and many of […]
Upcoming Beginning Farmer Forum in Massachusetts
We want to spotlight some great organizing coming out of the Beginning Farmer Network of Massachusetts (BFN/Mass): Next Tuesday, November 12th, is the BFN/Mass Fall Forum, an opportunity for farmers to meet fellow farmers, farm service providers and food system advocates – in short, all those who are concerned with beginning farmers’ livelihood and success. […]
Welcome to our newest affiliate: Young Farmer Nights of Rhode Island + SE Mass
Meet our newest NYFC affiliate– Young Farmer Nights of Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts! Young Farmer Nights (YFN) was formed to build a community of young farmers, farm interns, and folks interested in food/farming in the southern New England area. YFN organizes every event with an educational component, but the organization’s main goal is to […]
Young Farmer Nights Brings Together Farmers from Southeastern New England
We are excited to welcome Young Farmer Nights of Rhode Island / Southeastern Massachusetts to our all-star directory of young and beginning farmer groups! YFN began as informal on-farm gatherings of like-minded folks and is now beginning its fourth season this year. The idea behind the Young Farmer Nights is to build a community of […]
New Website Database to Support Beginning Farmer Success in MA
The Beginning Farmer Network of Massachusetts (BFN/Mass), a coalition of farmers and farm service providers in MA, have officially released their new website clearinghouse for resources and information for beginning farmers in the state. The website, www.bfnmass.org, is designed to allow for simple navigation through a database of service provider-offered loan and grant programs, classes, […]
Young Farmers Offer Pasture-Raised, Happy Turkeys this Thanksgiving
Eleanor Kane and Theodore Wiegand are finishing up their successful first season on Brasen Hill Farm, a 21-acre diversified farm in Dudley, Ma, where they raise lambs, goats, chicken, pigs, ducks and most importantly this thanksgiving, 51 beautiful turkeys. Bourbon reds, Broad-Breasted Bronze, and Great Whites make up their flock, though Eleanor says next year […]
Massachusetts Beginning Farmer Network Forum Next Week
NYFC is pleased to be able to spread the word about this beginning farmer network starting up in Massachusetts. MA farmers – check it out! Anyone in other areas not yet involved with a young/beginning farmer coalition, contact us to learn how to get one going. BFN/Mass Fall Forum- November 13th from 10:30 to 2:30 […]
Massachusetts Program Provides Assistance to Beginning Farmers
Attention Massachusetts farmers! A new program developed by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) aims to assist beginning farmers get started with their businesses by helping with start-up or expansion costs. The Matching Enterprise Grants for Agriculture Program (MEGA) provides technical and business planning assistance to support beginning farmers. The goal of the MEGA […]
NOFA Announces Journeyperson Programs for Farmers in the Northeast
Attention beginning farmers in the Northeast: Four more state Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) organizations have announced that they will be accepting applications for a new two-year beginning farmer support program known as the Journeyperson Program. NOFA organizations in New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Connecticut are kicking these programs off, based on the […]