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A Message from the Director
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Keep an eye out for the 2019 Local Food Guide coming out next month. In case you don't know, the Guide is the Southeastern Massachusetts compilation of all things to do with local fruits & veggies, dairy, meat, and seafood as well as local fiber. SEMAP member farms are highlighted in the Guide so you can easily find them and support them. We also have some brand-new advertisers we think you will find useful. Your last chance to get an advertisement in the Guide is this week. Reach out to us if you are interested in placing an ad! And if you would like a stack or case of the 2019 Guides for your business or farmers' market, please contact us and we will drop them off.
May is Beef Month - just in time for Memorial Day weekend and graduation parties. The best beef can be found in Southeastern Massachusetts pastures. Our farmers are using regenerative methods to pasture-raise their animals, which is good for you and for our environment. There are several ways to buy beef from local farms including through some new venues: Meatworks has opened their retail store, Copicut Farms is offering Jordan beef, an
d Weatherlow Farm's new farmstand is open. For more locations in the region check out the MassGrown map. Continue reading here about our
beginning farmer resources and an important announcement about Farm to Tapas.
With thanks,
Karen Schwalbe
Executive Director
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Introducing SEMAP's New Program Coordinator!
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It is our pleasure to introduce Dawn Dufault as SEMAP's new Program Coordinator. Dawn comes to SEMAP with an array of nonprofit management & horticultural experience - including her own small cut flower farm, Bayberry Farm & Flower Co. in North Dighton. Dawn will be your point of contact if you are seeking business technical assistance for your farm - which you qualify for if you are a beginning farmer or a farmer marketing direct to consumers.
SEMAP has funding to put towards business and marketing improvements for your farm business, and Dawn can help you connect with experts on a range of topics including, but not limited to: business plan development, web & graphic design, e-commerce, Quickbooks training, LLC legal advice, finding farmer-to-farmer mentorships, and a whole lot more!
Dawn will help you find the information and expertise necessary to get the job done. SEMAP has funding to pay for, or subsidize the cost of, working with designers, consultants, and other experts. Act quickly - funding resources end in August, so fill out this form and Dawn will be in touch soon.
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SEMAP Twilight on Pastured Pigs, June 18th
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Join SEMAP for a Twilight Workshop & tour of
Revival Farm in Plympton, MA on June 18th at 6pm. Farmers Kathryn & Justin Shepard raise Berkshire, Tamworth, and Yorkshire crosses, as well as chickens, on their 3.5 acre farm. They rotationally graze the pigs and their chickens to be able to maximize the limited space they have. Some of the areas they have experience with include converting a 40ft. shipping container into pig housing, loading pigs onto a trailer easily, keeping water from freezing in the winter, fencing/rotationally grazing, artificial insemination, farrowing, buying grain in bulk and tracking what is fed out. Whether you have been raising pigs for some time, or you're just starting out, this workshop is for you!
Learn more.
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LAST CALL for Local Food Guide Updates
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A lot can change for a business over the course of a year or two - hours, location, website, social media, product offerings and more. Make sure we've got you covered.
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Our Buy Fresh Buy Local Guide™ is supported by businesses who know their target audience: folks who love locally made and locally grown goods.
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2019 Young Farmer Nights Announced
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The Young Farmer Network's Young Farmer Night schedule has been announced. This year YFN is
partnering with Land For Good and theming the tours "land access,"
highlighting the many different ways that farmers find land and the convoluted
routes they travel.
Tours start at 6pm. Potluck follows. Upcoming Young Farmer Nights include:
May 29, Wednesday - Wild Harmony Farm, Exeter, RI
June 10, Monday - Listening Tree Co-op, Chepachet, RI
June 26, Wednesday - Young Family Farm, Little Compton, RI
See the rest of the YFN calendar here.
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Pest Management Tip from UMass Extension
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The
UMass Vegetable Extension wanted to pass along the following tips for c
ommercial growers, producers, and landscape professionals in SE Mass:
Much of the weather/pests which influence farmers in Southeastern MA come up from Long Island!
The Cornell Suffolk County Extension for fruit and vegetable farmers in Long Island puts out a great seasonal newsletter that
includes Integrated Pest Management (IPM) reports, staff field observations, cultural practices, nutrient and soil management, updates of rules and regulations, pesticides updates, Field Days, twilight meetings, and funding opportunities. Available by email as a PDF file or fax.
Learn more
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Southcoast Health Market Seeking Farm Vendor
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Southcoast Health Farmers' Market in Wareham is seeking one more farmer vendor. Markets will be held on Thursday's from 3-6:30pm from June 20th - October 24th.
It is located
at 35 Rosebrook Place in Wareham,
a high traffic area near the Junction of Routes 495, 195, & 25.
Farmers may utilize their farm vehicles to create an appealing and functional display. The market is a Southcoast Health and AD Makepeace partnership.
No vendor fee required, and p
articipating farmers will receive a $100 stipend/market.
Email Liz Wiley for more information.
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Meatworks Accepting Bookings for Fall/Winter 2019
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To date, Meatworks in Westport has provided meat processing services to 262 local and regional producers from 4 states including MA, RI, CT and NY.
Meatworks is now accepting bookings through the end of the year, and Fall 2019 is filling up fast. Their retail store is open for business Monday-Friday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and Sat 9:00 am to 1:00pm. Learn more.
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Healthy Incentives Program Back Online May 25th
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HIP restarts on May 25th! SNAP shoppers must have a balance on their EBT cards to earn HIP incentives. They can earn their full May HIP amount before the end of May.
For HIP retailers, the DTA will be sending out communications soon about the re-start. Make sure to follow any equipment reset instructions in their email so you can process the incentives.
The Campaign for HIP funding is actively working for year-round funding. In the meantime, HIP should last at least through summer and fall. Find more info on the campaign here. The state is still not taking new HIP farms, but farms can sign up to accept SNAP! Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions.
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Wareham Oyster Festival, May 26th
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The 6th annual Wareham Oyster Festival will take place on Sunday, May 26, 2019, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Main Street in Wareham.
Enjoy shellfish purveyors from throughout southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod and the Islands, and Rhode Island, plenty of other fun food options, live music, carefully curated crafters and artisans, and more.
The event starts with the Wareham Oyster 5K, which benefits the Boys & Girls Club of Wareham, and features live music throughout the day by Southcoast Jazz Orchestra, 20+ food vendors, 60+ crafters, and more! Admission is free. Learn more here.
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Mass Ag Calendar Contest, Deadline June 1st
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The
Massachusetts Agriculture Calendar is an educational tool for teachers, legislators and the public. The calendar provides an attractive daily reminder of the diversity of agriculture across the state. It includes monthly educational/teaching tips, special ag-related days and website links on each page. The photographs for each calendar month are winners that were selected from the annual photo contest. The deadline to submit photos for the 2020 calendar is June 1st.
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Celebrate Compost @ Coonamessett Farm, June 6th
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The
Coonamessett Farm Foundation (CFF) has an awesome new composter!
Thanks to a generous grant from the Shah Family Foundation, CFF will soon begin research on how rotational composting of small farm waste can close the food cycle, improve soil health, and help mitigate climate change.
Join them and the Falmouth Chamber of Commerce for CFF's open house as they cut the ribbon for the composter and talk some dirt! Complimentary beer, wine, & light appetizers will be served, free admission but RSVP is required by emailing [email protected]. The event will be
June 6th, from 5pm-7pm at Coonamessett Farm, 277 Hatchville Rd, East Falmouth.
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MDAR Accepting Applications for APR Program
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MDAR is currently accepting applications for the Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) program. This program purchases the non-agricultural value of farmland in exchange for a permanent deed restriction which ensures the property will stay in agricultural use.
See the benefits and objectives of the APR program here.
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Nominations Open for Leopold Conservation Award
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If you, or someone you know, is a New England landowner who is committed to land management practices that increase conservation, you are invited to apply or nominate for the Leopold Conservation Award, which
is given to a private landowner who translates their deep abiding love for the land into responsible stewardship and management. New England's first award recipient will receive the $10,000 award later this year from the Sand County Foundation
, in partnership with the New England Forestry Foundation and American Farmland Trust-New England. Leopold Conservation Awards recognize extraordinary achievement in voluntary conservation, inspire other landowners through their example, and help the general public understand the vital role private landowners can and do play in conservation success. Nominations
are due July 15th.
Learn more
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Old Rochester Farmers' Market Seeking Vendors
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The Market is held e
very 2nd and 4th Saturday from
10am - 1pm i
nside of the Old Rochester Regional Junior High School Gymnasium. Learn more about the market here. Interested vendors should
email [email protected]
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SEMAP Member Announcements
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Greenhouses & Compost Available at Quansett Nurseries
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For rent, they have several propane-heated greenhouses available.
For sale, they have compost & greenhouse hoops.
The compost is mostly based from potting soil, which is ideal for improving soil.
The greenhouse hoops are for
14' x 100-125' greenhouses.
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Marshfield Farmers Market Seeking Hot Food Vendors
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The Marshfield Farmers Market is seeking two prepared food vendors or food trucks to attend 1 or 2 times a month to fill the schedule of rotating food trucks. Markets are on Fridays from 1-5pm beginning May 31st thru Oct 4th at the Marshfield Fairgrounds. There is water and electricity available - please contact the manager at (781) 635-0889 or [email protected], the application is available on their website.
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Ivory Silo Farm Spring Plant Sale, May 25th-26th and June 1st-2nd
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Ivory Silo Farm will have over 70 varieties of vegetable, herb, and flower plants available including open pollinated varieties for seed saving at home, select flowers for attracting beneficials, and a wide diversity of crops to fill your garden and stock your pantry all summer long. Email [email protected] to join their email list for updates and more information. The plant sales will be 10am - 4pm on the farm, just west of the intersection of Hixbridge and Horseneck Roads in Westport.
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Bobolink Breakfast at Round the Bend, June 30th
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On June 30th from 9am-11am join Mass Audubon Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary staff at the Round the Bend Farm Learning Center in South Dartmouth for a delicious farm-to-table breakfast followed by a walk to see Bobolink. Learn how bird conservation practices benefit both organizations. Walk with land managers from Mass Audubon and Round the Bend Farm and view Bobolink in grassland habitat managed for birds and livestock. Mass Audubon Members $42 /Non-Members $50. Registration is required online here or call 508-636-2437. For more information email [email protected]
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Executive Director
Outreach Coordinator
Program Coordinator
Outreach Intern
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