Farmer Update: April 2022
Dear Farmers and Food Producers:
Photo at The Neighborhood Farm in Westport
Happy spring! Farmers across Southeastern Massachusetts are really in the swing of things now and we hope your seasons are off to a good start. Whether you're still crop planning & book balancing, or you've already been able to get out into the fields, we are sending you good thoughts for the best growing season yet!

We hope to revive our Twilight Grower Series this spring and summer, and are looking for farmers & fishers who would be willing to host an event or share their expertise with the regional agricultural community! If you would like to welcome local farmers to your property for a skill-share, you have a Twilight topic in mind, or you have questions about this program, please email me at shickey@semaponline.org or text me at (781) 908-4466.

In this email you'll find information on:

  • Our upcoming Local Food Guide
  • Current grant programs for food producers
  • Soil health opportunities
  • Educational events and workshops
  • State equity efforts
  • Opportunities to engage federally
  • Local farming jobs
  • And more!
With gratitude,

Shannon Hickey
Program Coordinator
Our 2022 Local Food Guide is Headed to the Presses!
This year's edition of the Buy Fresh Buy Local guide is off to the printer! It lists farms, fishers, brewers, restaurants, value-added producers, and more, and it will reach 10,000 Southeastern Massachusetts residents and tourists this spring and summer.

This is an excellent time of year to renew or purchase a SEMAP membership – our members get extra attention in the guide, along with so many other perks. This year, we are now excited to offer free membership to local BIPOC-owned farms! If you're uncertain about your membership status or have any questions, please reach out to James at jlehner@semaponline.org.
Any renewed or brand new SEMAP membership completed by May 1st will be reflected in this year's printed guide!
Want to ensure you have plenty of guides to distribute at your farm stand, market, school, or business this year? Order bulk copies below. The SEMAP team will deliver them directly to you this spring!
Grant Funding Available
Take a look at a few of the currently open grant, reimbursement, and award programs below, then check out a complete list on our webpage!

  • Value-Added Producer Grant: For producers, cooperatives, and producer groups to generate new value-added products and create & expand channels to market these products.
  • Deadline: April 25th


  • United Way Impact Grant: For businesses and organizations serving Greater Fall River through projects that enhance health, education & financial stability of residents.
  • Deadline: May 1st

  • Conservation Innovation Grant: For small businesses and non-profits seeking to adopt innovative conservation approaches and technologies in Massachusetts.
  • Deadline: May 13th
REMINDER: SEMAP can assist Southeastern Massachusetts farmers in grant applications. We can help you determine your eligibility, walk through the application together, review before submission, offer a letter of support, or any combination of these! Apply for assistance here or email Shannon at shickey@semaponline.org with any questions.
Consult with a Soil Health Expert Farmer
Seeking advice about tillage reduction, cover cropping, organic transition, compost management, or other soils topics? Massachusetts farmers are eligible for free one-on-one consultation with subject experts through American Farmland Trust's Healthy Soils Farmer Consultant Program. The experts are also local working farmers themselves, so they uniquely understand the challenges & opportunities you are facing! Consult with these experts for FREE for up to 6 hours this season.
Get Published in The Natural Farmer
The Natural Farmer is NOFA's seasonal journal for organic farmers & gardeners across New England and the Northeast. They are seeking content submissions from regional farmers & experts for this summer's issue, which will focus on livestock and wildlife on the farm. They are accepting articles, photos, recipes, book reviews, and more! Do you have a fresh perspective you'd like to share, while getting more visibility for your farm? Submit content by May 1st to be included in the upcoming issue.
Soil Health Workshop Series
Join Dr. Elaine's Soil Food Web School for a 4-part series on enhancing soil health on-farm! This series in ongoing, but the first two sessions were recorded and are available here. The remaining two sessions will be held on April 20th and 27th. Join Dr. Elaine Ingham and fellow soil science experts (including our friend Ray Archuleta!) in discussions of regenerative agriculture and simplifying the transition to soil-building practices!
Connecting with BIPOC & Low-Income Farmers
The Massachusetts' Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) would like to get connected with BIPOC, veteran, immigrant, and limited resource farmers across the state. They hope to build relationships, especially for the purpose of keeping all in the loop about the Local Food Purchasing Assistance program (LFPA), and more equitably distributing financing and contracts.
The Massachusetts Food System Collaborative has developed the Agricultural Equity Network for farmers across the state who identify as BIPOC to connect with each other. They hold bi-monthly virtual chats in a space reserved for Massachusetts farmers of color. Please email Norris Guscott at norris@mafoodsystem.org if you'd like to join!
On-Farm Visits with Eastern Mass CRAFT
This year's farm visits through Eastern Mass CRAFT (Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training) have been announced! While many of them are held in Northeast Massachusetts, they are a great opportunity to network with other farmers & exchange skills, and they are well-worth the trip.

CRAFT visits are held every other Wednesday afternoon throughout the growing season & often include refreshments. The whole line-up can be viewed here. Pay special attention to the October 5th visit in our neck of the woods: join White Barn Farm in Wrentham for a tractor maintenance workshop!
USDA Subcommittees Seeking Members
In an effort to strengthen federal knowledge of pollinator significance and developments, the USDA is creating a National Pollinator Subcommittee. They will be conducting research on pests & pathogens, population trends, environmental stressors, forage & habitats, and genetic diversity. If you think you have something to contribute to this research, nominate yourself for the subcommittee by May 31st.
The USDA's Equity Commission is launching a subcommittee to focus on the economic development of rural communities. It will focus on enhancing equitable access to USDA programs, especially by underserved farmers, including financing & grants. The subcommittee will present an actionable report by summer 2023. Nominations for this 15-person subcommittee will be accepted until May 6th.
Several Upcoming Virtual Workshops for Farmers
In addition to the workshops listed throughout this newsletter, be sure to attend some of the many virtual workshops offered by our friends in the Northeast agricultural community:

  • Saturday, April 30th at 10:30am – Explore Farming Workshop – New Entry Sustainable Farming Project hosts this free workshop at their incubator farm in Beverly! This is especially geared towards aspiring and beginning farmers.

  • Saturday, April 30th at 11am – Learning to Sharpen & Care for Your Gardening Tools – Westport Grange is hosting this in-person skills workshop for farmers and gardeners who want to learn how to properly care for their tools. This is the first of a basic repairs series. Admission is $10 at the door.

  • Saturday, April 30th at 1pm – Manure Management Workshop – Plymouth County Conservation District is joined by UMass Extension for the first of a manure management series. This workshop is free but registration is required.

  • Series starting Saturday, May 14th at 10am – On-Farm Production Course – New Entry Sustainable Farming Project is hosting a hands-on crop production course for new farmers. The course meets every other Saturday in Beverly, includes supplementary online resources, and costs $495. Reach out to shickey@semaponline.org if cost is a barrier.

  • Conference starting Monday, May 16th at 10am – Farm & Sea to School Conference – Massachusetts Farm to School is kicking off its weeklong conference, Seeding the Future. Through virtual workshops and in-person field trips (including at Round the Bend in Dartmouth!), they'll cover youth ag training & negotiating farm-to-school sales.

  • Saturday, June 4th at 10am – Chicken Processing Workshop – Crooked Trail Farm in Orange, MA is hosting this workshop to train small-scale farmers and backyard growers to process your own poultry safely and efficiently. Lunch is provided, you will take two processed birds home with you, and the cost to attend is $80.
Take a Summer Online Course with UMass Stockbridge School
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Registration is now open for the summer online courses by the UMass Stockbridge School of Agriculture. Classes may be taken individually or as part of a certificate or degree program. Topics include soil science, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), permaculture, agricultural systems thinking, farm professional development, and much more! Instructors have hands-on experience in agriculture and sustainability.
For more workshops, webinars, and other opportunities, check out our event calendar!
Farming Jobs
SEMAP maintains a Local Food Jobs page on our website! You'll find local food and farm job listings relevant to Southeastern Massachusetts.

Here are a few picks currently on the page. Want to share a listing? Email info@semaponline.org.
Part-Time Pruning Assistant at Westport Rivers Winery in Westport
Become a SEMAP Member
Consider registering as a SEMAP Business Member. Membership with SEMAP helps us continue to provide promotion and technical assistance to farmers across Southeastern Massachusetts and beyond.

Business members receive a host of benefits, including...
  • Member Spotlight on SEMAP's blog
  • Access to business development resources
  • Discount ads in Local Food Guide
  • Free boosted Facebook posts

Membership is available at several levels. Come join us!
PO Box 80625,
S. Dartmouth, MA 02748 
Executive Director:
(508) 524-2601