Hello! I hope 2024 is off to a great start.
As you may be aware, Ian Brunell has returned to farming full-time in Connecticut. We are sad he’s no longer with Berkshire Grown, but we wish him the best in his new venture!
For those of you who don’t already know me, I’m Alyssa VanDurme. I started working at Berkshire Grown a year ago as the Mobile Farmers Market Program Manager. I had the privilege of helping build this incredible program which brings 100% locally-sourced food to low-income and low-access areas of Berkshire County. With Ian's departure, I've decided to transition my role at Berkshire Grown to become the new Program Manager for Farm & Business Members.
I am passionate about local food and farms, with several years of experience working with farmers and farmers markets in the Berkshires and beyond. I am excited for my new role, and look forwarding to working with our local farmers and food producers in a new way.
I welcome the opportunity to get to know you better, so we can develop farmer workshops, 1:1 technical assistance and mentor relationships, as well as other programs tailored to the unique needs of farmers and food producers in Berkshire County.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out – I love to hear from our farmer and food-producing members about how things are going and how Berkshire Grown can be of support to you.
Thank you for all that you do to keep our community fed and our local food system strong!
In this month's farmer newsletter:
- Berkshire Grown Winter Farmer Workshops
- Updates from the Berkshire Grown Office
- 1:1 Technical Assistance for Farmers and Food Producers
- Grant Opportunities: MDAR RFSI Grant
- Livestock Farmers Resource Guide
- Upcoming Events
Warmly,
Alyssa VanDurme
Program Manager, Business Members
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Berkshire Grown Winter Farmer Workshops
Registration is open for our Winter Workshops!
Details below - Learn more & sign up here.
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Two-Part Grant Writing Workshop:
How to read and interpret grant applications
With Kara Weinstein
ONLINE
Session 1, February 21, 2024
Session 2, March 6, 2024
11AM-1PM
Registration is for both sessions, may not be taken as separate workshops.
Cost: $40 Members, $60 Non-members
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SNAP/HIP - Best Practices and Solutions to Common Issues
With Zoey Sloate
ONLINE
February 27, 2024
6:00 - 7:30PM
Cost: $20 Members, $30 Non-members
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Labor Movement with Cynthia Flores
(Move well, work well!)
IN-PERSON at Hancock Shaker Village
April 10, 2024
1:00 PM- 3:00 PM
Cost: $20 Members, $30 Non-members
Register now - Only 8 slots left!
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Updates from the Berkshire Grown Office
We want your feedback!
Please complete the Year End Survey
Thank you for your time in completing this, and for all you do to feed our community and enrich life in the Berkshires.
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Coming soon! The 2024 Guide to Local Food & Farms
Updates to the Berkshire Grown Guide to Local Food & Farms will be starting soon. Please keep an eye out for an email from BuyLocal@BerkshireGrown.org with a form for you to complete or update your business listing.
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Did You Know?
Berkshire Grown has a local and regional events calendar that lists various events, workshops, webinars, and the like? We try to keep tabs and share information about any farming and food related happenings that could be of interest to our farmer members.
Farmers are also welcome to submit an event to us to have it listed on the calendar. It is visited also by non-farmer members looking for food and agriculture-related happenings. |
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1:1 Technical Assistance for Farmers and Food Producers
Are you looking for guidance or technical assistance in a particular area of your business?
Our Technical Assistance program facilitates farmer-to-farmer consultation in areas such as marketing, business planning, financial analysis, food safety requirements, sustainable practices, diversification, and/or value-added production.
We’re here to help facilitate a relationship between you and other farmers who may have navigated similar situations and can offer assistance. Funding for this program is available through 2024.
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Grants for Farmers
MDAR Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) Grant
DEADLINE March 29, 2024
The RFSI will fund projects that expand capacity, aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, and distribution of locally and regionally produced food products, including specialty crops, dairy, grains for human consumption, aquaculture, and other food products, excluding meat and poultry.
MDAR plans to award grants to support infrastructure in the middle-of-the-supply-chain for domestic food and farm businesses and other eligible entities.
MDAR will accept one of two types of proposals from applicants for this grant funding:
- Infrastructure Grants - large-scale grants up to $500,000 that will enhance resilience in the middle-of-the-supply-chain and strengthen local and regional food systems by creating new revenue streams for producers, and
- Simplified Equipment-Only Grants - equipment-only fixed-price grants between $10,000 and $100,000.
To download the RFR and for more information, please visit the RFSI Webpage.
The deadline to submit an application is Friday, March 29, 2024 by 4:00pm.
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Livestock Farmers’ Resource Guide
One of the efforts of the livestock working group, coordinated by Berkshire Grown and Berkshire Agricultural Ventures, is developing a resource guide for farmers. The resource guide can be found here: Livestock Resource Guide
This is a resource guide for livestock farmers that details processors, regional transportation, cold storage, and sales options. We are excited about the connections and collaborations that this tool may support.
This resource will continue to expand, so check back again if you find it useful - and let us know, at localmeatprocessingsp@gmail.com if there are other tabs or entries you'd like to see in this guide!
If you offer relevant services, or know of someone that does, and would like to be included in our resource lists, please fill out this entry form.
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Southeast New England Agriculture Conference & Trade Show
February 4th • Dighton, MA
7:45 AM - 4:30 PM
There will be more than 20 workshops, including a session on Building Better Farmers Markets moderated by MFM's Executive Director Edith Murnane.
Learn more and register here.
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2024 Sustainable Agriculture Conference
February 8–10 • Lancaster, PA
Cultivate farms & food systems that nourish, heal & empower
Featuring:
- 70+ sessions on farming & food systems
- An incredible lineup of 100+ speakers will spark new ideas and inspire action
- Social & networking events - Find guidance and camaraderie among fellow farmers and food system changemakers
- Expansive trade show- Find products, services, and resources for - advancing a sustainable food system
Learn more and register here.
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2024 Hudson Valley CSA Coalition Summit
Thursday, February 15 • Old Dutch Church in Kingston
Featuring farmer-led learning circles, full group discussions, and opportunities for individual networking, the Hudson Valley CSA Coalition's annual Summit is a much-needed space for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farmers and food systems professionals to connect, learn from one another, and identify solutions to make the regional CSA landscape as vibrant as possible.
Learn more and register here.
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SBN's Local Food Trade Show
February 27, 2024 • Wayland, MA
Join Sustainable Business Network's Boston Local Food Program on Tuesday, February 27, 2024, from 10am - 1pm at Russell's Garden Center as they bring together the best local food producers and buyers from across the state at the 2024 Local Food Trade Show.
They're delighted to invite local food producers and buyers to this accessible location, showcasing our region's finest local food products. This year, SBN is offering discounted admission to farmers market managers - market managers will pay the SBN Member price, a $20 discount over the regular price of admission.
Register here - spots are limited!
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What We're Reading
PIG YEARS - By Ellyn Gaydos
This captivating memoir is a “startling testimony to the glories and sorrows of raising and harvesting plants and animals” (Anthony Doerr, best-selling author of All the Light We Cannot See), as an itinerant farmhand chronicles the wonders hidden within the ever-blooming seasons of life, death, and rebirth.
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What We're Listening To
Join Chef James Massey & Alyssa VanDurme as they discuss the Berkshire Mobile Farmers Market, it's impact in 2023 and plans for the 2024 season.
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Berkshire Grown's mission is to Keep Farmers Farming!
We support and promote local agriculture as a vital part of the Berkshire community by networking farmers and food buyers, promoting locally-grown food, and increasing community access to local food.
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