2020 NOFA Summer Conference Program Book

7:00-8:30pm

Production Hemp 101 CEU

Zoom Room C
Agricultural production of industrial hemp for food, fiber, and resins
will be the main focus of the workshop. Focus on variety selection,
planting strategies, fertility, weed control, pest management, and
harvesting will be included for the various types of industrial hemp.
Harvest management and post-harvest handling will also be covered.
Heather Darby, University of Vermont Extension: Agronomist and head
of the Northwest Crops and Soils Program.
Scott Lewins, University of Vermont Extension: Entomology Extension
Educator with the Northwest Crops and Soils Program.

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WEDNESDAY | AUGUST 5

Maximizing Culinary Herb Production, Preservation, &
Creation of Value Added Products

Zoom Room A

Learn about growing basic and interesting culinary herbs: seeding,
transplanting, and good growing practices. Experience hands on
pruning techniques showing the basic methods that will improve
growth. Explore the many different ways to efficiently preserve and
use your harvest. I’ll share recipes, and I invite everyone to bring their
own inspiration and recipes.

Amy Frances LeBlanc, Maine organic farmer, world traveler, and
enthusiastic cook. Owner/grower at Whitehill Farm.

Fundamentals of Coppice Agroforestry

Zoom Room B

Harvesting woody plant resprouts—coppicing—provided fuel, fodder,
medicine, building materials, and more to many cultures for millennia.
Coppice agroforestry can meet these and other needs, sequester
atmospheric carbon, and help re-establish a healthy carbohydrate-
based economy. In this workshop we’ll explore coppice history,
systems, products, species and establishment.

Dave Jacke, Resprout researcher, coppice correspondent, part-time
practitioner, wondering woodsman.

Growing Annuals for Seed CEU

Zoom Room C

Covering the basics of growing a seed crop from a number of annual
vegetables.

Tevis Robertson-Goldberg, Farmer, Seed Saver for 20 years, Plant Breeder.

Petra Page-Mann, Life-long seed saver, author & storyteller, co-founder
of Fruition Seeds.

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5:00-6:30pm

Glyphosate (Roundup) & Human Health

Zoom Room D

Glyphosate, the herbicidal ingredient in Roundup, is not only in
the news, but also in our bodies. The safety of glyphosate and its
commercial formulations (namely Roundup) is controversial. Learn
the major ways glyphosate enters our bodies and what diseases are
scientifically linked to it. This multimedia presentation will also discuss
how to avoid glyphosate.

Ed Stockman, Biologist, 4th generation farmer, cofounder
Regeneration Massachusetts.

Turtle Tree Biodynamic SeedPart of Camphill Village, a seed company growing
and offering biodynamic and organic
vegetable, herb & flower seed to farms and gardens
Turtle Tree Seed is a proud part of the
Social Agriculture & Biodynamic Studies
at the Camphill Academy
Students of the Camphill Academy have the opportunity to learn biodynamic agriculture
and many aspects of inclusive community building, and to apply what they learn while
living in a social-therapeutic Camphill community, through Social Agriculture and Biody-
namic Studies, a concentration area within the Inclusive Social Development program.
The curriculum is designed and taught by experienced farmers, gardeners and social
therapists within Camphill communities with a focus in two areas:

• Biodynamic Agriculture -‘renewing the land’
• Inclusive Social Development -‘renewing ourselves and others’
This weaving of intentions makes our program unique.
To learn more: www.camphill.edu or [email protected]
Camphill Village is a community where people with developmental differences are
living a life of dignity, equality & purpose. www.camphillvillage.org

www.turtletreeseed.org

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WEDNESDAY | AUGUST 5

Invite Invasive Species to Fund their own Removal

Zoom Room A
Invasive species are often presented as an endlessly inconvenient,
psychologically draining, and completely negative issue on
landscapes. There are, however, economic opportunities; generating
income can direct funding to management efforts. Join us as we
explore paper-making with Japanese knotweed, the multiple uses for
common buckthorn, and other artistic possibilities.
Michael Bald, Founder of Got Weeds? located in central Vermont and
operating throughout New England since 2011.

Your Mind’s Nutrition Requirements

Zoom Room B
Key nutrients are required for proper brain function both intellectually
and emotionally. Get these nutrients from your diet, supplements and
specific lifestyle practices. Some natural diets, and dieting in general,
can make unpleasant emotional swings. Properly nourished, your mind
will assist in creating a happy mental state.
John Kozinski, MEA, FSMA Clinical Nutritionist/EW Diagnostician/
Healing Arts Teacher since 1976, IDx Diagnosis®, Kushi Institute 1986-
2014.

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7:00-8:30pm

Hands-On Soil Health Assessment for Farmers &
Gardeners CEU

Zoom Room C
Healthier, more lively soils store more carbon and are more resilient
to weather extremes. You can learn to evaluate the health of your
soil with some simple physical soil tests. Using videos and photos,
Caro will explain how to conduct and interpret tests that will improve
your understanding of soil carbon dynamics, fertility, and resilience.
Attendees receive a link to a downloadable test manual and workbook.
Caro Roszell, Education Director & Soil Carbon Program Coordinator,
NOFA/Mass.

Regenerative Farming at Freedom Food Farm CEU

Zoom Room D
What can we do to mitigate the climate crisis? How will we feed
ourselves during the climate crisis? The answer to both questions is
regenerative farming. This workshop covers regenerative systems
used at our farm: no-till crops, livestock integration, rotational grazing,
biodiversity, soil preservation, input reduction, and more!
Chuck Currie, Runs Freedom Food Farm in Raynham, MA with his
partner Marie Kaziunas.

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FRIDAY | AUGUST 7

From Barn Processed to USDA Plant: Issues with On-Farm
Processing

Zoom Room A
Explore the range of options for slaughter facilities for both poultry
and four-legged animals: USDA inspected, custom slaughter, on-farm
processing and mobile/itinerant slaughter. Discuss the challenges
farmers are facing and how/why farmers choose to specialize in their
operation (inspected or otherwise). Regulatory compliance and the
details of putting out a food safe product will be a focus.
Bruce Hennessey, Diversified grassfarmer for over 20 years, producing
grass fed beef, pasture-raised pork, poultry and eggs.

Farm to Institution

Zoom Room B
This session will provide an overview of the growing institutional
market in New England and highlight opportunities for regional
producers to engage with and sell their products to those institutions
looking to increase local food procurement. Attendees will have an
opportunity to share perceived challenges and workshop ideas for
combatting those challenges.
Hannah Leighton, Research and evaluation manager at Farm to
Institution New England (FINE). TBD college campus rep/farmer.

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5:00-6:30pm

Gardening Like A Forest: Applied Ecological Design for
Homesteads

Zoom Room C
Healthy forests maintain, fertilize, and renew themselves. Forest
gardens mimic natural forests while growing food, fuel, fiber, fodder,
fertilizers, farmaceuticals, and fun. We can meet our own needs and
regenerate healthy ecosystems simultaneously! We’ll explore forest
gardening’s vision, and some underlying science, real-life examples,
and useful perennial plants.
Dave Jacke, Longtime ecological designer and author of Edible Forest
Gardens.

IPM for Home & Garden

Zoom Room D
An interactive workshop on Integrated Pest Management (“IPM”)
basics, with a focus on best practices and benefits. Ample time for
Q&A along with opportunities for collective sharing of best practices
and resources.
Apolo Catala, Urban farmer, committed to food access through locally
grown produce and by inspiring others to do the same.

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SATURDAY | AUGUST 8

Herb-Infused Bone Broth

Zoom Room A

Broth provides a great vehicle for immune-enhancing herbs,
mushrooms, and seaweeds. In this class we’ll learn the process for
adding herbs to your broth, discuss potent herbs to add, and make
one together in class. Handouts and recipes will be provided!

Jade Alicandro Mace, Community Herbalist at Milk & Honey Herbs

Beginning Maple Syrup Making

Zoom Room B

How to start a small, organic maple syrup making operation at your
home, or on your homestead or farm.

Kate Whelley McCabe, Attorney-turned homesteading entrepreneur
co-founded and runs Vermont Evaporator Company, speaks on
beginning sugaring.

Lean Farming & Effective Pasture-Based Livestock
Production

Zoom Room C

The idea of Lean is to look for opportunities to both eliminate waste
and add customer and owner value to your operation. What is it
that you are currently doing that does not serve an essential need
for your customers? Learn about ways that pasture-based farms
are eliminating waste in their processes, from moving animals to
processing orders.

Bruce Hennessey, Diversified grassfarmer for over 20 years, producing
grass fed beef, pasture-raised pork, poultry and eggs.

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4:00-5:30pm

Luscious Landscaping, with Fruiting Trees, Shrubs & Vines

Zoom Room D
Luscious landscaping beautifies your yard while putting (very) local,
healthful, flavorful food on the table. Introducing some of the plants
offering fruits as well as beauty. These low-maintenance plants
are pest-resistant and need little or no pruning. Small yards are no
problem with correct choice of plant, site and maintenance.
Lee Reich, PhD, is a scientist, writer, and farmdener (more than a
gardener, less than a farmer).

Healthy people &
healthy economies

require healthy, sustainable
local farmers and food businesses

We make it happen by providing
free or subsidized business support and training

Connect with us,
access services and learn more

thecarrotproject.org

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Working together for people, land,
and justice in the food system.

To learn about our work, mission, & programs:

VISIT US AT NOFAVT.ORG

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Virtual Customized Experience:
Winter Choose from 60+ workshops,
Conference demos, discussion groups,
Week and networking events!

January 16 – 23, 2021 Keynote Speaker:
Join Laura Lengnick for a
keynote address, fireside
chat, and half-day resilience
planning workshop.

www.nofany.org/conference Laura Lengnick,
Cultivating Resilience, LLC

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Solar + Agriculture
Better together.

Get more from your
farmland with solar,
while maintaining
farm operations.

Learn more at bluewavesolar.com/solar-development

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CHILDREN’S
CONFERENCE

We will have three Sundays of fun and engaging activities on Zoom
that allow us to visit with friends old and new. We will sing, tell stories,
and share thoughts and projects.

Who are we?

Emily Hitchcock is currently working on an organic farm, and loves
children and the outdoors.

Sharlow Hitchcock is a 4th and 5th grade teacher. Both have been
working the summer and winter children’s conferences for the last five
years, and have attended the conference since the age of 8.

Valerie Walton and Tad Hitchcock are music teachers and gardeners.
They have been running the children’s conferences for many years.

Andre Solomon is a musician and arts administrator who has been a
teacher at the children’s conference for at least eight years.

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SUNDAY | JULY 26

Gather and Greeting | All Ages

10:00-10:30am
We will all introduce ourselves, talk about the coming conference
offerings and sing a song. We hope this will be a time to reunite with
old friends and meet new ones.

Barn Dance with Tad | Children 5-7

10:40-11:20am
We will sing songs, play listening and movement games, and create
rhythms with items we find around us. Leave space in your room for a
joyous ruckus!

Music Workshop with Tad | Children 8-12

11:30am-12:15pm
We will challenge you with music-themed games, and collaborate on
an original NOFA 2020 song!

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SUNDAY | AUGUST 2

Gather and Greet | All Ages

10:00-10:30am

We will all introduce ourselves, talk about the coming conference
offerings and sing a song. We hope this will be a time to reunite with
old friends and meet new ones.

Storytelling | Children 5-7

10:40-11:20am

This is a fun group brainstorming activity in which we will create
our own cast of characters and write a story together about their
adventures.

Storytelling | Children 8-12

11:30am-12:15pm

This is a fun group brainstorming activity in which we will create
our own cast of characters and write a story together about their
adventures.

SUNDAY | AUGUST 9

Show and Share | All Ages

10:00am

A chance for anyone who wants to share. Examples include:

• Sing or play a song • Show us an animal that you care for

• Share a piece of art that you created • Show us something cool you found outside

• Read a poem or story that you wrote • Anything else you are excited about!

• Show us a plant/row/bed that you grew

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• Plant-Sure • N-Dure Limber Res-Q™
• Regenerex
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with innovative products for fruit For Healthier & More
Productive Livestock
and vegetables, row crops, vineyards,
greenhouses and pastures.

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SUMMER CONFERENCE COMMITTEE

Barrett Anderson Jocelyn Langer
Administrative Director Incoming NOFA/Mass
[email protected] Executive Director
617-834-6883 [email protected]
774-314-0903
Marjorie Bailey
Registration Coordinator Julie Rawson
[email protected] NOFA/Mass Executive Director
774-371-0370 [email protected]
978-355-2853
Christy Bassett
Communications Director Mike Rice
[email protected] Marketing Director
978-575-4084 [email protected]
518-461-6455
Paul Bertler
Operations Manager Caro Roszell
[email protected] Education Director
774-232-0844 [email protected]
508-360-0874
Doug Cook
Education Events Coordinator Fern Spierer
[email protected] Director of Fun
603-969-8195 [email protected]
413-367-2716
Leslie Cox
Volunteer Coordinator Jason Valcourt
[email protected] Conference Coordinator
413-530-2029 [email protected]
970-275-1355
Anna Gilbert-Muhammad
Teen Coordinator Valerie Walton
[email protected] Children’s Conference Coordinator
413-214-1237 [email protected]
617-694-9656

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Helping create
healthier, better
neighborhoods

As a family-owned company, we’re committed
to helping our customers and employees
live healthier, better lives through food.

That commitment includes sharing food and
enriching our neighborhoods in every way
we can. We believe communities thrive when

we all work together.

Horsebarn Hill Road safety improvements being designed by BETA Group, Inc.

BETA Group, Inc. is a proud supporter of the
Northeast Organic Farming Association
Summer Conference!

BETA offers a broad range of planning,
engineering, and landscape architectural

services to improve the communities
where we live and work.

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PRESENTER CONTACTS

Ibrahim Ali, Springfield, MA 01109
413-433-8742, [email protected]

Jade Alicandro Mace, Shutesbury, MA 01072
413-427-9829, [email protected]

Michael Bald, PO Box 848, Royalton, VT 05068
[email protected]

Stephanie Boucher, 1248 US Route 2, East Montpelier, VT 05651
802-552-0992, [email protected]

Bill Braun, Westport, MA 02790
508-243-9338, [email protected]

Heron Breen, PO Box 132, St Albans, ME 04971
[email protected]

Kristin Brennan, 127 Marlborough St, Springfield, MA 01109
915-208-2803, [email protected]

Chuck Currie, 171 Leonard St, Raynham, MA 02767
[email protected]

Heather Darby, 278 South Main St, Suite 2, St Albans, VT 05478
802-524-6501, [email protected]

Julie Davenson, 242 Chesterfield Road, Keene, NH 03431
603-357-7287, [email protected]

Laura Davis, Hopkinton, MA 01748
508-596-1651, [email protected]

Douglass DeCandia, 14 Cove Rd, South Salem, NY 10590
914-494-6986, [email protected]

Jeanne Deignan-Kosmides, 19 Sunday Ct, Reisterstown, MD 21136
410-952-9173, [email protected]

Anna Fialkoff, 180 Hemenway Rd, Framingham, MA 01701
[email protected]

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Stephen Frantz, 300 North Main Street, South Hadley, MA, 01075-3300
[email protected]

Mel Gadd, 43 Cottage St, Cambridge, MA 02139
617-504-3263, [email protected]

Steve Gilman, 130 Ruckytucks Rd, Stillwater, NY 12170
[email protected]

Samantha Glaze-Corcoran, 201 Natural Resources Rd, Amherst, MA 01003
978-855-3242, [email protected]

Ben Goldberg, PO Box 713, Leverett, MA 01054
413-237-7060, [email protected]

Tony Hall, Shelburne Falls, MA 01370
[email protected]

Nathan Harman
www.advancingecoag.com

Nancy Hayden, 3727 VT RT 15, Jeffersonville, VT 05464
802-644-8332, [email protected]

Elizabeth Henderson, 2218 Welcher Rd, Newark, NY 14513
[email protected]

Bruce Hennessey, 1340 Carse Rd, Huntington, VT 05462
[email protected]

Christie Higginbottom, 26 Craig St, Rochdale, MA 01542
508-892-1160, [email protected]

Michael Hollis, 4539 42nd Street 3B, Sunnyside, NY 11104
[email protected]

Bonnie Hudspeth, P.O. Box 93, Shelburne Falls, MA 01370
[email protected]

Sebastian Interlandi, 108 Webster Ave, Providence RI 02909
315-225-0928, [email protected]

Dave Jacke, Montague, MA 01351
603-831-1298, [email protected]

Scott Kellogg, 59 Elm Street, Albany, NY 12202
512-294-9580, [email protected]

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Jack Kittredge, 411 Sheldon Rd, Barre, MA 01005
978-355-2853, [email protected]

John Kozinski, MEA, FSMA, 3425 Main St, Becket, MA 01223
413-464-2990, [email protected]

Julia Latady
[email protected]

Amy Frances LeBlanc, P.O. Box 273, East Wilton, ME 04234
[email protected]

Hannah Leighton, Bovina Center, NY 13740
973-851-5104, [email protected]

Faye Mack, Hunger Free Vermont/38 Eastwood Drive, Suite 100,
South Burlington, VT 05403, 802-231-1071, [email protected]

Jack Mastrianni, 277 Holden Hill Rd, Langdon, NH 03602
[email protected]

Kimberly Mastrianni, 277 Holden Hill Rd, Langdon, NH 03602
603-209-7688, [email protected]

Daniel Mays, 61 Ash Swamp Rd, Scarborough, ME 04074
207-730-9077, [email protected]

Lisa McCrory, 341 Macintosh Hill Rd, Randolph, VT 05090
802-353-5039, [email protected]

Jen Miller, NOFA-VT, P.O. Box 697, Richmond, VT 05477
802-434-4122 x14, [email protected]

Benjamin Morgan-Dillon, Rehoboth, MA 02769
774-565-4077, [email protected]

Mike Nadeau, Sharon, CT 06069-2451
[email protected]

Janel Ohletz, 5602 Wendell Rd, Chapel Hill, NC 27517
603-781-8004, [email protected]

Lee Reich, 387 Springtown Rd, New Paltz, NY 12561
845-616-0710, [email protected]

Tevis Robertson-Goldberg, Chesterfield, MA 01012
413-296-0310, [email protected]

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John Root, 23 Greenleaves Dr. #114, Amherst, MA 01002
413-961-9059, [email protected]
Caro Roszell, Wendell, MA 01379
978-544-9838, [email protected]
Jae Silverman, PO Box 625, Keene, NH 03431
413-768-9437, [email protected]
Suzette Snow-Cobb, Turners Falls, MA 01376
413-824-0232, [email protected]
Kate Spring, 155 Dugar Ext, Worcester, VT 05682
[email protected]
Connor Stedman
[email protected]
Ed Stockman, 131 Summit St, Plainfield, MA 01070
[email protected]
Ed Szymanski, 529 Pleasant St, Franklin, MA 02038
[email protected]
Hannah Traggis, Hubbardston, MA 02532
772-708-8305, [email protected]
Kate Venne, 324 Wells St, Greenfield, MA 01301
413-774-7204, [email protected]
Jacob Vincent
[email protected]
Kate Whelley McCabe, 157 Pioneer Center, Suite 1, Montpelier, VT 05602
802-552-8499, [email protected]
Doug Wolcik, 59 Lowell Rd, Groton, MA 01450
[email protected]

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