Pioneer Valley Women's Agricultural Network Newsletter

Pioneer Valley Women’s Agricultural Network Newsletter
Summer, 2006

Second Annual Celebration of Women in Agriculture
Thursday, July 27 Whately Town Hall

Cheryl Rogowski, farmer-owner of W. Rogowski Farm in Pine Island, NY and recipient of the MacArthur Foundation Genius Award speaking on "Working Smarter, Not Harder: Strengthening Our Connections". Thursday, July 27th, 6:00 PM. Dinner and child care provided free-of-charge. Registration by Monday 7/24. Call 413-665-7100 or email therese@buylocalfood.com. The Whately Town Hall is located at 194 Chestnut Plain Road, across from the Whately Inn.

Volunteers needed. We're looking for a few volunteers to help set up for the July 27th meeting. Starting at 5 PM. If interested, contact Therese at 665-7100 or therese@buylocalfood.com.

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2006-2007 Pioneer Valley Women’s Agricultural Network
Meeting Schedule-- Save the Dates!

Monday, October 23, 2006—Topic: Showcase of Women in Agriculture in the Pioneer Valley. Meet at Frontier Regional High School in South Deerfield. To display your products, brochures, and ideas, contact therese@buylocalfood.com.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007—Topic: Planning for the New Year. Meet at Flayvor’s Restaurant at Cook’s Farm in Hadley.

Wednesday, April 25, 2007—Topic: TBA. Meet at Frontier Regional High School, S. Deerfield.

Thursday, July 26, 2007—Topic: TBA. Meet at Whately Town Hall.

All meetings scheduled from 6:30 – 9:00 PM unless otherwise noted.

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CISA’s Women in Agriculture Program receives $3,500 grant
from the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts

The Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts recently awarded CISA’s Women in Agriculture program a $3,500 grant to support leadership training, mentoring, community building, and business management training. Plans for a 2007 Women in Agriculture leadership retreat are underway. For more information or to help plan the event, contact therese@buylocalfood.com.

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Meetings Around the Region

Renewable Energy for Farms and Greenhouses: A Series of Twilight Meetings

Learn more about reducing your energy bill through renewable technology, finding the right renewable systems for your farm or greenhouse, and options for funding. Come to one or all three meetings.

Solar Energy—Wednesday, July 26th, 4 – 7 PM. Riverland Farm, Sunderland, MA.

Wind and Solar Energy—Thursday, September 7th, 3 – 6 PM. Lion Spring Farm, Dover, MA.

Field Corn Biomass for Heating Greenhouses—Wednesday, October 4th, 3 – 6 PM. Kosinski Farm, Westfield, MA.

Cost: $20 per attendee per meeting or $35 per farm per meeting. Local Hero members are eligible for a $5 discount for one attendee per workshop or a $10 discount per farm per workshop. You must return the coupon with your registration. Meetings are held rain or shine.

For more information, contact UMASS Extension at 413-545-5306 or visit www.umass.edu/umext/floriculture/.

From the Ground Up: A Workshop for Beginning Farmers on Greenhouse Management, Cultivation, Irrigation, and Marketing.
Tuesday, August 8th, 9 AM – 3 PM. Cedar Circle Farm, East Thetford, VT

This day-long workshop will provide beginning farmers and growers with practical information on managing mechanical systems—greenhouses, irrigation, and cultivation—on horticultural farms.

Topics include trickle and overhead irrigation, greenhouse construction and management (including season extension strategies), and techniques and equipment to control weeds.

The day will also include a session on direct marketing strategies for vegetable and berry growers and time for discussion about business planning and resources for beginning farmers.

Early registration by 7/31. $25 per person or $30 per person after 7/31.

Sponsored by UVM Extension. For more information, contact Beth Holtzman at 802-656-5459 or beth.holtzman@uvm.edu.

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U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture
Announces Web-Based Farm Bill Feedback Form

Chairman Bob Goodlatte recently announced the launch of a web-based farm bill feedback form on the House Committee on Agriculture website. The web-based form allows producers throughout the nation to provide the Committee with feedback about current farm policy as well as input about the future of farm policy.

"Farm bill policy directly impacts the lives of America's farmers and ranchers; therefore, if we really want to know how farm policy works in practice, it makes sense to hear directly from our producers. We've had the opportunity to hear from a wide variety of producers through our field hearings and this information is helpful to the Committee as we prepare to consider the farm bill reauthorization next year. We also understand that there are many other producers that we haven't heard from and this feedback form will hopefully garner feedback from broad range of producers. By having a web-based feedback form, producers everywhere will have the opportunity to provide the Committee with their thoughts and input about future farm policy," said Chairman Goodlatte.

The Committee recently conducted field hearings throughout the country to gather feedback from producers and review current farm policy in preparation for reauthorizing the 2002 Farm Bill. The 2002 Farm Bill expires September 2007 and Chairman Goodlatte expects to begin the farm bill debate in early 2007.

The form can be accessed at www.agriculture.house.gov and clicking on the Farm Bill Feedback icon. The information submitted to the Committee via the website will not be part of the Congressional Record, but will be shared with Members of the House Committee on Agriculture.

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NEW! Tip Sheets for Farm Businesses:
Marketing to Enhance Farm Viability

CISA's new series of marketing tip sheets, "Marketing to Enhance Farm Viability," provides valuable information on a variety of topics for growers and agricultural businesses. The tip sheets include information from our work with Local Hero members and the expertise of experienced farmers, including several active in the Pioneer Valley Women’s Agricultural Network.

Tip sheets can be downloaded here:

Developing a Marketing Plan for Your Farm

Using Paid Advertising as Part of a Marketing Plan

Working with the Media: Public Relations and Publicity

Workshops and Classes as a Marketing Strategy

Or call Jennifer at 413-665-7100 to receive a copy of the tip sheets in the mail.

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Women's Agricultural Network starting up in CT

Women farmers in Connecticut are beginning to organize a Women’s Agricultural Network for Connecticut. Organizer Elaine Frost recently put out the following announcement. If you know someone who might benefit from participation in this group, please pass the announcement along:

Since January of this year in Connecticut, about 30 ag-related women have expressed interest in forming a network for exchange of information, experiences and needs. We are proceeding as a "grass roots" group for now, establishing connections with one another and identifying possibilities. We can be thinking about who we are and what we have to share! Please send me your “who-what-where when & why”, as well as ideas of how a women's network could be helpful to you in particular and women in agriculture in general. Women in business—farming included—face the same challenges as all owners and workers. How we support and encourage one another through the process is one way we can do things differently! For more information, contact: Elaine Frost, Frostfire Farm, Goshen, CT 860-491-2272.

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Funding for CISA’s Women in Agriculture Program is provided by the Risk Management Agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Northeast Farm Credit AgEnhancement Program, the Agway Foundation, and the Lawson Valentine Foundation.

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Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture
1 Sugarloaf Street, South Deerfield MA 01373
Tel: 413-665-7100 Fax: 413-665-7101
http://www.buylocalfood.com