New Entry's farmer library has hundreds of resources on sustainable farming, marketing, and operating a successful small business. Our physical library at our office in Beverly, MA contains books, CD's, DVD's periodicals, pamphlets, and videos in English, Spanish, Hmong, and Khmer. You can also search the directory below for downloadable digital resources, helpful web sites, and online farming videos.
Please visit or email us at nesfp@tufts.edu if you can't find what you're looking for here. Sometimes we are out in the field, so it's best to let us know if you're planning on stopping by.
New Entry Sustainable Farming Project and the Conservation Law Foundation present Beth O'Neal, partner at Conn Kavanaugh, on a webinar that explores how federal and state employment laws apply to small-scale farmers in Massachusetts. This webinar covers different employee classifications, housing and food stipends, and minimum wage and overtime requirements.
Word document sample agreement for farmer group use of a shared tiller machine. Outlines owners, responsibilities, and procedures for repairs and maintenance. All regions. English level: Intermediate. Farmer Level: Beginner. Literacy Level: Intermediate. Keywords: Equipment, Machine, Maintenance, Repairs.
This powerpoint presentation includes information on financial models, tools, business models, and best practices. Advanced. Other keywords: Finance, Entrepreneur
A resource to help organizations that are interested in starting a farm incubator program. Put together by the Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA), the toolkit summarizes ALBA's experience, operational guidelines, model land leases, cost allocations, farmer communication forms, business planning templates, and other considerations.
The ALBA Annual Farm Interview is once of the tools used by the Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA) to evaluate their farmer participant's progress before, during, and after their participation on ALBA's farm incubator program. It asks questions regadring farmers community involvement, financial success, and farm practices used.
ALBA's annual farmer survey tracks a wide range of outcomes for incubator farm program participants. See what indicators you can use to measure farmer success on your program.
Presented by NIFTI and the Agriculture and Land Based Training Association (ALBA)
This Webinar features
Nathan Harkleroad, Outreach and Education Program Manager at ALBA, who shares how ALBA defines sustainable land management, and how this informs farmer policies and plays out in farmer practices. Nathan will discuss the challenges and lessons learned while implementing a sustainable land management plan with 40 farmers on 150 acres. He will also cover how sustainable land use is incorporated into ALBA's farmer education curriculum.
Dr. Peter Walker, Dean of the Falk School of Sustainability at Chatham University, who focuses on how Chatham incorporates farm and woodland into the campus and educational agenda at Eden Hall, Chatham University's brand new, 388 acre fully sustainable campus. His presentation will describe just what it means to be a sustainable campus, how Chatham is trying to integrate the farm into the teaching, research, innovation and entrepreneurial agenda, and what Chatham hopes to do in the future.
Eero Ruuttila, Technical Assistance and Incubator Farm Manager at New Entry Sustainable Farming Project, who presents on fertility management on the incubator site, including specific strategies that he has developed over his 35 year career as an organic farmer and organic food advocate. He will also discuss approaches and challenges related to planning for and teaching long-term soil/fertility management with multiple farmers that have finite time on the farm site.
Are you thinking of starting a farming business in Massachusetts? Are you currently farming and interested in expanding the crops you grow, accessing new marketing outlets, or making your business more profitable? This resource guide is a collection of 35 independent fact sheets that can be used separately as needed or together as a complete set. Topics include land access, farm infrastructure, risk management, business planning, livestock processing, organic certification, and much more. It may be helpful for you to use this series with someone who can guide you to more farming information, such as an experienced farmer, a Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources employee, a United States Department of Agriculture employee, or other service provider.
