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The VINE - e-Newsletter
SEMAP

                                      

July 2014   
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July 29
"Growing the Best Heirloom Tomatoes"
24K Heirloom Tomatoes, South Dartmouth   

August 13th
"Organic Weed Control"

September 2nd
"Biodiversity on the Farm"

October 6th
"Storage Crops for Winter Sales"
Skinny Dip Farm, Westport

Check SEMAP's website for details on these events and for registration
We are Hiring!

SEMAP Seeks  Full Time Director - Job Posting

SEMAP Seeks Part-Time Admin &  Outreach Staff (Temporary)

Expanding the SEMAP Board of Directors & Advisory Board

We are continuing to expand our active SEMAP Board and Advisory Board, if you are interested in applying for a board position please contact Derek Christianson at 508-992-1868 or [email protected]

We are especially interested in recruiting board representatives from Northern Bristol, Norfolk, & Plymouth Counties. 

We are also seeking new board members with one of the following qualifications:

a financial background to contribute their expertise to SEMAP

a conventional agricultural producer

culinary professional

We'll hold a new board member informational session in early September and are looking forward to expanding our slate of directors for election at our Annual Meeting in November.
(Details to be announced in the September Vine) 

Vegetable Farming by Derek Christianson
 

Welcome to the July issue of the Vine.  As one of my roles as a SEMAP board member I'll be contributing a short monthly column to each month's vine, including brief updates from our region and sharing a couple of resources/tips for vegetable growers.   

SEMAP Updates:

Where was the June Vine?  At the End of May we bid a fond farewell to Kristen Irvin, who had served SEMAP in a number of capacities over the past 2 years.  Between the staff transition and the busy pace of the planting season we decided to skip June's publication of the Vine.  Never fear, the vine is back and will return to a monthly publication date through the end of the year.

Do you have an event or announcement you would like included in the Vine?  Please email us at [email protected]
  
Celebrating Good News

The June Strawberry season was considered excellent by many area growers, summer crops are filling farmstands and market stalls throughout the region.  Locally produced cucumbers, summer squash, & zucchini are now widely available.  Green beans and sweet corn are right around the corner, and soon enough blueberries and raspberries will grace our summertime desserts.  Yum.   

Agricultural Resources & Field Notes

I imagine we aren't the only local grower looking forward to a bit of rain headed our way.  Our fields in Dartmouth have received less than 2 inches of rain since the 1st of May, and barely a drink in the past 2 weeks.  Perhaps one of the passing thunderstorms blessed your fields more than ours.    With all the great cultivation weather, we've been maintaining a dust mulch on many our non-irrigated fields which has helped our long season crops continue to grow well despite the dry conditions.  Though admittedly just about the whole farm could really use a decent rain.

We experienced an abundance of aphids in early June, perhaps due to a nitrogen flush from the one decent (1/2 inch or rain) storms we received.  On our farm, we had a good experience foliar spraying sodium molybdate (39% Mo) at a rate of 6 oz/acre (typical rates range from 2 oz. - 8oz. per acre, it's pricy ~$50/lb.) alongside some iron sulfate, plus a carbon and a surfactant to help hold the minerals on the leaf surface.  Molybdenum plays a role in the nitrate reductase enzyme and it's application along with adequate iron should reduce tissue and sap nitrates.  Indeed lettuce mix which was deemed unfit for harvesting one week, we were able to be cut about 7-10 days later. 

Note:  We don't recommend Mo applications without a soil or tissue test and/or prior experience with Molybdenum fertilizers.
See The University of Wisconsin's Soil & Applied Molybdenum for a brief overview and/or The Role of Molybdenum in Agricultural Plant Production for an expanded consideration of the topic.

Looking to expand your production next season?  ATTRA has recently published  Scaling Up Your Vegetable Farm for Regional Markets.  Available online in .pdf format for free.

I doubt many area growers can realistically schedule a trip to the Pioneer Valley in July, but  the annual UMass Agricultural Field Day will be held in South Deerfield on July 29th, 10AM-4PM and would be well worth the working vacation day if you can swing it... 

 
Hope everyone's crops are growing well, your markets are well attended, and your meals are filled with an abundance of locally grown farm fare.

-Derek
 SEMAP's Guide to Local Food and Farms in Southeastern Mass!
 
 
Coming Soon!  We have pushed the publication date for this year's Local Food Guide back 'til mid-summer.  Thanks for understanding.  The good news - if you are a farm or local business you now have until July 11th to renew your SEMAP membership and be listed in the 2014 guide.

Look for the guide at farm stands, markets, and events starting in late July! The guide will contain SEMAP member farms and local food businesses, as well as a list of farmers markets in our region.
  
Farmers Markets in Southeastern Massachusetts
Find One Near You
Farmers Market Today  
     
Events, Announcements, and Resources

 

Summer Fun on the Farm Vacation Program 

Weekdays |Soule Homestead |Middleboro, MA    

 

New Junior Grange |Dartmouth Grange 

For upcoming meeting schedule please contact the Dartmouth Grange  

 

Backyard Homesteading Workshop Series presented by Lydia Silva   

10AM - Noon | July 13, 20, 27   

 

This series of three workshops will give you the tools to design an abundant backyard food production system. We will use permaculture principles as our guide to create regenerative, high yielding, nutrient dense fruit, vegetables, herbs, nuts, and medicinals in our own backyard!   

 

edible South Shore & South Coast Summer Issue Release Party  

Mayflower Brewing in Plymouth |  Thursday July 17, 7PM   

 

Southeastern MA Livestock Association (SEMALA) - New Website 

All are invited to learn more about our region's livestock producers and the newly formed Southeastern MA Livestock Association and the campaign to build a state-of-the-art custom and USDA-certified slaughter, butchery, cut and wrap facility in Southeastern MA. Learn more about SEMALA here. SEMAP is a proud supporter/partner of SEMALA.   

 

Fair Season Has Arrived!   

 

Barnstable County Fair | July 21-27, 2014

Westport Fair | July 16-20, 2014

Rochester Fair | Aug 14-17, 2014  

Marshfield Fair | Aug 15-24, 2014

Dartmouth Grange Fair | Sept 5,6 2014

 

Visit  MDAR's Agricultural Fair's Directory for a complete list. 

  

NOFA (Northeast Organic Farming Association) Presents 40th Annual Summer Conference 

August 8-10| UMass Amherst |  Amherst, MA

 

Featuring pre-conference intensive and keynote address by Elaine Ingham, Soil Food Web expert.  More than 150 workshops for consumers, farmers, gardeners, homesteaders, & more.  Children & Teen programming.  A great excuse to get out to the Pioneer Valley this summer.  For more info visit the Summer Conference Website.   

 

  Attention Farmers! The Local Juice needs product! 

The Local Juice is a company driven by a passion to promote a sustainable lifestyle that is locally driven and nutritionally mindful. We are striving to be 100% organic, 50% local, cold-pressed andbottled on Cape Cod. We need your help! Please contact us if you'd like to supply any of the following produce items for our menu:

Fennel, Parsley, Celery, Beets, Kale, Cayenne, Cucumber, Spinach, Mint, Carrot, Pea greens.

Please email Nicole Cormier: [email protected] or call 508-813-9282

 

 

USDA Agricultural Marketing Service Grants: Money available for Organic certification cost-share; farmers markets and local food promotion; and more

 

Farm Tour Cooking Classes with the Dartmouth Grange

Upcoming classes:  You Can Cook Anything with Wine| Friday July 23rd

Kaisa Hollaway Cripps - Running Brook Vineyard 

Click here to learn more 

 

The Online Farm Guide 

Farmers: Keep your farmfresh.org listing up-to-date! The online farm guide, farmfresh.org, is a go-to for anyone looking for local foods, beverages and farm fun. Eaters: Visit www.farmfresh.org to find local food near you. 

 

The Beginning Farmers Network of MA has resources for beginning farmers, including an ever-expanding calendar of events statewide, helpful tips from guest bloggers, a jobs board, and a referral network. Get in touch or check out the BFN/MA site today to find the help you're looking for. See links to Young Farmer Nights (RI & MA super fun farm visits!) and New Entry's brand new publication, An Entrepreneur's Guide to Farming in Massachusetts.

  

SAVE THE DATE 

 

 

 

2014 Bog Jog | Saturday September 13 | in Plymouth - details coming soon!

  

  

When the Belly is the Beast - NOFA/Mass Health Seminar sponsored in part by SEMAP

  

Friday October 10, 2014 |9AM-5PM |Bristol Community College, Fall River

featuring Dr. Martha Herbert, Pamela J. Ferro RN ASN, & Raman Prasad

 

The seminar explains how environmental factors, including toxic exposures and processed and nutrient-poor foods, are causing a range of chronic and degenerative illnesses in the population. The seminar addresses details of treating and preventing conditions including autism, auto-immune disease, and Alzheimer's by healing the gut and preventing inflammation in the brain.  $70 if Registered by September 25th.  

   

 

SEMAP Annual Meeting | November 2014 | Location & Date TBA in September Vine  

  

   

  

JOBS

 

SEMAP Director (Full-Time)

SEMAP Admin & Outreach Staff (Part-Time, Temporary)

Southeastern Mass Food Security Network Coordinator (Part-Time)


Seasonal Farm Positions - See the Land, Jobs, Stuff - Google Group Page linked below

 

Looking for employment? We like these sites:

 

Land Jobs Stuff Google Group Page 

 

Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group's Job Page 

 

Goodfoodjobs.com 

 

 

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