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Events and Training

Upcoming Events

Land For Good staff host workshops, trainings, and mixers across the region with local and regional partners. For questions or individual assistance, please contact us.

 

Beginning Farmer Mixer and Launch Party
November 3, 2023

5:00-8:00pm
Northwood, NH
Registration is closed

  • Beginning farmers are invited to Granite State Graziers second annual mixer. Enjoy peer-to-peer networking and celebrate the launch of the Beginner Grazier Toolkit, made in collaboration with NatGLC and the board members of Granite State Graziers. This project is intended to be a living document, continuing to grow and evolve to meet the needs of the agriculture industry. Local sponsors, including Land For Good, will be on site sharing what local resources are available in the Granite State. Your ticket purchase will include dinner, and a cash bar will be available with great locally crafted beer. Hosted by Granite State Graziers.

Expanding the Toolbox: Working Together to Secure Housing and Land for Local Farmers
ThinkFOODConference
November 4, 2023

9:45-10:45am
Great Barrington, MA
Register

  • Panel discussion at ThinkFOOD conference on Land Access featuring: Jamie Pottern, American Farmland Trust, who will share farmland trends and needs in the Berkshire region, Kali Lucey, Land For Good, who will discuss various forms of land access available to new and beginning farmers, as well as established farmers looking to expand, Lily Massee, Schumacher Center for a New Economics, who will cover community land trusts, particularly the Berkshire Community Land Trust, as a tool for securing permanent land access for small-scale farming and farmer housing, and Mackenzie Greer, Berkshire Natural Resources Council, who will share a brief background of Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC), a regional conservation land trust, and its historic approaches to agricultural land protection. The day-long ThinkFOOD conference will give attendees new perspectives on food, farming, and resiliency. Interactive sessions with practical takeaways and new ideas from experts in the Berkshires and beyond will be offered; learn more. Hosted by The Center for Food Studies at Bard College at Simon’s Rock. Register now

Farmland Access & Tenure Overview
Upper Midwest Farmland Summit
November 14, 2023

9:30-10:30am
Chaska, MN
Register

  • Kathy Ruhf, Land For Good’s Senior Advisor, will deliver this opening plenary, giving an overview in order to ground everyone in the realities and challenges of farmland access and tenure. The Farmland Summit will bring together thought leaders, change agents, policymakers, and practitioners from around the upper Midwest to dig into critical challenges and opportunities related to farmland access and transfer. Participants will gather to learn, share, and connect around an array of issues such as financing, tenure, conservation, and transfer. The Summit is convened by the Farmland Access Hub and organized by Renewing The Countryside. Register now

The Nuts-and-Bolts of Farm Leasing: Securing Access to Farmland in Berkshire County
December 5, 2023

5:00pm-7:15pm
Dalton, MA
Register

  • Workshop for Berkshire County farmers and landowners providing a deep dive into everything you need to know about leasing farmland in Berkshire County. Are you a farmer operating some or all of your business on leased land? Looking to finally get a handshake lease in writing? Are you a landowner (individual, non-profit, or public entity) who leases or hopes to lease your land to a farmer? Want to understand the different types of lease arrangements, what makes a strong lease, and who should be reviewing your lease? Join us to learn from and connect with speakers from Land For Good, Three Maples Market Garden, Berkshire Natural Resources Council, Conservation Works, and The Legal Food Hub. This event and dinner are FREE. Advance registration is required. The event is limited to 40 farmers, so reserve your spot! Hosted by American Farmland Trust and Land For Good. Register now

Acquiring Your Farm
Wednesdays, January 17 – February 28, 2024

6:30pm-8:00pm
Virtual
Registration coming soon!

  • Seven-session virtual training series for aspiring, new and beginning farmers to learn how to identify goals and set financial parameters, review pros and cons of owning versus leasing, conduct a land search, assess farm properties, discover keys to successful communication, and more. A thorough introduction to the complex issues of farmland access and tenure to put you in a position to make a plan and take next steps toward getting on farmland and gaining more secure tenure. Hosted by Land For Good. Registration coming soon! 

Farm Succession School – Massachusetts
Wednesdays, January 31, February 28, March 27, 2024

9:30am-3:30pm
Pittsfield, MA
Register

  • This three-day winter course is an opportunity for senior generation farmers – with or without identified successors – to talk with peers, learn from advisors, and get support on the challenging process of farm succession and transfer planning. Farmers from across Massachusetts, of all farm sizes and enterprises, are welcome. Partners are encouraged to attend together. This course will help you get the conversation started, sort through possibilities, clarify your goals and next steps, connect with resources and support to keep the process going! Hosted by Land For Good and Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR). Learn more and register

Did you miss an event?

We record many of our online workshops and webinars, so you can watch and learn at your own pace. Visit our YouTube channel.

 


* For in-person training, we will adhere to all current COVID guidelines and follow state, local, and venue-specific mandates. We will revisit our policies policies and protocols prior to events to protect the health and safety of our staff and participants. Please do NOT attend if you are feeling ill or have had a known COVID exposure.

 

Where We’ve Been

2023

  • New Farmer School 2023 – Meet NH Agricultural Service Providers, virtual, UNH Extension, October 2023
  • New Hampshire Agricultural Professionals Day, NH Farm Network, Lee NH, September 2023
  • Starting Your Farm, Accessing Resources: Workshop 1 of 3, virtual, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, September 2023
  • Forty Acres and a Honda: BIPOC Land Access, Reparations and the Family Farm Dream, Hazel Adams-Shango’s session at NOFA Summer Conference, Worcester MA, July 2023
  • Accessing Soil, Leasing Land and Working with What You Got, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, Brunswick ME, July 2023
  • Armed to Farm – Sustainable Agriculture Training for Military Veterans, National Center for Appropriate Technology and New Entry Sustainable Farming Project, Danvers MA, July 2023
  • Farmer Resource Fair, New Entry Sustainable Farming Project, Beverly MA, May 2023
  • Planning for the Future of Your Farmland, co-hosted with American Farmland Trust and Adams Agricultural Commission, Adams MA, May 2023
  • Planning for the Future of Your Farmland, co-hosted with American Farmland Trust and Dalton Agricultural Commission, Dalton MA, April 2023
  • Farm Succession Planning – Where to Start? virtual, Land & Sea Together, March 2023
  • FarmLink Introduction for Land Trusts, Connecticut Land Conservation Council Conference, March 2023
  • Farmland Needed: Methods and Strategies for Finding Secure Access to Land, CT NOFA’s Winter Conference, virtual, March 2023
  • Make Your Land Available for Farming, virtual, New England Farm Link Collaborative, February – March 2023
  • Acquiring Your Farm webinar series, virtual, January – March 2023
  • Roundtable Discussion on Land Access, NOFA-VT’s Winter Conference, Burlington VT, February 2023
  • Farm Succession Stories, co-hosted with Greenbelt, Topsfield, MA, February 2023
  • Farm Succession Planning webinar series, virtual, January 2023
  • Build Your Network, Grow Our Future, New CT Farmer Alliance, Bloomfield CT, January 2023

2022

  • Accessing Farmland Together webinar for farmers and service providers, Cultivemos (Northeast Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network), virtual, December 2022
  • Farmland Mixer, UConn Extension, and Connecticut FarmLink, North Franklin CT, December 2022
  • Land Transfer & Access Info Session, Hvizda Realty Group, November 2022
  • Succession Planning and Transfer Summit, Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership, North Easton MA, November 2022
  • Leasing Land to and from Farmers, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association’s Farmer to Farmer Conference, Belfast, ME, November 2022
  • Strategies for Finding, Affording, and Securing Farmland in Berkshire County, co-hosted with American Farmland Trust, virtual, November 2022
  • Resource Roundup: Finding Farmland in Berkshire County, co-hosted with American Farmland Trust, Lenox MA, October 2022
  • Connecticut Farmland Mixer, co-hosted with UConn Extension’s Solid Ground Program, and Connecticut Farm Link, Cheshire CT, October 2022
  • New Farmer Mixer, Granite State Graziers, Canterbury, NH, October 2022
  • Starting Your Farm virtual session, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, September 2022
  • Planning for the Future of Your Farmland workshop, American Farmland Trust, Williamstown MA, May 2022
  • Connecticut Farmland Mixer, co-hosted with UConn Extension’s Solid Ground Program, and Connecticut Farm Link, Glastonbury CT, April 2022
  • Making Your Land Available for Farming webinar series, co-hosted with New England Farm Link Collaborative, March 2022
  • Massachusetts Farm Succession School, co-hosted with Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, Greenfield MA, February 2022
  • Farm Succession Planning webinar series, February 2022
  • Acquiring Your Farm interactive virtual series, January 2022
  • Connecticut Farmland Mixer virtual session, co-hosted with UConn Extension’s Solid Ground Program, and Connecticut Farm Link, January 2022

2021

  • It Takes A Region Conference: Advancing Farmland Ownership and Tenure into the Future; Helping Farmers Gain the Ground They Need to Succeed Through Policy; Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (NESAWG), November 2021
  • National Farm Viability Conference: Affording Farmland webinar, Conducting a Farmland Search webinar, Farm Succession Scenarios panel; October 2021
  • Farm Succession Training for Legal & Financial Professionals, supported by the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program (SARE), September 2021
  • Developing Sugarbush Leases, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, September 2021
  • Starting Up! Accessing Resources as a Beginning Farmer, Maine Organic Farmers & Gardener Association’s (MOFGA) Farm Training Project, September 2021
  • Food, Faith & Farms Conference with Gathering of FaithLands Advocates, August 2021
  • Land Access & No-Till Practices Farm Tour, Winter Street Farm, NOFA-NH and Virtual Communities, August 2021
  • Practicalities & Realities in Land Law, Farm Commons, June 2021
  • Farm Succession Planning Workshop, Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation, April 2021
  • Connecticut Farmland Mixer virtual session, April 2021
  • Farm Succession Planning webinar series, March 2021
  • Land Access & Tenure Strategies Webinar, Massachusetts Urban Farming Conference, Urban Farming Institute and Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), March 2021
  • Making Your Farm Available to a Successor Webinar, UNH Cooperative Extension, March 2021
  • Harvest New England Marketing Virtual Conference, February 2021
  • Using Traditional or Non-Traditional Ways of Gaining Farmland Webinar, NOFA/Mass, February 2021
  • Connecticut Farmland Virtual Mixer, American Farmland Trust, Connecticut Farmland Trust & UConn Extension, February 2021
  • Finding Your Farm Webinar, UNH Cooperative Extension, February 2021
  • Professional Training for Farm Succession Advisors, professional development project aimed to strengthen the knowledge, skills and collaboration of a diverse group of service providers who work with—or want to work with—transitioning farm families in various ways across New England with a grant from Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE), January 2021

2020

2019

  • Farm Labor Round Table with Merrymeeting Food Council and University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Bowdoinham ME, December 2019
  • Finding Farmland part of University of Connecticut Extension‘s Solid Ground Training series, New Haven CT, December 2019
  • New England Vegetable & Fruit Conference, Manchester NH, December 2019
  • Land Reparations with Leah Penniman part of Karuna Center for Peacebuilding‘s Engaging Peace: Reparation and Its Forms series, Northampton MA, December 2019
  • Farmland Access & Transfer Conference co-hosted with Maine Farmland Trust, Augusta ME, November 2019
  • Working Lands Alliance Annual Meeting and Luncheon, Hartford CT, November 2019
  • Fostering Resilient Agriculture in a Changing Climate with Vital Communities, Plainfield NH, November 2019
  • Sponsor of Farmer to Farmer Conference hosted by Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association (MOFGA), Northport ME, November 2019
  • National Farm Viability Conference, Red Wing MN, October 2019
  • Food Solutions New England (FSNE) Network Leadership Institute, Fairlee VT, September 2019
  • Landowner Meeting with Bowdoinham Community Development Initiative, Bowdoinham ME, September 2019
  • Young Farmer Nights Series with Young Farmer Network of Southeastern New England, Smithfield RI, September 2019
  • Farm Succession Planning Presentation for MA Christmas Tree Association Meeting, Uxbridge MA, September 2019
  • Next Steps from Apprentice to Journeyperson Workshop as part of Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners Assoc. (MOFGA) Farm Training Project, Bowdoinham ME, September 2019
  • Land Tenure Workshop, Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners Assoc. (MOFGA) Farm Training Project, Monroe ME, August 2019
  • Young Farmer Nights Series with Young Farmer Network of Southeastern New England, Tiverton RI, July 2019
  • How to Access and Evaluate Land for Farming: A SCORE Small Business Workshop, Easton CT, July 2019
  • Landowner & Farmer Mixer with by New Entry Sustainable Farming Project, Beverly MA June 2019
  • Young Farmer Nights Series with Young Farmer Network of Southeastern New England, Chepachet RI, June 2019
  • Planning For The Future of Your Land Workshops, Westminster & Gardner MA, May 2019
  • Real Estate Professional Training, Portsmouth NH, April 2019
  • National Farm Link Clinic, St. Louis MO, April 2019
  • Making Your Land Available for Agriculture Session, Lewiston-Auburn Region Farmland Access & Growing the Food Economy Conference, Auburn ME, March 2019
  • Planning for the Next Successor on your Farm Workshop with Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, Leominster MA, March 2019
  • Community Conversations: Focus on Farmers with Bowdoinham Community Development Institute, Bowdoinham ME, March 2019
  • Improving Agricultural Land Conservation in NH Workshop, NH Food System Statewide Gathering: Cultivating Our Collective Voice, Plymouth NH, March 2019
  • Harvest New England Agricultural Marketing Conference: Ensure Your Farm’s Legacy: Succession and Transfer Planning Starts Now Workshop, Sturbridge MA, February 2019
  • NOFA-VT Winter Conference: Creative Options for Farm Access, Transfer & Conservation Workshop, Burlington VT, February 2019
  • Transferring The Farm Workshop, Berlin VT, February 2019
  • Farm Succession School, Warwick RI, December 2018 – February 2019
  • Getting Started on Farm Succession Planning Workshop, NH Farm & Forest Expo, Manchester NH, February 2019
  • The Future of Your Farmland Workshop with Mass Audubon, Middleboro MA, January 2019
  • Planning for the Next Successor on your Farm Workshop with Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), Foxborough  & Amherst MA, January – February 2019
  • Vermont Grazing & Livestock Conference: Current and Future Land Use: Understanding Easements, Opportunities and Limitations Workshop; Fairlee VT, January 2019

2018

2017

  • New England Vegetable & Fruit Conference, Manchester NH, December 2017
  • Land Access for Farmers Workshop with New Entry Sustainable Farming Project, Lowell MA, December 2017
  • Maine Farmland Access Conference, Augusta ME, December 2017
  • Leasing Your Land to a Farmer Workshop, Montpelier VT, November 2017
  • Leasing Your Land to a Farmer Workshop, West Lebanon NH, November 2017
  • Farmland Access Info Night,  Bedford NH, November 2017
  • Feast on This! Film Festival & Panel Discussion, Keene NH, November 2017
  • NH Association of Conservation Districts’ Working Lands Conference: Increasing Farmland Access and Building Stronger Farms Through Conservation Workshop, Keene NH, November 2017
  • Farmland Access Info Night, Haverhill NH, October 2017
  • Common Ground Fair: Negotiating Leases Workshop & Farm Succession Planning Workshop, Unity ME, September 2017
  • Changing Lands, Changing Hands: National Conference on farm & Ranch Access, Tenure, and Transfer, Denver CO, June 2017
  • National Farm Viability Conference: Farm Transfer Planning Workshop; and Farmland Investment Companies: Innovative Partners for Land Access? Albany NY, May 2017
  • Farm Succession Advisors Training, Manchester NH, May 2017
  • Maine Real Estate Professional Training: Tools & Resources for Working with Farms with Commercial Agricultural Potential, Belfast ME, April 2017
  • Farm Succession Planning Workshop, RI Land Trust Council, Tiverton RI, March 2017
  • Assessing & Preparing Land for Farming Workshop, Short Course: Moving Onto Your Own Land by Young Farmer Network and Southside Community Land Trust, Providence RI, March 2017
  • Harvest New England Agricultural Marketing Conference: Farm Succession & Transfer Workshop, Sturbridge MA, March 2017
  • NH Farmland Access & Transfer Info Night, West Ossipee NH, February 2017
  • NOFA-VT Winter Conference: New & Novel Land Financing Methods; Farm Bill Primer and Listening Session; Burlington VT, February 2017
  • Farm Lease Clinic, NOFA-MA Winter Conference, Worcester MA, January 2017

2016

2015

2014 & beyond

Selected Presentations

  • Sponsor, Facilitator and Opening Remarks, Farmland Access and the Importance of Networks for Service Providers, Beginning Farmer Network of MA (BFN/MA) Fall Forum, Charlton MA, Nov. 2013.
  • Farmland Access, Tenure and Transfer: Conservation Tool and Context, Panel on Working Lands Conservation, 5th Regional Conservation Partnership Gathering, Nashua NH, Nov. 2013
  • Affordability (panel presenter and moderator), Farmland Access and Affordability Forum, Wethersfield CT, Oct. 2013
  • Co-Sponsor, organizer and presenter, New England Farmland Convening, Portsmouth NH, May 2013
  • Agriculture Trends in MA and New England and Land Conservation, Mt. Grace Conservation Land Trust, Athol MA, 2013
  • Land For Good’s Approach to Farmland Access, JUST Land national gathering, Land Stewardship Project, Rochester MN, 2012
  • Access to Land for Beginning Farmers, National Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Annual Conference, Rochester MN, 2012
  • Leasing Your Protected Farmland for Agricultural Use, Rhode Island Land and Water Summit, Kingston RI, 2010
  • Land Access, Leasing, Land Trusts and More, Drake Agricultural Law Center Forum on Beginning Farmers, Washington DC,, 2010
  • Farm/Ranch Succession Education, Programs and Services, Changing Lands, Changing Hands national conference, Denver CO, 2009
  • Farmland Access and Transfer, Georgia Organics, Atlanta, GA 2009
  • Annual conference, Massachusetts Association of Agriculture Commissions 2009.
  • What’s the Plan for the Farm?, Michigan Land Use Institute, Traverse City MI, 2007
  • Challenges and Opportunities for Small and Beginning Farmers, Small and Beginner Farmers of NH conference, October 2007