Our staff offer presentations and host workshops, trainings, and mixers across the region with local and regional partners.

What’s happening

Farm Succession School – Massachusetts
Mondays, January 27, February 24, March 17, 2025
9:30am-3:00pm
Taunton Public Library, Taunton, MA
Register

• Three-day winter course for senior Massachusetts farmers who are ready to dig in and start building their plan. This curriculum is designed to help farmers think through the many aspects of succession planning, clarify vision and goals, get next steps on paper, and review necessary documents to provide for a smooth transition. There is also homework and assistance available between sessions. Each session includes ample time to share and learn from other farmers facing similar questions. Farmers do not need to have an identified successor to participate in this course. The fee is $100 per farm, including all materials and support between classes. Because of the funding resource for this series only farmers located in Massachusetts can sign up for this course. Hosted by Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources and Land For Good.

Land Ownership Readiness Course, Cohort 2
Saturday, February 8, 1:00pm-4:00pm
Thursday, February 27, 6:30-8:00pm
UConn Extension, Farmington, CT and Virtual
Register

• New course for underserved producers, including socially disadvantaged producers, in Connecticut. This course will prepare farmers to purchase farm land and introduce them to the entire process of a real estate transaction. The course does not assume farmers have prior experience or knowledge with property acquisition or ownership, and there are no prerequisites for this course. The purpose of the course is to introduce farmers to key concepts, and raise awareness of the broad range of issues, concerns, challenges and obligations connected to farmland acquisition and ownership. With this introduction, farmers will develop a checklist of important criteria and an inventory of helpful resources to navigate the process of buying farmland. Will O’Meara, our Connecticut Field Agent, will facilitate the two course modules happening on the dates listed, “How to Search for Farmland in CT using Important Criteria for a fam business” and “Tools for Reducing Cost of Ownership.” Hosted by UConn Extension.

MDAR’s Agricultural Resource Fair
Tuesday, February 18, 2025
9:30am-3:30pm
Smith Vocational High School, Northampton, MA
Register

• Resource fair for current and aspiring farmers. Learn about the programs, grants, or services participating state and federal agencies, nonprofit organizations, and stakeholder supporters of Massachusetts agriculture community may offer your farm business. Land For Good will also deliver a short Farm Succession presentation. Hosted by Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources.

Land Access for Sustainable Agriculture
Thursday, February 20, 2025
1:00-2:00pm
Virtual
Register

• A webinar for Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund members focusing farmland access issues. Land For Good will share an overview of recommended practices on how to access land for farming and ranching, including how to  conduct land searches, and how to develop sound leases and other land agreements. The program will also include a high level look at the resources available to transitioning farmers and ranchers who are beginning to plan for a land transfer to new owners or set up succession planning. Farm Aid will also provide an overview of their Farm Resource Network and share with our members how they can use the Network, free of charge, to locate land access resources they might need to support their operations and their future goals. Hosted by Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund.

MDAR’s Agricultural Resource Fair
Friday, February 21, 2025
9:30am-3:30pm
Essex Agricultural High School, Danvers, MA
Register

• Resource fair for current and aspiring farmers. Learn about the programs, grants, or services participating state and federal agencies, nonprofit organizations, and stakeholder supporters of Massachusetts agriculture community may offer your farm business. Land For Good will also deliver a short Farm Succession presentation. Hosted by Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources.

Farm Business Planning Course
Tuesday, February 25, 2025
6:00pm-8:00pm
Virtual

• For farmers ready to start or expand their farm business. Eight sessions filled with information and activities that will help participants write a farm business plan. During this session, Jae Silverman, Land For Good’s Massachusetts Field Agent, will present and discuss areas of land access, tenure, leasing, and how to prepare for and conduct a farmland search. Hosted by New Entry Sustainable Farming Project.

Winter Farmer Gathering
Thursday, February 27, 2025
5:00pm-7:00pm
Hannah Grimes Center For Entrepreneurship, Keene, NH
Register

• An opportunity for producers in the Monadnock Region to connect and engage in peer to peer learning with facilitated conversations and a potluck dinner. Agricultural service providers including Kali Lucey, Land For Good’s New Hampshire Field Agent, will be present and look forward to learning alongside the farmers. Families are welcome and some children’s activities will be provided.

Land Access: Strategies for Security on Land
CT NOFA Winter Conference
Saturday, March 1, 2025
9:45am-11:00am
Eastern Connecticut State University, Willimantic, CT
Register

• Beginning farmers will learn how to conduct a land search, how to assess farmland and infrastructure, the pros and cons of leasing vs. owning farmland, and strategies for making farmland more affordable. We will also discuss resources available to farmers to improve land access outcomes, financing options, and concrete steps farmers can take to improve their readiness for leasing or purchasing farmland. Will O’Meara, the Connecticut Field Agent with Land For Good and owner/operator of Hungry Reaper Farm in Morris, CT, will draw heavily on his personal experiences looking for land, and a series of leases that led them to move their farm three times in three years. Case studies from other farms in the region will complement the topics and strategies discussed.

New Hampshire Farm Bureau Coffee & Conversations
Tuesday, March 4, 2025
9:00am-11:00am
New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation, Concord, NH
Learn more

• This month’s Coffee & Conversations will focus on farm succession planning. Kali Lucey, Land For Good’s New Hampshire Field Agent will present an overview of the succession planning process, providing information for junior and senior generation farmers. Come meet new farmers and landowners, catch up with old friends, ask questions, make suggestions, and enjoy coffee and donuts. Hosted by New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation.

Land Ownership Readiness Course, Cohort 3
Saturday, March 8, 1:00pm-4:00pm
Thursday, March 27, 6:30-8:00pm
CT Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, CT and Virtual
Register

• New course for underserved producers, including socially disadvantaged producers, in Connecticut. This course will prepare farmers to purchase farm land and introduce them to the entire process of a real estate transaction. The course does not assume farmers have prior experience or knowledge with property acquisition or ownership, and there are no prerequisites for this course. The purpose of the course is to introduce farmers to key concepts, and raise awareness of the broad range of issues, concerns, challenges and obligations connected to farmland acquisition and ownership. With this introduction, farmers will develop a checklist of important criteria and an inventory of helpful resources to navigate the process of buying farmland. Will O’Meara, our Connecticut Field Agent, will facilitate the two course modules happening on the dates listed, “How to Search for Farmland in CT using Important Criteria for a fam business” and “Tools for Reducing Cost of Ownership.” Hosted by UConn Extension.

Winter Farmer Gathering
Thursday, March 27, 2025
5:00pm-7:00pm
Hannah Grimes Center For Entrepreneurship, Keene, NH
Register

• An opportunity for producers in the Monadnock Region to connect and engage in peer to peer learning with facilitated conversations and a potluck dinner. Agricultural service providers including Kali Lucey, Land For Good’s New Hampshire Field Agent, will be present and look forward to learning alongside the farmers. Families are welcome and some children’s activities will be provided.

Planning for the Future of Your Farm
Thursday, March 27, 2025
5:30-7:30pm
Shelburne Grange Fellowship Hall, Shelburne, MA
Register

• Free workshop for farmland owners and non-farming landowner individuals and/or municipalities, organizations, or institutions that will provide attendees with an understanding of the organizations and resources in the region that can assist with planning for the future of your farm. Speakers from Land For Good, American Farmland Trust, Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, Franklin Land Trust, and more will discuss resources for estate planning, financial planning and grants, farmland conservation, farmland succession, and farm business succession. There will be lots of time for Q&A, to connect with other farmers and agricultural resource providers, and to gather helpful resources. Locally sourced dinner provided. Space is limited! Advance registration is required.

Planning for the Future of Your Farm
Tuesday, April 1, 2025
6:00-8:00pm
1870 Town Function Hall, Berlin, MA
Register

• Free workshop for farmland owners and non-farming landowner individuals and/or municipalities, organizations, or institutions that will provide attendees with an understanding of the organizations and resources in the region that can assist with planning for the future of your farm. Speakers from Land For Good, American Farmland Trust, Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, Sudbury Valley Trustees, and more will discuss resources for estate planning, financial planning and grants, farmland conservation, farmland succession, and farm business succession. There will be lots of time for Q&A, to connect with other farmers and agricultural resource providers, and to gather helpful resources. Locally sourced dinner provided. Space is limited! Advance registration is required.

Planning for the Future of Your Farm
Wednesday, April 9, 2025
5:30-7:30pm
Bounti-Fare Restaurant, Adams, MA
Register

• Free workshop for farmland owners and non-farming landowner individuals and/or municipalities, organizations, or institutions that will provide attendees with an understanding of the organizations and resources in the region that can assist with planning for the future of your farm. Speakers from Land For Good, American Farmland Trust, Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, Berkshire Natural Resources Council, and more will discuss resources for estate planning, financial planning and grants, farmland conservation, farmland succession, and farm business succession. There will be lots of time for Q&A, to connect with other farmers and agricultural resource providers, and to gather helpful resources. Locally sourced dinner provided. Space is limited! Advance registration is required.

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