FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

Food comes into its own as an academic discipline

 

NEWS:

Maine potato farmers get innovative to get ahead

Foods stamps come to more farmer's markets

Farm shares rise in popularity

For Vermont foodbank, farm buy is a perfect fit

A fungus humongous: Pennsylvania is No. 1 in growing mushrooms

More, but smaller, farms redefine New Hampshire agriculture

Eastern Connecticut starts an ice cream trail

 

EVENTS:

9/6: Plant yer own patch! Pennsylvania (various locations)

9/6: Growing Herbs - Making Medicines, Anjali Farm, S. Londonderry, VT

9/10: Commercial Organic Dairy Grazing and Animal Health Management, Taconic End Farm, Leicester, VT

9/10: Cover Crop Trials for Soil Improvements, Brattleboro Extension Office, Brattleboro, VT

9/11: Organic Dairy Grazing for Commercial Farmers, Maple Lane Farm, Cabot, VT

9/13: Hands On Stonewall Building, Holy Goat Farm, Williston, VT

9/14: Store the Harvest, Meadowland Farm, Hinesburg, VT

9/17: Seed Saving Basics, High Mowing Seeds Trial Gardens, Wolcott, VT

9/19-21: Common Ground Fair, Unity, ME

9/19-21; PA Renewable Energy & Sustainable Living Festival, Kempton, PA

9/21: MCCE Agriculture Center, Morrisville, NY

9/22: Soil Fertility and Organic Fertilizers for Commercial Growers, Luna Bleu Farm, South Royalton, VT

9/24-26: Bio-mimicry lecture and workshop, Boston, MA

9/26: Northeast Animal Power Field Days, Tunbridge Fair Grounds, Tunbridge, VT

9/26-27: Living Local Harvest Fest, Chilmark and West Tisbury, MA

9/27: Putting Food By, Many Hands Organic Farm, Barre, MA

9/28: Creating School Gardens and Composting Systems, Hubbardston Center School, Hubbardston, MA

10/5: Mother Earth Harvest Fair, Glenrock, PA

10/7: Pasture Season Extension-Fall Annuals and Perennial Stockpiling, Richmond, VT

10/9: Organic Sugarbush Management, Starksboro, VT

10/12: Harvest Festival - The Putney School, Putney, VT

10/15: Pete's Greens's Experience Building an On-Farm Kitchen, Craftsbury Village, VT

10/25: Living in the Balance at Seeds of solidarity with Rick Baruc and Deb Habib, Orange, Ma

 

OPPORTUNITIES:

Plant Education Coordinator, Food Bank For New York City, New York, NY 

Multiple Job Openings, The Food Trust, Philadelphia, PA

Multiple Job Openings, Community Food Resource Center, New York, NY

Northeast SARE Farmer Grant

Rhode Island Specialty Crop Grants

Organic Farming Research Foundation Research Grants

Energy Productivity in Innovative Local Food Production Systems Grant

Vegetable and Strawberry IPM Educator Exchange Program

Northeast SARE Sustainable Community Grants

Organic Farming Research Foundation Education & Outreach Grants

Vermont Barn Preservation Grants Program

Healthy Sprouts Awards

Northeast SARE Farmer Grant

Pennsylvania Agricultural & Rural Youth Grant

 

 

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

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Food Comes Into Its Own As An Academic Discipline

(Hartford Courant) - When 80 Yale University freshmen entered school Sunday, they took their first step toward higher education. But there was no reading list or, for that matter, showers. On the syllabus: digging up carrots, picking tomatoes and building chicken coops. The students, who make up 6 percent of the Class of 2012, are part of a pre-orientation program that lets students experience life on a family-owned organic farm. They are registering for any of this year's 19 food and agriculture courses, such as the popular "Psychology, Biology and Politics of Food." The number of food-related courses is up almost 50 percent from five years ago. "There's a generation of students that understand that the modern world has been shaped by agriculture, and they are turning to their curriculum to understand those connections," says Melina Shannon-DiPietro, director of the six-year-old Yale Sustainable Food Project, which runs the pre-orientation program. Full article here: http://www.courant.com/features/food/hc-foodcollegeprograms.artaug28,0,560414.story

 

 

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NEWS

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Maine potato farmers get innovative to get ahead

(MaineBiz) - If there is a stereotype that exists of the Aroostook County potato farmer, it might go something like this: An older man with a wrinkled, sun-tanned face, riding a tractor while wearing a beat-up John Deere hat and dusty overalls. When it's harvest time he rounds up the local school children who dig potatoes from the neat hill rows and fill wooden barrels scattered throughout the potato fields with tubers.Of course, if this is how you envision the modern potato farmer from northern Maine, you'd be dead wrong. Fact is the potato industry in Aroostook County has changed. "It is much, much more sophisticated than people realize," says Tim Hobbs, director of development at the Maine Potato Board. Full article here: http://www.mainebiz.biz/news43281.html

 

Foods stamps come to more farmer's markets

(AP) -- More farmers markets nationwide are accepting food stamps for their summer squash, apples and other fresh produce -- fattening profits for farmers while creating healthier options for low-income families as food prices soar. The federal Food Stamp Program is helping New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, Michigan and other states provide handheld wireless terminals for electronic benefit transfers -- the modern debit card version of food stamps -- to farmers markets at no extra cost. Massachusetts, New Mexico, Vermont and other states plan to equip more markets to accept the cards this year.It can't come soon enough for people like Wilfred Negron. Negron shops for groceries for his family in Brooklyn using an EBT card to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, but he said he would rather use his card to buy produce at a farmer's market. He said the nearby stores don't offer the same kind of variety. "When you do shop at the grocery store, it's very limited -- they don't have a very wide selection," he said. "I think if we had a farmers market, I think we would shop more, and eat more produce. Full article here: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jrbX1Nt4ABhurmMtwUO2L8PGPe4gD92PR2KO0 

 

Farm shares rise in popularity

(Boston Globe) - Less than 2 miles from the intersection of the Mass. Pike and Route 128, Land's Sake Farm in Weston is an unlikely oasis of raspberry and strawberry fields and rows of everything from arugula to zucchini. "If the wind blows right, you can hear the traffic," said Erik Baum, one of three farm managers who run Land's Sake, a private, nonprofit operation that leases land from the town on what was once known as the Case Estates. The organic farm rotates crops on three fields in Weston, using a 7-acre plot on Wellesley Street as its primary growing area and for a tiny farm stand. For $600 a share, paid in advance of the growing season, participants in the farm's community-supported agriculture program can drop by once a week between mid-June and mid-October to pick up whatever produce the fields have to offer, usually an array of vegetables, herbs, and sometimes, berries. Full article here: http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/green/greenblog/2008/08/farm_shares_rise_in_popularity.html

 

For Vermont Foodbank, farm buy is a perfect fit

(AP) The Vermont Foodbank is going back to the land in hopes of expanding its menu. The food bank, which serves more than 250 food pantries and anti-hunger programs across the state, has reached an agreement to buy a 20-acre farm and grow produce for needy Vermonters. The proposed purchase will do more than add carrots, onions and potatoes to the shopping carts of the needy. It will prevent commercial development, preserve farmland and revive the 20-acre Kingsbury Farm as a working farm, in the process providing a hub for agricultural education efforts and community activity, according to principals in the deal. Full article here: http://www.boston.com/news/local/vermont/articles/2008/08/03/for_vermont_foodbank_farm_buy_is_a_perfect_fit/

 

A fungus humongous: Pennsylvania is No. 1 in growing mushrooms

(Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) - The Brandywine Valley near Philadelphia is horse country, with dozens of riding stables, breeding farms and training facilities. But in this bucolic hamlet in the heart of Chester County, it's mushrooms that rein -- make that reign -- supreme. And we're not just talking the familiar white button mushrooms, Agaricus bisporus -- though with 60 local Agaricus growers each year producing 340 million pounds of buttons, that's certainly worth noting. Less than a mile from town, Phillips Mushroom Farm distributes some 35 million pounds of specialty mushrooms annually. Those are the funny-looking ones with the hard-to-pronounce names: shiitake, crimini, maitake, enoki. Full article here: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08241/907485-34.stm

 

More, but smaller, farms redefine NH agriculture

(Eagle Tribune) - The number of New Hampshire farms is increasing, but the amount of land dedicated to agriculture is shrinking. Perhaps just as significantly, the revenue from agriculture is increasing and the state is producing as much milk as it did 20 years ago. What has changed is the very definition of a farm. The stereotypical image of cows dotting green hillsides behind red barns and tall silos has morphed into something quite different. Where farming meant dairying not too many years ago, it's now likely to mean ornamental horticulture, vegetables or berries. Full article here: http://www.eagletribune.com/punewsnh/local_story_229235936.html

 

Eastern Connecticut starts an ice cream trail

(AP) - You've heard of winery trails and biking trails and birding trails. But how about an ice cream trail? Eastern Connecticut has created an official ice cream trail to guide visitors to the best spots for locally produced and often homemade ice cream. A brochure, "Follow the Ice Cream Trail: Sundae Drives," lists 35 places to get your scoops, cones, shakes, rainbow sprinkles and hot fudge sauce. It is available online at http://www.mysticcountry.com/ from the Eastern Regional Tourism District of Connecticut. Full article here: http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5igDDycs8XAeRZYpwVkk93AfPvrjA

 

 

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EVENTS 

 

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9/6

Plant yer own patch! Pennsylvania (various locations)

Interested in native plants? Enjoy spending time in the woods? Looking for a way to diversify income or help cover annual forestland ownership costs? Whether establishing a hobby "patch," or forest farming of "forest gold," taming the wild American ginseng is always a fascinating endeavor. In this workshop, participants will be introduced to one of Pennsylvania 's most valuable and challenging crops, American ginseng. For more info, see: http://www.nefood.org/events/event/show?id=2044592:Event:3391

 

Growing Herbs - Making Medicines, Anjali Farm, S. Londonderry, VT

The day begins with a farm tour and weed walk with Lini Mazumdar, owner of Lotus Moon Medicinals. Get your hands dirty digging roots and wildcrafting herbs. After lunch, you will learn different methods of storing, processing, and making medicines and other herbal products. Lini will also discuss starting and owning an herbal business. For more info, see: http://www.nefood.org/events/event/show?id=2044592:Event:3086

 

9/10

Commercial Organic Dairy Grazing and Animal Health Management, Taconic End Farm, Leicester, VT

Pasture walk and lunchtime discussion with Annie Claghorn of Taconic End Farm and Sarah Flack, NOFA-VT Farm Advisor, on health care treatments and prevention for an organic dairy herd including homeopathy, herbs, and other materials. Co-hosted with the VT Pasture Network at the Center for Sustainable Agriculture. For more info, see: http://www.nefood.org/events/event/show?id=2044592:Event:3282

 

Cover Crop Trials for Soil Improvements, Brattleboro Extension Office, Brattleboro, VT

The Brattleboro UVM Extension office fields are home to a 3/4 acre demonstration of 20 different cover crop plots, which have been rotated with different species over the past 4 years. Come see how different clovers, vetch, sudax, millet, soybean, cowpea, and more unusual cover crops, like sesbania and crotolaria, have performed. For more info, see: http://www.nefood.org/events/event/show?id=2044592:Event:3114

 

9/11

Organic Dairy Grazing for Commercial Farmers, Maple Lane Farm, Cabot, VT

Pasture walk led by Paul Stecker of Maple Lane Farm and Willie Gibson, NOFA-VT Farm Advisor, with discussion on organic livestock management, healthcare, fly control, record keeping, grazing, forage quality, and more. For more info, see: http://www.nefood.org/events/event/show?id=2044592:Event:3286

 

9/13

Hands On Stonewall Building, Holy Goat Farm, Williston, VT

Brian Vaughan of Vaughan Landscaping will teach a hands-on workshop building a natural fieldstone wall. You will learn how to prepare the base, the drainage, and the backfill for a stone wall, as well as how to build the wall and the cap. For more info, see: http://www.nefood.org/events/event/show?id=2044592:Event:3090

 

9/14

Store the Harvest, Meadowland Farm, Hinesburg, VT

This hands-on workshop, led by Susan Johnson of Meadowland Farm, will walk participants through canning tomatoes and freezing vegetables. We will discuss how to choose vegetables that store, can, and freeze well. For more info, see: http://www.nefood.org/events/event/show?id=2044592:Event:3094

 

9/17

Seed Saving Basics, High Mowing Seeds Trial Gardens, Wolcott, VT

Tom Stearns and Katie Traube of High Mowing Seeds will discuss the basic principles and techniques of seed saving. The event takes place in the HMS Trial Gardens and will lend an opportunity to tour and discuss a number of crop types as well as some live demonstrations of extraction and cleaning. This workshop is directly followed by the High Mowing Seeds Summer Field Day. For more info, see: http://www.nefood.org/events/event/show?id=2044592:Event:3098

 

9/19-21

Common Ground Fair, Unity, ME

MOFGA celebrates its 32nd Common Ground Country Fair on September 19, 20 & 21, 2008, in Unity, Maine. The Fair allows fairgoers to make connections with a rapidly expanding base of organic farms in the state of Maine. Hundreds of vendors, exhibitors and demonstrators, more than 1,000 volunteers, and roughly 50,000 fairgoers will gather to: share knowledge about sustainable living; eat delicious, organic, Maine-grown food; buy and sell beautiful Maine crafts and useful agricultural products; compete in various activities; dance; sing and have a great time. For more info, see: http://mofga.org/TheFair/tabid/135/Default.aspx   

 

9/19-21

PA Renewable Energy & Sustainable Living Festival, Kempton, PA

A three-day festival about renewable energy, natural building construction, sustainable agriculture, land-use planning, forestry and healthy living practices in general. Featuring dynamic speakers, national exhibitors, workshops, hands-on demonstrations, vendors, live music and entertainment, children's activities, food and more.For more info, see: http://www.paenergyfest.com/  

 

9/21

MCCE Agriculture Center, Morrisville, NY

CAE 2008 will be held Sunday, September 21 at the CCE Agriculture Center in Morrisville.

This event is held to support and promote our local farm community. The farm market and crafter vendors are a centerpiece to this event. Last year we attracted 47 participants including vendors and attractions. For more info, see: http://www.nefood.org/events/event/show?id=2044592:Event:2642

 

9/22

Soil Fertility and Organic Fertilizers for Commercial Growers, Luna Bleu Farm, South Royalton, VT

Join the discussion about soil fertility and fertilizers on organic farms. Vern Grubinger of UVM Extension, and Wendy Sue Harper, NOFA-VT Vegetable and Fruit Technical Assistance Coordinator, will lead this session on OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute) approved fertilizers and soil fertility on organic vegetable and berry farms. For more info, see: http://www.nefood.org/events/event/show?id=2044592:Event:3118

 

9/24-26

Biomimicry lecture and workshop, Boston, MA

Two upcoming Boston Society of Architects (BSA) programs explore biomimicry, a new discipline that studies nature's best ideas and imitates them to solve human problems.

Dayna Baumeister PhD, co-founder of the Biomimicry Guild, introduces this concept at an evening lecture on September 24. Held at the Boston Public Library, the lecture begins at 6:00 pm and is free and open to the public.

On September 25 and 26, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Baumeister and her team of biologists and designers lead a two-day workshop examining how architectural "designs should create conditions conducive to life." Participants will experience a visual journey of the world of biomimicry supported by case studies. The workshop, held at The Architects Building (52 Broad Street, Boston), is $330 ($264 for BSA members). To register, visit http://www.architects.org/workshops

 

9/26

Northeast Animal Power Field Days, Tunbridge Fair Grounds, Tunbridge, VT

The Northeast Animal Power Field Days is a celebration of sustainable farming and renewable resources promoting conservation, stewardship, small farms, healthy forests, and the roles that they play in vital communities. This 3-day conference will feature working animal and equipment demonstrations in field and forest settings, workshops, exhibits, networking sessions, and an auction and swap meet on Sunday. For more info, see: http://www.nefood.org/events/event/show?id=2044592:Event:2045

 

9/26-27

Living Local Harvest Fest, Chilmark and West Tisbury, MA

How can we foster greater self-reliance? How can we strengthen our local economy? How can we preserve the vitality of our community? Let's find out, together, at the Living Local Harvest Fest, a collaboratively organized event taking place Sept. 26 and 27, 2008. The program, focused on "Claiming our Island Future," builds on last year's Living Local themes, and adds the Agricultural Society's Harvest Festival into the mix. The event begins with a community forum on Friday night, Sept. 26, then continues on Saturday, Sept. 27, with workshops, exhibits, and kids' activities, and concludes with a Harvest Fest potluck and celebration that same evening.  For more info, see: http://www.nefood.org/events/event/show?id=2044592:Event:4507

 

9/27

Putting Food By, Many Hands Organic Farm, Barre, MA

Visit a root cellar and learn to can, freeze, ferment, dry and lacto-ferment, jam, and wine various fruits and vegetables. Instructors will also discuss pork and chicken products and share their experience with season extension with hoop houses. Fore more info, see: http://www.nefood.org/events/event/show?id=2044592:Event:3373

 

9/28

Creating School Gardens and Composting Systems, Hubbardston Center School, Hubbardston, MA

The Hubbardston Center School's garden program was developed using grant money, and is student- maintained. Learn how a student-powered composting program that recycles cafeteria leftovers and schoolyard organic materials works. Learn how to start, run, fund and also curriculum lessons that use both the garden and the school composting system. For more info, see: http://www.nefood.org/events/event/show?id=2044592:Event:3377

 

10/5

Mother Earth Harvest Fair, Glenrock, PA

Combining the atmosphere of a traditional country fair and farmer's market with cutting-edge advances in alternative fuels, green building, and sustainable living, the Mother Earth Harvest Fair is a celebration and showcase of healthy, balanced, and sustainable living in the Chesapeake Bioregion. For more info, Contact: 717-235-6610

 

10/7

Pasture Season Extension-Fall Annuals and Perennial Stockpiling, Richmond, VT

Bruce Hennessey and Beth Whiting of Maple Wind Farm will share their experience with season extending cropping systems and discuss this year's planting of a Cereal Rye and Italian Ryegrass mix along with their experimenting with different grazing mixes, most of which include festulolium, a ryegrass/fescue hybrid that remains high energy in colder weather. Free to organic and transitioning farmers, $10 for NOFA members, $15 for non-members. Directions: From I-89 take Exit 11 to Richmond. Follow Rte 2, 1mi past the Richmond light to the white barn at Andrews Farm on the right. Bruce and Beth, 434-7257. For more info, see: http://www.nefood.org/events/event/show?id=2044592:Event:3290

 

10/9

Organic Sugarbush Management, Starksboro, VT

Join David Brynn of Vermont Family Forests, and organic sugar makers Don Dolliver, Brown Hill Sugarhouse, and Kurt Kling, #15 School House Maple, for organic sugarbush management. Topics include: regeneration, erosion control, crop tree release, organic invasive plants control, snags for wildlife, healthy spouts, managing nature in the sugarbush, monitoring tap closures, and forest management plans required for organic certification. Co-sponsored by Vermont Family Forests. Please bring a lunch. For more info, see: http://www.nefood.org/events/event/show?id=2044592:Event:3126

 

10/12

Harvest Festival - The Putney School, Putney, VT

The Putney School's annual Harvest Festival, Sunday, October 12th, is a fun-filled day of music, entertainment, art shows, an International Café and booths from local artisans and non-profits. A school tradition for more than 70 years, this free event is a celebration of community and school spirit. For more info, see: http://www.nefood.org/events/event/show?id=2044592:Event:4519

 

10/15

Pete's Greens's Experience Building an On-Farm Kitchen, Craftsbury Village, VT

Pete's Greens is a four-season certified organic vegetable farm specializing in vegetables like baby greens, heirloom tomatoes, and root crops. Pete's Greens' Kitchen prepares fresh salsa, pesto, gazpacho, pickles, and more for his Good Eats CSA. We will discuss the process Pete's Greens has gone through to design, build, and meet the regulations for an on-farm kitchen. There will be a tour of the kitchen and a discussion of kitchen equipment. For more info, see: http://www.nefood.org/events/event/show?id=2044592:Event:3130

 

10/25

Living in the Balance at Seeds of solidarity with Rick Baruc and Deb Habib, Orange, Ma

How do we farm, raise families, engage in our communities and "stay present" when society says stay busy? The day will include a discussion of community building and dialogue among workshop participants will focus on creating balance, community and contentment within full lives and good work. Some techniques for finding balance, including yoga, and walking and sitting meditation will be incorporated. For more info, see: http://www.nefood.org/events/event/show?id=2044592:Event:3381

 

 

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OPPORTUNITIES

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Plant Education Coordinator, Food Bank For New York City, New York, NY 

The purpose of this position is to oversee the daily operation of and development of a gardening based nutrition education program including recruitment, training and formalization of the gardening/farming lessons. Working within a fast-paced environment, this position requires an individual with strong interest in nutrition and food poverty issues, the experience and willingness to work with diverse audiences and the ability to collaborate with partner schools and community based organizations. Last day to apply: September 2, 2008 For more info, see: http://www.idealist.org/en/job/297284-133

 

Multiple openings, Greater Boston Food Bank, Boston, MA

The Greater Boston Food Bank is the largest hunger-relief organization in New England, and one of the largest food banks in the country, distributing more than 25 million pounds of food annually to a network of more than 600 member hunger-relief agencies. For more info, see: http://www.gbfb.org/aboutUs/CurrentOpenings.cfm

 

MULTIPLE JOB OPENINGS, THE FOOD TRUST, PHILADELPHIA, PA

The Food Trust is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization improving the supply of affordable food and good nutrition in the mid-Atlantic region. The mission of The Food Trust is to ensure that everyone has access to affordable, nutritious food. For more info, see: http://www.thefoodtrust.org/php/about/jobs.php  

 

MULTIPLE JOB OPENINGS, FOODCHANGE, NEW YORK, NY

FoodChange (formerly known as the Community Food Resource Center) is dedicated to helping low-income New Yorkers gain and maintain access to nutritious food, income support and decent housing. For more info, see: http://www.foodchange.org/employment/employment.html  

 

Northeast SARE Farmer Grant

The goal of the Farmer Grant program is to develop, refine, and demonstrate new sustainable techniques and to explore innovative ideas developed by farmers across the region. To apply, you must be a farmer in the Northeast SARE region, made up of Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Due date: December 16, 2008 For more info, see: http://www.uvm.edu/~nesare/FGinfo.html

 

Pennsylvania Agricultural & Rural Youth Grant

The purpose of the Agriculture and Rural Youth Grant Program is to fund projects, which will increase the knowledge and awareness of agricultural and rural issues in Pennsylvania, in particular, among the youth of Pennsylvania. The Program awards direct grants up to $2,500 and matching grants up to $10,000. Eligible youth organizations are those which are primarily comprised of persons eighteen years of age, or younger, and are organized within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to promote development in the areas of agriculture, rural community leadership, vocational training or peer fellowship. Due date: October 31, 2008 For more info, see: http://www.agriculture.state.pa.us/agriculture/cwp/view.asp?a=3&q=128621

 

Organic Farming Research Foundation Research Grants

The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) funds research on organic farming and food systems and the dissemination of these research results to the greater agricultural community. Proposals must involve farmers or ranchers in project design and implementation and take place on working organic farms or ranches whenever possible. OFRF particularly encourages farmers, ranchers, researchers, and extension personnel to consider applying for funding. The average research grant awarded in OFRF's last funding cycle was $13,300. OFRF will not fund a project for more than $15,000 per year except for fruit research grants, for which the maximum grant size is $20,000 per year. Due date: November 17, 2008 For more info, see: http://ofrf.org/grants/apply_research.html

 

Energy Productivity in Innovative Local Food Production Systems Grant

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) seeks to encourage innovative local food production systems, such as Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), greenhouse technologies, and aquaculture that support a sustainable economy, lead to sound energy management and can reduce dependence on carbon-based fuels. The production in New York State of fresh produce, fish and seafood products in controlled environments could experience explosive growth, based on rising energy and fertilizer costs, innovations in greenhouses and energy technologies, concern over energy security and food safety, and rising interest in locally grown food products. This solicitation's objective is that every project funded includes efforts to expand awareness and use of these food production systems by others in the State.

Due date: October 2, 2008 For more info, see: http://www.nyserda.org/funding/1236pon.asp  

 

Vegetable and Strawberry IPM Educator Exchange Program

The Northeast Vegetable IPM Working Group, funded by the Northeastern IPM Center, offers an Educator Exchange Program that will pay up to $800 for qualified expenses to help agricultural professionals in the Northeast learn about and share integrated pest management practices in vegetables and strawberries. Funds are available for agriculture professionals in the private sector as well as those who work for public universities. Applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. For more info, see: http://northeastipm.org/work_vegetable.cfm 

 

Northeast SARE Sustainable Community Grants

Northeast SARE and the Northeast Center for Rural Development offer grants to organizations such as community nonprofits, Cooperative Extension, local governments, educational institutions, planning boards, farming cooperatives, and incorporated citizens' groups. The purpose of the Sustainable Community Grants program is to reconnect rural revitalization and farming. Projects can address diverse issues such as land use, nutrition, employment, markets, education, farm labor, public policy, and environmental quality. The Northeast region is made up of Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Due date: November 27, 2008 For more info, see: http://www.uvm.edu/%7Enesare/grants_scomm.htm

 

Organic Farming Research Foundation Education & Outreach Grants

The Organic Farming Research Foundation will fund the development of educational opportunities and materials that are: pertinent to organic agricultural production or marketing; and aimed at organic producers and/or those considering making the transition to organic certification. OFRF will also accept proposals to fund activities that promote information sharing among organic agricultural researchers and organic farmers and ranchers. OFRF will not fund a project for more than $15,000 per year except for fruit grants, for which the maximum grant size is $20,000 per year. Due date: November 17, 2008 For more info, see: http://ofrf.org/grants/apply_education&outreach.html

 

Vermont Barn Preservation Grants Program

The Vermont Division for Historic Preservation is very pleased to announce that this year the Vermont Legislature has appropriated $160,000 for the Barn Preservation Grants Program to repair and preserve historic agricultural buildings. The grant program is open to all owners of historic agricultural buildings that are eligible for the National Register of Historic Places in Vermont. Due date: November 3, 2008 http://www.historicvermont.org/financial/barn.html

 

Healthy Sprouts Awards

The National Gardening Association administers the Healthy Sprouts Awards, sponsored by Gardener's Supply Company. These awards support school and youth garden programs that teach about nutrition and the issue of hunger in the United States. To be eligible for the 2008 Healthy Sprouts Awards, your school or organization must plan to garden in 2009 with at least 15 children between the ages of 3 and 18. The selection of winners is based on the demonstrated relationship between the garden program and nutrition and hunger issues in the United States. Winning programs receive seeds, curriculum, and gift certificates for purchase of gardening materials. Due date: October 15, 2008 For more info, see: http://www.kidsgardening.com/healthysprouts.asp

 

Northeast SARE Farmer Grant

The goal of the Farmer Grant program is to develop, refine, and demonstrate new sustainable techniques and to explore innovative ideas developed by farmers across the region. To apply, you must be a farmer in the Northeast SARE region, made up of Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Due date: December 16, 2008 For more info, see: http://www.uvm.edu/~nesare/FGinfo.html

 

Pennsylvania Agricultural & Rural Youth Grant

The purpose of the Agriculture and Rural Youth Grant Program is to fund projects, which will increase the knowledge and awareness of agricultural and rural issues in Pennsylvania, in particular, among the youth of Pennsylvania. The Program awards direct grants up to $2,500 and matching grants up to $10,000. Eligible youth organizations are those which are primarily comprised of persons eighteen years of age, or younger, and are organized within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to promote development in the areas of agriculture, rural community leadership, vocational training or peer fellowship. Due date: October 31, 2008 For more info, see: http://www.agriculture.state.pa.us/agriculture/cwp/view.asp?a=3&q=128621