NOFA Podcast

Join us in a discussion about Agroforestry in the Northeast!  RESOURCE LINKS:   Fields Without Fences https://www.fieldswithoutfences.org/?srsltid=AfmBOop8HobWBjPjxs54H6cWn29s92Uk29BQulAvPbYK94kgctW0kALs   Northern Forest Foods https://www.northernforestfoods.com/   Eric Toensmeier https://www.perennialsolutions.org/ https://drawdown.org/   Climate Model App https://fitzlab.shinyapps.io/cityapp/  ...

This episode's continues the farm workers discussion from both the positions of employer and employee.  We'll focus on navigating the hiring of H2A workers as well as resources for documented & undocumented workers.  Hear real stories and experiences from our panel of farm allstars and prepare for your seasons to come!  RESOURCES:   https://labor.vermont.gov/sites/labor/files/doc_library/Vermont-F...

This episode's discussion is centered around both the farm employer and employee.  From resources on where to find job postings, to understanding different models of operating a farm business.  Hear real stories and experiences from our panel of farm allstars and prepare for your seasons to come!  RESOURCES:   https://labor.vermont.gov/sites/labor/files/doc_library/Vermont-Farm-Labor-Wage-and-Hour...

Join our host, Tony Kennette, our staff soil scientist Ruben Parilla, and guests William Padilla-Brown and Jake Tulius in a discussion about Soil Microbes & Citizen Science!  From tardigrades, and algea, to mycorrhizal networks, this crew will get you salivating for successful soil!   This Episode has been brought to you by MDAR    PERTINENT LINKS: https://microbiometer.com/ www. R-Soil.com   http...

This episode is a culmination of voices and stories of our NOFA community members that visited the in person Winter Conferences.   For those of you who don't already know, most of the NOFA state chapters host an annual Winter Conference.   Some are jam packed single days, others are weekend long intensives, and others have been held in a more virtual online format.   None-the-less the Winter Confe...

Closing the Mushroom Production Loop: Evaluating Soil Microbe Changes Following Field Application of Compost Inoculated with Spent Mushroom Substrate with host, Tony Kennette, Ruben Parilla Soil Tech Coordinator and Education Dir NOFA MASS and Elizabeth Almeida of Fat Moon Farm.  In this episode we discuss the use of compost inocullated with "spent" mushroom substrate, and the scientific discoveri...

In this episode I am joined by Central Massachusetts cattle farmer, Ridge Shinn to discuss the amazing possibilities that good management of cattle can have on soils and land as a whole. Ridge Shinn is the founder of Big Picture Beef in Hardwick Mass. Big Picture Beef is an aggregator of grass-fed cattle and an educational resource for cattle farmers interested in a Grass-Fed paradigm.  Ridge is a...

In this episode I am joined by my colleague Ruben Parilla our NOFA/Mass Soil Tech Coordinator and together we interview Lincoln Fishman of Sawyer Farm in Worthington, MA. Lincoln is presenting at our upcoming NOFA/Mass Winter Conference happening the weekend of January 14th & 15th, 2022.  Lincoln Fishman is co-owner/operator of Sawyer Farm. In 2010 they started raising vegetables and livestock, an...

In this episode I interview Mary Sage Napolitan and Evan Abramson about their collaborative work on re-establishing ecologically diverse landscape to the properties of Island Grown Initiative in the town of Vineyard Haven on the island of Martha's Vineyard.  Mary Sage and Evan are presenting their work on this project at our upcoming NOFA/Mass Winter Conference happening the weekend of January 14t...

NOFA/Mass Winter Conference Highlight - When and How To Kill (Winter) Cover Crops With Arthur Siller In this episode we're drawing another highlight from our annual NOFA/Mass Winter Conference that happened remotely in January 2022. We join University of Massachusetts at Amherst PhD student Arthur Siller as he outlines four different cover crop killing strategies that we can employ, and he also ov...

In this episode I interview my colleague Andrew Laurion to discuss the bioremediation project underway in Springfield, MA. We talk about the changes in the soil, the properties and the community now that this project has been underway for two years.  Andrew Laurion is the Bioremediation Project Coordinator for NOFA/Mass and the Youth Program Coordinator of the food justice organization Gardening t...

In this episode I am joined by two of my NOFA colleagues Monique Bosch from our CT NOFA chapter as well as Ruben Parilla of NOFA/Mass and they introduce us to the world of microscopy. We discuss the advantages of looking at your soil and compost under the microscope to determine the state of affairs and influence your soil management strategies.  Monique Bosch, is the Organic Land Care Coordinator...

In this episode I am joined again by our NOFA/Mass Soil Tech Coordinator, Ruben Parilla. We interview Yoko Takemura of Assawaga Farm in Putnam, CT. This material is based upon work supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, through the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program. Yoko Takemura owns and operates Assawaga Farm wi...

In this episode I am joined again by my NOFA/Mass colleague, Soil Health Projects Manager, Christine Manuck. We interview Meryl Latronica, Director of Farm Operations at Just Roots in Greenfield, MA. We continue our conversations with farmers working within our Compaction Mitigation grant as a collaboration with an MDAR 2020 Specialty Crop Block Grant titled Accelerating Soil Health Through Compac...

In this episode we're drawing more highlights from our annual NOFA/Mass Winter Conference that happened remotely in January 2022. First we join Natural Farmer, Marco Thomas for an introduction to the Natural Farming technique of collecting of Indigenous Micro Organisms (IMOs).  Then, we join Richard Robinson of Hopestill Farm for a deep dive into mulching, and his impassioned reasons for using lea...

In this episode I am joined by our NOFA/Mass Soil Tech Coordinator, Ruben Parilla. We interview soil scientist, Dr. Justin Richardso n, from University of Massachusetts Amherst, abo ut the state of the invasive Jumping Worm in the Northeast.  Dr. Justin Richardson is an Assistant Professor of Geosciences at UMass Amherst working in the field of Biogeochemistry. Dr. Richardson studies metals and me...

NOFA/Mass Winter Conference Highlight - Seed Sovereignty Means Land Sovereignty In this episode we're drawing highlights from our Round Table discussion on Seed Sovereignty at this year's annual NOFA/Mass winter conference.  You will hear two inspiring opening statements that preceded the discussion from Amirah Mitchell and Luke Jeffries. You can find Amirah Mitchell at Sistahseeds.com and on Inst...

In this episode I'm joined by Suzie Flores of Stonington Kelp to discuss her adventures in farming…the sea. We discuss the tools and practices of ocean farming as an introduction to what it takes to farm on the water, how an entire season of ocean farming progresses and the developing industry that is thriving in East Coast waters. You can learn more about and Suzie and Jay's work at StoningtonKel...

In this episode I'm joined by my colleague Christine Manuck, who leads our NOFA/Mass Soil Health Program and we interview Julie Rawson, owner of Many Hands Organic Farm in Barre, Massachusetts and formerly the executive director of NOFA/Mass.   We discuss a variety of compaction mitigation methods that she employs in her management practices on her fully diversified farm and get a glimpse into her...

In this episode I interview Dan Kittredge, founder and Executive Director of the Bionutrient Food Association. We discuss both Dan's and the BFA's origins, soil health philosophy and practices and the bionutrient meter – a hand-held, non-invasive consumer-priced spectrometer that can be used to get relative nutritional scores off of food at point of purchase with a flash of light. Dan Kittredge ha...

In this episode I sit down with Deb and Ricky to discuss the challenging endeavor  of farming and we get into some methods they employ to keep their farming lifestyle vibrant and nourishing.     https://seedsofsolidarity.org/   https://makinglovewhilefarming.org/   https://www.youtube.com/user/TheCardboardMethod  

Noah Kellerman and his partner Sophie run Alprilla Farm in Essex MA. They rotate four acres of storage vegetable crop for their winter CSA with two acres of grains for human consumption. The farm is run using a system of rotational tillage using a mix of tractor, ox and human power to care for the soil and grow the best crops they can. Noah is a tinkerer, striving to tighten nutrient cycling on hi...

This year marks NOFA's 50 th year since the first summer meeting happened in June of 1971 and we celebrate with a fantastic NOFA Summer Conference program July 31 - August 6th.

In this episode we discuss making your own amendments for the garden or farm with commonly available ingredients and simple recipes  with  author and gardener Nigel Palmer.    Nigel Palmer is the author of "The Regenerative Growers Guide to Garden Amendments", Nigel is a lifelong gardener relying on the amazing complexity of nature to inspire his gar dening  practices. We are all experimental gard...

In this episode, I interview Jim Schultz of Red Shirt Farm to discuss backyard birding on a small to medium scale. Jim helps us get started skilfully  and gives us insights on what to be prepared for in caring for birds for the long haul.   Jim Schultz runs Red Shirt Farm with his wife Annie. Red Shirt Farm is a small diversified farm in  Lanesborough , Massachusetts and they are doing their part...