| Monday Mar 14, 2016 9:30 AM - Monday Mar 14, 2016 4:00 PM | $60.00 - $75.00 |
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Event
Improved High Tunnel Management
Scholarships are available for new farmers (those growing 10 or less years) who are active NOFA/Mass members. To apply please clickhere. We anticipate the workshop to fill up, pre-registration is recommended.; For more information contact Glenn Oliveira, Education Events Organizer, at glenn@nofamass.org or 774-678-9644.
Description:
Northeast farmers who want to maximize production in the shoulder season and serve their markets year round are increasingly relying on high tunnels to extend the growing season. The techniques for successful long term high tunnel production differ greatly from field crops. In this day-long workshop we will discuss common high tunnel production challenges and how to address them.
Judson Reid, Senior Extension Associate with the Cornell Vegetable Program, will share results from intensive sampling of high tunnel soil and crop nutrient levels. He will discuss management practices that have an impact on soil and crop nutrient levels, such as crop choice, variety selection, rotation and cultural management. This session will be informed by Judson's work over several years with over twenty high tunnel tomato growers in New York looking at nutrient profiles over time/seasons.
Ed Person, of Ledgewood Farm Greenhouse Frames, will be joining us to share best practices for siting, planning and installing a high tunnel, as well as how to improve the infrastructure of an already installed high tunnel. Ed has many years of experience and is extremely knowledgeable; his Q&A session is sure to be extremely informative.
We will also be joined by independent farm consultant and educator, Mark Fulford. Mark consults with many high tunnel growers. He will share his insight into improved long term nutrient management practices, discussing soil amendments, crop timing, pest management, PH levels, Nitrogen management, reading high tunnel soil tests, compost use and management, and much more.
A panel of growers will also share some of their high tunnel growing experiences.
bout the Instructors:
Mark Fulford's expertise encompasses the following: transitioning from conventional to organic and biological agriculture; soil, crop, and forage nutrition; and preparing agriculture for peak oil, climate change and economic drift. He also teaches non-electric water technologies; high tunnel nutrient management; hands-on skills in organic orcharding; organic no-till crop production; commercial and small scale composting; as well as fundamental rural skills and small farm food preservation.
His current work involves developing custom blended and field specific soil amendment recipes for organic and nutritionally focused farm operations. These customized recipes are meant to simplify and improve the cooperation between consultant, farmer, supplier and organic certifier. He also focuses on discoveries in the soil and plant worlds that allow the widest availability for inputs.
His lifelong study of the natural world, and his immersion in agriculture abroad and on his own farm, Teltane Farm, ground his practices in experience. Mark addresses audiences from a wide range of backgrounds and philosophies embracing common sense, science and cultural wisdom for the times we live in.
Judson Reid manages a series of research and education projects throughout New York State for greenhouse, high tunnel and field production of fresh market vegetables. Judson is involved in the evaluation of grafting on tomatoes, cucumbers and eggplants; biological pest control, new cropping techniques and low temperature pest management concerns.
An extensive network of private farm cooperators enhances the efficacy of his research and demonstration program. Current projects examine the viability of grafting of cucumbers for cold soil hardiness, biological insect control in low temperature settings for mixed greens crops, PAR and yield influence of multi-story cropping as well as variety evaluations.
Judson has conducted educational sessions with farmers in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, Caribbean, Africa, Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Cuba on these topics. Having spent his youth on a Northern New York dairy farm, Judson earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from Cornell University in agriculture.
Ed Person runs the New Hampshire-based Ledgewood Farm, established in 1987, which manufactures pipe frame greenhouses and high tunnels. The frames are used by all areas of agriculture for plant protection, livestock housing, and storage. The purchase of some simple equipment and applied Yankee ingenuity began a very successful supplement to the farm. Since their inception, they have provided a quality product at a fair price, advised and guided the customer at no charge, and are constantly on the lookout for new and better ways to utilize the frames and technology that develops.
More Info:
Lunch will be potluck style from 12:15pm 1:15pm. Bring a dish to share. Coffee and tea will be available during the workshop.
To Join Nofa/Mass goto www.nofamass.org/membership
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LocationGuiding Star Grange (View)
401 Chapman St
Greenfield, MA 01760
United States
Categories
| Wheelchair Accessible: No |
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