NOFA/Mass: Northeast Organic Farming Association

What’s new at NOFA/Mass

Hiring NOFA Summer Conference Coordinator

We’re seeking an individual to coordinate our dynamic, three-day annual conference. The ideal candidate brings strong knowledge of and commitment to organic farming practices; three years of event/conference management; strong communication and people skills; and excellent leadership abilities.

Managing grazing land for increased health, productivity & profit seminar Oct. 5

NOFA/Mass 3rd annual 5k/10k - “Organic to Heal the Planet”

Recent newsletter stories

Daniel Staub and Qamaria Amatul-Wadud discuss tomato-staking strategies

Gardening the Community raises the stakes for high quality produce

Food Access, Vegetables

Gardening the Community (GTC) is a youth based urban agriculture program, growing food and leadership in Springfield, MA. GTC was established with NOFA/Mass’ support in 2002 and is now an independent program.

Today GTC staff and youth manage five garden sites, help to establish community gardens around the Mason Square neighborhood, grow over 5,000 pounds of vegetables each year for youth, residents and markets, run one of a handful of CSA programs in the city, and provide a strong voice for expanded urban agriculture in Springfield. Though the program has an impressive record, many of the former NOFA/Mass staff that led GTC in the early years, myself included, still like to call GTC our baby.

Fruit tour and dinner at Many Hands Organic Farm

Julie Rawson, Events

We like to share our travails and successes with fruit production, and we like to share meals at our farm. So we figured it would be great fun to do both at the same time. On Saturday, September 26, Jack and I will host a fruit tour and dinner from 3:30 – 8 pm. We will start by showing how our many different kinds of fruit grow – apples, peaches, pears, plums, cherries, red and black raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, grapes, aronia, persimmons, hazelnuts, gooseberries, and more. We will talk about cultural practices and fertility.

Jack Kittredge to retire

Jack and I packed up the kids (then 2, 4, 6, and 7) and attended our first NOFA/Mass meeting in the fall of 1984. It was the annual meeting of the then quite fledgling Massachusetts chapter. (While NOFA had been around since 1971 or so, NOFA/Mass started up in 1982.) There was a big fight over by-laws that day, as I remember. However, when asked to join the board, I did. In many ways since then, Jack has been an integral part of NOFA/Mass. And after 30 active years working with the organization, Jack has decided to retire as the NOFA/Mass Policy Director on January 1.

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