Have you been considering starting, or transitioning to, a no-till farm? Join us at Gaining Ground Farm in Concord, MA to learn small-scale, high-yield methods for crop production using methods that minimize soil disturbance and maximize soil health.
Hemp History Week (June 3-9) celebrates agricultural hemp with nationwide education, advocacy and grassroots events. This year, NOFA/Mass is celebrating this especially exciting 10th annual Hemp History Week.
This year is special because the 2018 Farm Bill, passed in December, included the legislation S. 2667, The Hemp Farming Act. With its passage, hemp production was officially legalized in the United States. So this year’s Hemp History Week is the first in this new landscape of federally-legal agricultural hemp! The Act defined hemp as cannabis sativa containing no more than 0.3% teatrahydrocannabinol (THC) by dry weight and redefined hemp from a Controlled Substance to an agricultural commodity, removing it from the jurisdiction of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
In the previous installment, we delved into what nitrogen is, why plants need it and how plants, bacteria and humans get it. Today we will delve into how it moves through our farms and interacts with global systems. The concept of a biogeochemical cycle is useful in thinking about how elements behave on a micro and global scale. As can be seen in the roots of the word, a biogeochemical cycle involves biological, from organism to ecosystem, and abiotic systems such as the atmosphere. It makes sense, on a planet whose continents appear green from photosynthetic organisms from space, that life is a driving force inextricable from chemical and geological processes. Humans, of course, need to come to terms with this reality. We cannot live on the planet without changing the planet, and the kind of planet we will have to live on will be the direct result of our actions. Other examples of biogeochemical cycles are those for water, carbon and sulfur.
August will be here before we know it! Will you be at Hampshire College August 9-11, 2019 for a rejuvenating and fun reprieve from farm work to sink into a weekend of quality time, live music, great food and amazing workshops with your NOFA family?
If you’re ready now you can register for the conference workshops, housing and meals online. Early bird rates are in effect until June 30th! Remember, all NOFA members save 20% at checkout with the code sent in an email from your chapter approximately May 1st. Check your inbox (and spam folder) for the discount code! Fees for registration, housing and meals can be found on our Registration Page.
Most Recent Podcast
Upcoming Events
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NOFA Summer Conference
NOFA Summer Conference with keynote Sandor Katz
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Organic Certification
We can help with your Organic Certification
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Raw Milk Network
Buy fresh, unpasteurized milk from a local farm.
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Soil Carbon Restoration
Read our Soil Carbon Restoration white paper
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Soil Technical Assistance Program
Help with soil balancing