Join us at Small Farm to either begin or perfect your production plan for four seasons of organic growing in high tunnels. In this workshop, we’ll be discussing everything from planning to washing during the shoulder and “off”-season, as well as how to optimize fertility and watering in your high tunnels. We’ll also discuss on-farm efficiency and affordability, where Small Farm will share their experience with both soil-moisture sensors and post-harvest tools  to make dollars go further.

By the end of this workshop, you’ll:

• Understand how to extend your growing season for crops such as spinach, fennel, lettuce, Asian greens, herbs, radishes, beets and carrots
• Better understand how to generate income year- round based on Small Farm’s own profitability studies and production plan
• Build your climate resiliency plans through adaptable growing methods

Agenda:

3:00 – Arrival and Introductions

3:15 – High tunnel tour with focus on planning, irrigation and decision-making considerations for year-round production

4:15 – Wash/pack systems and decision-making considerations for efficient tools to invest in

5:00 – Q&A

5:30 – Closing

About:

Small Farm is a 3 acre mixed vegetable, berry, and cut-flower farm run by Elena Colman and Karl Goethert. We are certified organic and use many no-till methods to plant intensively for our three-season CSA, four-season farm stand, farmers market, and wholesale accounts. We are a for-profit farm with a mission to:

• Increase the seasonal availability of fresh produce in our area, and create excitement around healthy food
• Operate an economically sustainable business, creating jobs that provide learning opportunities for employees
• Carefully steward the 20 acre property, using organic and no-till growing practices to improve soil health and host a biodiverse environment of plants, wildlife, and insects
• Create a supportive space where our community can interact with each other and the natural world

Between 2019 and 2025 we have built 4 high tunnels funded largely by NRCS, and received an FSIG grant to build a new wash/pack facility for year-round production.

About the Instructors:

Elena Colman started farming in 2006 at Brigham Farm in Concord. She managed a small farm on leased land in Concord, and Lexington Community Farm, before starting Small Farm with her partner Karl. She loves being outside all day, the physical and mental challenges of farming, and the number of skills she’s had to learn on the farm (plumbing, construction, accountant, PR).

She thinks farms are a special way to preserve land and provide a community space where people can gather, connect over the most basic of human needs–food– and leave their screens behind.

She also believes small-scale farms, both as providers and consumers, are an important piece of having a resilient food system, especially when faced with a changing climate.

Accessibility:

The parking lot is gravel and flat. The farm roads to the high tunnels and wash/packshed are dirt and flat. There is an indoor  bathroom that is not ADA-compliant, and a portable bathroom that is ADA-compliant . Please share with us your needs regarding (but not limited to): physical accessibility, intellectual accessibility, and any instructions or tips to help you fully participate. 

Refund/Inclement Weather Policy:

For information on our refund and inclement weather policy, click here. 

Capacity:

Capacity for this event is limited to 30 people. Register ahead of time to secure your space! 

Questions?

Please contact Laura at [email protected]

This event is sponsored by the Transition to Organic Partnership Program and the U.S. Department of Agriculture and co-sponsored by NOFA/Mass.