Ver la pagina en español

Julie Rawson and Jack Kittredge of Many Hands Organic Farm “aim for the highest possible fertility, a no till scenario, increased soil organic matter, and high nutrient density, disease and insect resistance, and as few weeds as possible.”

Sound too good to be true? Join us at a hands-on workshop on their farm to discuss their experience 10 years into no-till management, a bit about their problems with this modality as they have evolved over the years, and the solutions that they have implemented. 

Always a work in progress, this fascinating journey is always full of new insights and observations.

Julie and Jack will lead participants through a hands-on exploration of their on farm practices: 

• We will show how we use cover crops pre, post and during the season, tarps throughout the farming year, and myriad sources of mulch
• We will demonstrate the use of our bale chopper, mulch some broccoli with chopped straw or hay and leaves, take down some cover crops and use a pre-plant soil drench for planting of tomatoes in the next 2-3 days. 
• We will remove tarps from some of our sweet potato beds and prepare the beds for planting similar to the tomato beds. 
• Finally, we will undersow inoculated (with biocoat gold) crimson clover in our mulched collard beds and apply a transplant drench to the beds.

This event is a good fit for farmers exploring ways of building soil health on organic farms. 

This event is sponsored by the Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). 

 TOPP pairs farmers aspiring to organic certification with experienced mentors to support them in the process. Event host Julie Rawson is serving as a TOPP Mentor in 2024; NOFA/Mass will share more information about the program at the event.

Sign up to be a mentor or mentee at organictransition.org.   

 

Schedule/Agenda:

9:00am: Arrival, welcome, and begin workshop:

• Cover crop and tarping practices
• Mulching practices and soil drench preparation
• Tarp removal and bed preparation
• Cover crop planting

12:00pm: Potluck lunch

 

About the host and instructors:

Julie Rawson and Jack Kittredge have farmed organically at Many Hands Organic Farm, in Barre, Massachusetts since 1982 and have been certified organic since 1987; they added certification by the Real Organic Project in 2018. Julie was the long-time Executive Director of NOFA-Mass through 2019, while Jack was the publisher of the The Natural Farmer, a quarterly magazine delivered to all NOFA (Northeast Organic Farming Association) members for more than three decades.. In 2014, they switched to a no-till system. Matthew Kornn works at Many Hands Organic Farm as a Machinery Manager, in addition to his full time work as a Firefighter with the City of Worcester. . 

Laura Davis is a Organic Certification Assistance Coordinator, Soil Health Advisor and TOPP Coordinator with NOFA/Mass. She is also an organic inspector with Baystate Organic Certifiers.  For over 10 years, Laura ran Long Life Farm in Hopkinton, MA, along with her husband Donald Sutherland, growing certified organic vegetables in a no-till regenerative system.

 

About the Project:

NOFA/Mass is proud to be a Core Partner in the Northeast Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). TOPP is a network assembled by the USDA’s National Organic Program to support transitioning and organic producers with mentorship and resources. Farmer-to-farmer mentorship, workshops, webinars, field days, technical assistance, and other educational events will offer opportunities to learn about organic production, the certification process, market opportunities, and more. Read more and sign up to be a mentor or transitioning farmer mentee on the TOPP website.  

 

Accessibility:

This event will be presented in English, with Spanish translation available.

This event will involve a tour of Many Hands Organic Farm, which includes walking moderate distances over uneven terrain. 

This event will also involve some hands-on participation, including lifting & moving heavy objects from the ground. 

The bathroom at this event venue is up a short set of stairs (one entrance has 5-6 steps; another entrance has 1-2 steps). 

 

More Information:

This event includes an optional potluck lunch afterwards – we hope you stay and connect with other farmers and growers! Please get in touch with any questions or concerns about the potluck portion of this event. 

We want to make sure your accessibility needs are met during the event. Please share with us your needs regarding (but not limited to): physical accessibility, allergies, noise, scent, gender, 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. 

(This is a free event)

 

 

Questions?

Contact [email protected]