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Join us for an immersive journey into the fundamentals of soil health with our Physical Vitality workshop. Delve into the intricate world beneath our feet as we explore the essential components that shape soil structure and vitality. Through hands-on demonstrations and interactive activities, participants will gain a deep understanding of soil physical properties, including structure, porosity, and compaction. Equipped with tools such as penetrometers, shovels, and infiltration rings, attendees will learn how to assess and evaluate these critical aspects of soil health directly on the farm. Whether you’re a seasoned agricultural professional or a curious novice, this workshop offers valuable insights and practical skills to enhance your understanding of soil and optimize farm management practices.

Cost: Free. Light refreshments provided. Consider bringing a lunch.

NOFA/Mass is happy to provide travel stipends to all BIPOC and/or beginning farmer participants in this workshop. To submit a request for a travel stipend, please email Sara Riegler at [email protected] and include: 1) the event you attended (date, time, location) 2) your starting location 3) total mileage and 4) the name and address you’d like us to send a check to.

Schedule: 

9:30 – 10:05 am: Arrivals

10:05 – 10:15 am: Introductions

10:15 – 11:00 am: Tool Descriptions and Purpose

11:00 am – 12:30 pm: Live Demonstrations

12:30 pm – 1:00 pm: Break

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm: Debrief and Networking

About Farming is Life: 

Farming is Life is a family farm in North Central Massachusetts that does not use chemicals and plastics to aid in our production of vegetables for our communities.  We follow regenerative farming practices with the goal of minimizing off farm inputs.  We do this in part by using trees from our forests to build mulch for compost, using manure from cows that are fed chemical free hay from our farm to add nutrients and harnessing biology to create the balance needed for healthy soil, happy beneficial bugs and bountiful harvests.  This is all done with a holistic approach to the farm as a self-contained ecosystem that aims to work with nature not against it. 

 

About the Instructors:

Rubén Parilla (he/him) is the Soil Technical Coordinator for NOFA/Mass and trained in microscopic soil microbial identification through the Soil Food Web School. He is a Certified Lab Tech and studied Environmental Design at the University of Puerto Rico. Rubén has 15 years’ experience working at different capacities in the environmental laboratory industry. He has been performing soil carbon proxy testing, soil health assessments, soil chemical analysis, and soil microbiological evaluations for NOFA/Mass over the past year and has extensive experience farming and working with farmers, including beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers. Rubén performs soil health-related outreach and education events for NOFA/Mass by leading monthly farmer learning calls, providing hands-on workshops and instruction at soil health education events, and networking with farmers and individuals in the agricultural industry. He is a fluent and native Spanish speaker and fully English/Spanish bilingual.

 

About the Project:

These projects are made possible by the support of:

The USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program provides grants to organizations for education, mentoring and technical assistance initiatives for beginning farmers and ranchers. NOFA/Mass is providing this programming through a partnership with the Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust.

 

Accessibility:

Portions of our farm tour will cover uneven terrain.  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. 

Capacity:

Capacity for this event is limited to 25 people. Register ahead of time to secure your space and please let us know if you cannot attend.

 

 

Questions?

Contact Hannah at [email protected] for more information