Be a Better Grower Newsletter
Welcome to the NOFA/Mass newsletter series
Each week we publish original articles on the topics we care about most.
Read about the latest policy issues affecting Massachusetts farmers and consumers in our “Policy and Advocacy” newsletter, get insider farming and gardening tips from expert growers in our “Be a Better Grower” newsletter, learn to do it yourself, from food preservation to building fences, in our “Practical Self-Sufficiency” newsletter and see how our community is working to improve the food system in our “Food Justice” newsletter.
Soil Testing and Mineral Amendments
Christy Bassett2021-10-13T20:28:54-04:00October 13th, 2021|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Be a Better Grower, October 2021, Soil Health|
By Christine Manuck, NOFA/Mass Soil Health Projects Manager Soil testing plays an important role in evaluating soil health and crop management, capturing snapshots of how the biological, chemical, and physical properties of a soil are [...]
Correlating Produce Nutrient Levels with Soil Management
Christy Bassett2021-09-08T14:52:56-04:00September 7th, 2021|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Be a Better Grower, September 2021, Soil Health|
Profiling Assawaga Farm, Freedom Food Farm and A&K Produce By Christine Manuck, NOFA/Mass Soil Health Projects Manager NOFA/Mass has been leading a project funded by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), “Correlating Healthy Soil Practices with [...]
Soil Carbon Proxy Testing Can Help You Help Your Soil
Christy Bassett2021-08-12T14:49:52-04:00August 12th, 2021|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: August 2021, Be a Better Grower, Soil Health|
By Christine Manuck, NOFA/Mass Soil Health Projects Manager Soil organic matter is essential to healthy soils. Acting as a sort of “control center”, it regulates a soil’s physical, chemical, and biological properties. Every soil starts with a baseline level [...]
A Primer on Sustainable Soil Management
Christy Bassett2021-07-08T10:29:11-04:00July 7th, 2021|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Be a Better Grower, Farming, gardening, July 2021, Soil Health|
By Christine Manuck, NOFA/Mass Soil Health Projects Manager As with every living thing, what you get out of soil is related to what you put into it. Transitioning our mindset of soil from an inorganic [...]
Five Great Hoes for the Market Gardener
Christy Bassett2021-06-09T16:34:12-04:00June 9th, 2021|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Be a Better Grower, Farming, gardening, June 2021|
By Richard Robinson, Farmer at Hopestill Farm Even those of us who are all-in on no-till gardening know weeds will still pop up, and must be controlled. By choosing a hoe that is best suited to the [...]
Three 2020 Garden Successes I’m Growing Again in 2021
Christy Bassett2021-06-07T12:20:19-04:00March 17th, 2021|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Be a Better Grower, gardening, March 2021, Vegetables|
By Richard Robinson, Farmer at Hopestill Farm Tokyo Bekana, collards, and Panisse lettuce were the standout new additions to my garden in 2020. I’m looking forward to growing more, and selling more, of each this season. One [...]
Key Insights from the Climate Adaptation Fellowship: Part 2
Christy Bassett2021-06-07T12:19:47-04:00March 17th, 2021|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Be a Better Grower, Carbon Sequestration, Farming, Landcare, March 2021, Soil|
We Need to Talk About Nitrous Oxide Emissions By Caro Roszell, NOFA/Mass Education Director and Soil Carbon Program Coordinator In our February newsletter, I shared some takeaways and resources around Massachusetts and New England [...]
Field Corn and Dry Beans in the Garden: Staple crops to feed your family and community
Christy Bassett2021-06-07T12:17:54-04:00April 14th, 2021|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: April 2021, Be a Better Grower, Farming, gardening|
By Noah Courser-Kellerman, Farmer at Alprilla Farm Photos by Paul Cary Goldberg and Sophie Courser-Kellerman Garland Flint Corn in the field at Alprilla Farm A perfect early fall meal from the garden: [...]
Pepo, Maxima, and Moschata: Know your Cucurbits!
Christy Bassett2021-06-07T12:13:32-04:00May 12th, 2021|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Be a Better Grower, Farming, gardening, May 2021|
By Richard Robinson, Farmer at Hopestill Farm When you choose your winter squash, pay attention to the species. Some are easier to grow than others! As I write this in May of 2021, I am roasting [...]
