3rd Annual MA Urban Farming Conference

3rd Annual Massachusetts Urban Farming Conference

Saturday, March 28, 2015 9:00 am - 5:30 pm

Worcester State University 486 Chandler Street Sheehan Hall Worcester, MA

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With Urban Farming, Massachusetts has the potential to offer an abundance of fresh, local healthy food to its residents. Urban Farming is a smart growth strategy that contributes to the Massachusetts food system, sustainable urban environmental management and climate change adaptation. The annual Massachusetts Urban Farming Conference (UFC) is designed to advance the opportunities and address the barriers involved in cultivating a resilient and thriving Urban Farming sector. The UFC is a multi-sector stakeholder forum designed to share information regarding what is currently happening in Massachusetts. The UFC fosters solutions, sustainable networks and business relationships.

The UFC brings together participants representing all aspects of Urban Farming including, but not limited to, farmers (including roof top, chicken, bees, etc.), land trust managers, policy makers, commercial buyers, foundations, investors and all others. The 3rd Annual Massachusetts UFC is comprised of interactive panels, demonstration workshops, expert discussions on diverse and relevant topics with distinguished Conversation Leaders and a networking reception.

For more information, please contact Crystal Johnson/ISES at: Crystal@ISESplanning.com.

Refunds available until March 6, 2015. By registering to attend the UFC, all participants acknowledge, understand and agree to being photographed or recorded for all purposes, including UFC related promotional use.

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Agenda

7:45 am Registration Opens / Vendor Viewing

Location: Sheehan Hall Multi-Purpose Room

9:00 am - 10:00 am Session 1

Panel 1A. Hydroponics and STEM Education

Location: Student Center Foster Room

Learn about the STEM Garden Institute’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) curriculum. Their innovation-based learning is designed for K-12 students utilizing the sustainable platform of hydroponic gardening. Attend this panel and gain a detailed understanding of how the STEM Garden Institute’s STEM curriculum provides children with entrepreneur, team building and nutrition skills.

Laura Bilazarian Purutyan, MA Advanced Pathways Program Specialist, Marlborough High School (Moderator)

Janet Lorden, Executive Director, STEM Garden Institute

Michael Barnett, Professor of Science Education and Technology, Boston College

Lindsey Cotter-Hayes, DeputyDirector, Groundwork Lawrence

Panel 1B. Soil Fertility Appropriate for Urban Settings

Location: Student Center Fallon Room

Understanding soil fertility is essential to producing healthy and safe crops. This workshop will provide information on how to take a soil test, interpret the results, and apply the appropriate amount of lime and fertility (organic of conventional) nutrients based on the results. Learn about the appropriate use of compost and other organic soil amendments, including when not to use them. Gain an understanding of what to do when soil has high levels of lead.

Frank Mangan, Extension Associate Professor, Stockbridge School of Agriculture, UMass Amherst

Zoraia Barros, Urban Agriculture Specialist, Stockbridge School of Agriculture, UMass Amherst

Panel 1C. Expanding the Field and Feeding Our Communities: The Role Youth Play in Urban Farming

Location: Learning Resource Center #117

From field hand to sales and marketing managers to advocates for food security and food justice, urban youth are growing our local food systems. The expanding field of urban farming is providing youth with training, job skills and meaningful employment supporting our food system and developing a generation of food leaders. Participants in this workshop will hear directly from some of these youth about the roles, needs, and hopes they have for the future of urban farming. In addition, panelists will address the need and challenge of engaging more urban youth in this field. Youth led focus groups will help brainstorm means of providing more opportunities and career pathways for urban youth to be active participants and leaders in our food system.

Lindsey Cotter-Hayes, Deputy Director, Groundwork Lawrence

Stephanie Maraldo, Green Team Leader/Education Program Coordinator, Groundwork Lawrence

Vincent Nunez, Groundwork Lawrence

Jairo Hernandez , Groundwork Lawrence

Lipasha Pradhan, Groundwork Somerville

Hajera “Tanya” Tania, Groundwork Somerville

Weijie “Tony” Xie, Groundwork Somerville

Tyler Martin, Project Leader, Gardening the Community, Springfield

Ralph Weah, YouthGROW, Worcester

Chad McClain, YouthGROW, Worcester

Keely Curliss, The Food Project, Boston

Panel 1D. Land in the City: Access and Development

Location: Learning Resource Center #121

Urban farmers recognize that land security is key to food security and is necessary for infrastructure investment, crop growth and soil health. However, land acquisition, development and tenure is a complex process that requires a specific set of tools and skills. Urban land development - for any purpose - crosses numerous regulatory administrations and connects to private interests. This discussion will range from the details of the land development process, to policies and programs (such as, Incentive Zones and Right-to-Farm Ordinances that reduce costs and raise incentives for urban farms,) to using mapping and open data to make transparent existing pathways to land access, and how to organize advocacy for policy change. Our panelists will discuss the growing expertise on land policies, methods, tools and development partnerships that are increasing the quantity and quality of land available for urban farms. Learn about regulatory support and experiences from other US cities.

Barbara Knecht, Board Member, The Urban Farming Institute (Moderator)

Jennifer Rushlow, Staff Attorney/Director of Farm & Food Initiative, Conservation Law Foundation

Amy Laura Cahn, Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia

Panel 1E. Farms First: How Urban Agriculture Can Help Address Food Insecurity

Location: Learning Resource Center #114

Food banks serve an important role in the social safety net, especially in emergency situations. Urban farms and community gardens can play a huge part in creating long-term sustainable solutions for the numerous communities across Massachusetts that suffer from food insecurity. To contribute to the end of hunger in Massachusetts, Project Bread has partnered with Gardening the Community in Springfield. They provide youth development, farmer training and workforce development. Learn how urban farms can respond to daunting social and health disparities, promote food justice, food security, and a sense of pride in traditionally underserved communities.

Scott Richardson, Director of research, strategic initiatives, and development, Project Bread

10:10 am - 11:45 am Welcome Remarks / Keynote Panel

Location: Sullivan Academic Center Auditorium

Speakers:

Glynn Lloyd, Managing Director, Boston Impact Initiative and Co-Founder, City Growers

Dr. Maureen Power, Executive Director/Professor, Urban Studies Faculty, Worcester State University

Commissioner John Lebeaux, MA Department of Agricultural Resources

Keynote Panel: Building Bridges: Where Urban and Rural Farming Meet

Our keynote panel brings different perspectives for this timely conversation on the growing awareness of urban farming’s growth and the possible implications on rural and peri-urban enterprises. The focus on shared goals and perceived conflicts, along with food security and everyone’s role will be discussed. What are the current realties and commonalities of farming? How do we leverage our strengths? The discussion starts here and is sure to be enlightening and productive.

Jennifer Hashley, Director, New Entry Sustainable Farming Project

Glynn Lloyd, Managing Director, Boston Impact Initiative and Co-Founder, City Growers

Dr. Rich Bonanno, President, Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation, Inc.

Derek Christianson, Farmer, Brix Bounty Farm

Kim Denney, Farmer, Chestnut Farms

11:45 am - 12:55 pm Networking Lunch / Vendor Viewing

Sheehan Hall Multi-Purpose Room/Cafeteria

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Session 2

Panel 2A. Growing Ethnic Crops for Ethnic and Traditional Markets

Location: Student Center Foster Room

Immigrant populations continue to grow in Massachusetts. This growth represents many opportunities for urban farmers and markets. Urban farmers need information on how to grow crops popular among these immigrant groups, which includes seed sources, fertility, pest management, post-harvest and packing requirements. This workshop will provide a systematic approach on how to choose specific crops to produce according to market demand and how to grow, market and sell them profitably.

Frank Mangan, Extension Associate Professor, Stockbridge School of Agriculture, UMass Amherst

Zoraia Barros, Urban Agriculture Specialist, Stockbridge School of Agriculture, UMass Amherst

Panel 2B. A Practical Introduction to Aquaponics

Location: Learning Resource Center #121

Aquaponics is the marriage of hydroponics and re-circulating aquaculture systems (RASs). Hydroponics grows plants in a soil-less medium. RASs grow fish in an enclosed environment. In aquaponics, plants remove and use wastes produced by fish as essential nutrients. In this process water quality is maintained suitable for healthy fish growth. The concept and approach is inherently sustainable with minimal environmental impact. The challenge is to move quantitatively from a general concept to a viable business in an urban setting. Learn about system design, management practices, permit acquisition, cooperative formation, product marketing and training.

Dr. Joseph Buttner, Professor, Salem State University

James Carnazza, President, Full Circle Earth

Eliza Kessler, Student, Salem State University

Camron Adibi, Co-PI, Salem State University

Lynn Embrick, Web Facilitator, Salem State University

Panel 2C. Decision Making for Commercially Viable Businesses

Location: Learning Resource Center #114

Join The Carrot Project and New Entry for a round table discussion with local farm clients about the decisions they made while growing a viable business. Topics will include, business structure, balancing mission and profit, what is different about writing a business plan and running a business, what you need to think about for future financing including debt financing and how to meet mission statements.

Dorothy Suput, Executive Director and Founder, The Carrot Project

Jennifer Hashley, Director, New Entry Sustainable Farming Project

Panel 2D. Urban Farming Training Workshop

Location: Learning Resource Center #117

This valuable workshop is designed for everyone considering and/or pursuing urban farming. Learn about the realities and challenges of the urban farmer worker. Our panelists will share their collective experience to present the necessary steps and important lessons regarding growing produce for market in an urban environment. This workshop is intended to provide an introduction for individuals or collectives interested in setting up an urban farming operation in their neighborhood or city. Topics include: access to land, agricultural training, soil health and remediation in urban areas, utilities and infrastructure (irrigation, storage, refrigeration, facilities), crop planning and deciding what to grow, techniques and methods for intensive market growing on small plots of land, marketing strategies, distribution networks and challenges, community relationships, managing labor and volunteers.

Bobby Walker, Instructor, Urban Farming Institute

Tristam Keefe, Farm Manager, City Growers LLC

Nataka Crayton, Urban Farmer, Urban Farming Institute

Siedric White, Trainee Graduate, Urban Farming Institute

Panel 2E. Reversing Global Warming with Urban and Suburban Carbon Farming

Location: Student Center Fallon Room

Come to this pertinent panel and learn how you can reverse global warming while growing healthy food. This panel explores regenerative farming in cities, towns and suburbs to expand local food abundance and to address the pending climate disaster. Plants capture massive amounts of carbon and working with the amazing life in the soils - microbes, fungi, insects, worms, birds and animals - bury it deep in the ground where it's no longer in the atmosphere heating the planet. Carbon farming can be conducted in your own back yard, on brownfields and abandoned lots, on the grassy strip on the sidewalk - possibilities abound!

Adam Sacks, Executive Director, Biodiversity for a Livable Climate

Jim Laurie, Restoration Ecologist, Biodiversity for a Livable Climate

2:05 pm - 3:05 pm Session 3

Panel 3A. Extending the Season

Location: Student Center Fallon Room

The Food Project's Boston site has been experimenting with outdoor field season extension to compliment their winter greenhouse production over the past 3 years. Their experience has been that urban farms are particularly well suited to season extension - both due to the heat effect of the city, the close proximity to markets and ease of washing facilities. This panel will bring together farmers using season extension techniques including variety selection, low and high tunnels and will look at both late fall/winter extension as well as early spring production.

Kesiah Bascom, Boston Field Manager, The Food Project

Dan Bensonoff, Assistant Grower, Newton Community Farm

Panel 3B. Innovations in Food Production

Location: Learning Resource Center #117

Hear from entrepreneurs on the leading edge of urban food production and learn about their vision in supporting their local food system. What are the challenges they face as new enterprises? How are their models helping communities build more resilient and sustainable networks of food production? You will learn about freight farms, rooftop farming and hydroponics, and how they are impacting your city.

Kimi Ceridon, Culinary Scholar and Food Consultant (Moderator)

Brendan Shea, Owner/Senior Project Supervisor, Recover Green Roofs

Brad McNamara, Co-Founder, Freight Farms

Michael Barnett, Professor of Science Education and Technology, Boston College

Panel 3C. Food Hubs and Urban Food Systems

Location: Student Center Foster Room

Join the conversation focused on how urban communities are expanding the vision of Food Hubs. Traditional food hubs support and promote regional food production and procurement, increasing the vitality of food businesses in the region. For urban growers working to build and strengthen their local food system, increased production and access to markets is absolutely essential for economic growth. The discussion will center on policy, food access and supporting these enterprises with innovation.

Dan Ross, Social Entrepreneur and Consultant, DAISA Emterprises LLC (Moderator)

Liz Sheehan Castro, Director, Worcester Food & Active Living Policy Council

Jennifer Hashley, Director, New Entry Sustainable Farming Project

April Anderson Lamoureux, President at Anderson Strategic Advisors, LLC

Cynthia Espinosa Marrero, Food System Scholar/Activist and Steering Committee, Holyoke Community Market Project

Panel 3D. Secrets of Soil Nutrition - Trace Minerals in Urban Agriculture

Location: Learning Resource Center #121

Trace mineral availability in soils may determine the success or failure of optimum plant growth and in building a strong immune system. Learn from experienced and successful vegetable growers as they share their experience in how to ensure adequate availability throughout the growing season. This panel will address organically approved sources, the role of biology and economical application methods. Gain an understanding of trace minerals and plant metabolism, as well as the ideal levels in soils and plants, and the best applications methods across varying scales and scopes of production. This panel includes reflections from the first year of a partnership between Gardening the Community, Project Bread and NOFA-Mass which will focus on improving soil fertility and agricultural production in Springfield.

Derek Christianson, Farmer, Soil Fertility Consultant, & Community Educator, Brix Bounty Farm

Scott Richardson, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Project Bread

Talib Touissaint Paskins, Program Coordinator, Gardening the Community

Panel 3E. Massachusetts Honey Bee Colony Decline and Impacts to Our Food Production: The Science and Next Steps for Restoring Populations

Location: Learning Resource Center #114

This timely panel pertains to the ongoing Harvard University and Worcester County Beekeepers Association studies located in central Massachusetts since March 2010. This report shaped the proposed Massachusetts State Legislation pertaining to neonics (pesticide) use in Massachusetts anticipated to be voted on in the 2015 legislation. Learn about the Massachusetts honey bee colony collapse disorder (CCD) and the results of the report including criticisms. What does CCD mean to urban and conventional farming in Massachusetts? How is the MA Food production impacted? What are the next steps to reverse the continuing trend of honey bee losses in Massachusetts?

Chensheng Lu, Associate Professor, Environmental Exposure Biology, Harvard University

Ken Warchol, Bee School Director/Program Chair, Worcester County Beekeepers Association

Dr. Richard Callahan, Entomologist

3:10 pm - 4:10 pm Session 4

Panel 4A. Sustaining and Growing Urban Farm Enterprises

Location: Learning Resource Center #117

Urban farming is growing by leaps and bounds in an array of ways – on the ground, on roofs, in containers, utilizing aquaponics and more. Some urban farms are for profit and some are non-profits. And, urban farmers come from all walks of life. Beyond a love for fresh food, urban farmers bring a passion and a commitment to making the world a better place. How do we sustain and grow these enterprises? What are the current funding models and best practices? What more do we need in place to make urban farming a viable livelihood now and into the future?

Ruth Goldman, Consulting Program Officer, Merck Family Fund (Moderator)

Jessie Banhazl, Founder and Urban Grower, Green City Growers

Brad McNamara, Founder, Freight Farms

Lydia Sisson, Co-Director, Mill City Grows

Tristam Keefe, Farm Manager, City Growers LLC

Panel 4B. Designing Cities and Urban Food Production

Location: Student Center Fallon Room

As urban spaces are being transformed by food enterprises, what are the implications on neighborhoods? How do you design food production in the city? This discussion will focus on how proper planning can enable the production of food and help revitalize communities. Our presenter will explore the role that creative design professionals have in relation to the food system of cities and the impact that urban agricultural issues are having on the design of urban spaces. This panel will focus on how the increasing interest in growing food within the city, supplying food locally and food security are impacting urban design.

Adrian Dahlin, The Conway School

Luisa Olivera, Senior Planner and Landscape Designer, City of Somerville

Edith Murnane, Consultant and Food Systems Advocate

Panel 4C. Gentrification in the Food System

Location: Learning Resource Center #121

This panel will discuss how the rapid growth of the food justice movement and "foodie" culture has often excluded communities of color, youth, and the low-income people. Learn about the many ways we can work to reverse this trend. This discussion will include story-sharing from youth in the YouthGROW program, as well as sharing strategies for dismantling racism and creating inclusive spaces.

Casey Burns, Food Justice Program Director, Regional Environmental Council, Inc.

A. Bayoan Rosello-Comier, Community Organizer and Planner, Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative

Liz Sheehan Castro, Director, Worcester Food & Active Living Policy Council

Ibrahim Ali, Program and Youth Director, Garden the Community

Panel 4D. Urban Farmers and Food Entrepreneurs - Do You Need A Lawyer?

Location: Student Center Foster Room

Thinking about starting or expanding your urban farm or food business? Seasoned business-owners would tell you that the first thing you should do is find a good lawyer! Join us for this panel facilitated by attorneys Jenny Rushlow and Elena Mihaly of Conservation Law Foundation’s (“CLF”) Farm and Food Initiative to learn about when to consult with a lawyer, and how CLF’s Legal Services Food Hub (“Hub”) matches eligible farmers and food entrepreneurs with free legal assistance. Also on the panel will be Cassandria Jackson, Co-Founder of Fresh Food Generation, a food truck and catering business providing healthy, local food to Boston’s lower-income neighborhoods, and Rich Cavanaugh, Legal Services Food Hub network attorney and founder of Common Grow, LLC, a niche law firm that provides legal services to preserve farmland and promote local food production. Cassandria will talk about how engaging with attorneys through the Legal Services Food Hub helped her business start on solid footing. Rich will provide insight from his perspective as a lawyer handling several current farm/food cases for the Hub.

Jenny Rushlow, Staff Attorney/Director of Farm & Food Initiative, Conservation Law Foundation

Cassandria Campbell, Co-Founder, Fresh Food Generation

Rich Cavanaugh Founder, Common Grow, LLC

Elena Mihaly, Legal Fellow, Conservation Law Foundation

Panel 4E. Fungi’s Place In Farming: It’s More Than Just Mushrooms

Location: Learning Resource Center #114

Learn about the great relationship between fungus (mushrooms) and farming. Did you know that fungus can contribute to soil retention? Learn from mushroom experts about how to use fungus to maximize your farming production. This panel will discuss how fungus can be utilized to kick start composting materials, control water runoff and more? Gain an understanding of how low tech mushroom cultivation on urban and traditional farms can serve your farming needs.

Todd Leftwith, Mycologist, Rhode Island Mushroom Company

Mike Hallock, Co-Founder,Rhode Island Mushroom Company

4:15 pm - 5:15 pm Closing Remarks

Location: Sullivan Academic Center Auditorium

Speaker:

Greg Maslowe, Farmer Manager, Newton Community Farm

What's the Point of Urban Farming? A Conversation About What “Success” Means

Can urban farms growing on small plots actually be profitable? While profitability can be an elusive goal for any farm, those operating on small scales and in urban environments face even more challenges: limited land; potentially contaminated soil; access to water; and, noise ordinances. But while profitability may be the bottom line for private farms, many urban farms are run by mission driven organizations. This can change the meaning of what it means to be “successful”. What is the goal of your farm? Profitability? Job training? Providing access to fresh produce in a food desert? Changing the physical landscape of an urban environment? All of the above? In our conversation we'll explore the question of how we judge what makes an urban farm successful, while trying to never let the issue of profitability get too far out of sight.

Closing Remarks:

Glynn Lloyd, Managing Director, Boston Impact Initiative and Co-Founder, City Growers