Author: Frances Champagne

Water Webinar March 30, 2023

Are you drowning with questions about agricultural water? Join us for our water webinar on March 30!

Topics include compliance dates, new assessment tools, and harvest/post-harvest water.

Speakers:

Indu Upadhyaya, Food Safety Extension Specialist

Diane Wright Hirsch, Emeritus Faculty Food Safety

Click/tap here or on the flyer above to register!

UConn Cannabis Symposium March 16-17, 2023

UConn Cannabis Symposium

March 16–17, 2023UConn Student Union

The University of Connecticut has been a leader nationally in developing the first series of courses offered at a U.S. academic institution on cannabis production. Join us on March 16-17 as expert speakers cover topics related to cannabis such as: plant production, biochemistry and genetics, clinical impacts, law and policy, and the future of the industry. The UConn Cannabis Symposium will be a premiere event for students, scientists, educators, and members of the cannabis industry to network and share information in the emerging cannabis field. This is an event that you will not want to miss!

Getting to the Root Videos & Farmer Panels

From UConn Solid Ground:

In 2022 we kicked off a new video series with the goal of raising the visibility of some of the many entrepreneurs among the new farmer community. Last year we learned about Cut Flower Farming at Eddy Farm and Niche Livestock Farming at BOTL farm. These videos as well as the farmer panels we recorded are available at: https://newfarms.uconn.edu/video-series/

In 2023, we are pleased to add two new videos. Join us in watching the release of our next two releases focused on:

1) Ethnic & Specialty Crops at Mahara Farm via zoom @ noon on 3/9

Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/getting-to-the-root-ethnic-and-specialty-crops-tickets-558917516337

 

2) Added Value Products with Park City Harvest (in person) @ 9:45 on 3/11

Register at https://ctnofa.org/winter-conference/2023-conference/ (must be a registrant at the CT NOFA conference).

 

We are extra grateful to Daniel Recinos for his professional videography work.

DIY Video Series

We’ve been working away in the background at getting some great videos pulled together for you.
In our DIY Video Series, we visit farms all over the state and look at different projects they have tackled to make some of the costs a little easier on their wallets and more sustainable for their farms.  Each topic is capped off with a conversation with an expert about best practices if you want to conquer some of these DIY tasks yourself.
To see the videos you can visit a playlist we created here: https://kaltura.uconn.edu/playlist/dedicated/1_vbne4me9/  or you can see all of our Solid Ground videos here: https://newfarms.uconn.edu/video-series/
We have videos on Coolbots:
      Keney Park Sustainability Project
      Fox Meadow Farm
      Off Center Farm
      Four Root Farm
      UVM Extension
 
Season Extension Structures:
      Daigle Farm
      River Crest Farm
      Cloverleigh Farm
      CT Greenhouse Company
 
and Humane Animal Handling:
      Allard Family Farm
      Arbor Farm
      West View Farm
      Howling Flats Farm
      UConn Extension
 
If you are working on one of these projects, take a peak and find out how other farms in the state are putting their projects together and making their farms work!  If you’re not, take a look anyways, perhaps it will give you some new ideas for these slightly slower winter days.
 
Again, you can check all the DIY Videos out here: https://kaltura.uconn.edu/playlist/dedicated/1_vbne4me9/

Solid Ground Stipend Program For Beginning Farmers

We are excited to announce our 2023 Solid Ground Stipend Program! UConn Extension’s Solid Ground Program and the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources – Strategic Vision Implementation Committee are pleased to join forces to offer up to $2000 in stipends to new and beginning farmers in Connecticut.

This opportunity is intended for farmers with less than 10 years of experience operating their own business. Stipends can be used to purchase better tools and make upgrades to your operation instead of relying on low cost/low quality inputs.

Please read over the 2023 Guidance on Solid Ground Stipends for Beginning Farmers prior to completing the application. 

Note that priority funding this year will go to:

  • Supporting the success of early phase beginning farmers (those who have been operating their own farm business for 3 years or less)
  • Supporting the viability of farmers/market gardeners who identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Color
  • Potential of stipend to contribute to conservation of natural resources, climate resilience, climate adaptation, or climate mitigation strategies
  • Applicants who did not receive a Solid Ground Stipend in 2022 will receive priority for funding.  Applicants that were funded in 2022 are still eligible to apply.

Applications are due no later than 5 pm on 3/3/23.  A copy of the application for viewing purposes only can be accessed here: SG Stipend Application – View Only v2   Applications need to be submitted online:   Click here to apply.  

Visit newfarms.uconn.edu for more info!

Substitutability of cash and in-kind benefit among the poor farming households in developing countries

 

PI: Shuresh Ghimire

The purpose of this study is to find the value of in-kind benefit respondent is willing to give up for less cash amount or vice-versa and identify the factors affecting the preference of cash vs in-kind benefit.

Funded by: UConn’s OVPR Research Excellence Program

This study expects to determine the degree of preference of cash to in-kind benefit among the farming households. Although misuse of the cash support is a very common problem among the households in developing countries, this study will identify the factors affecting the preference of cash vs in-kind benefits. The findings will assist government and nongovernment agencies in formulating policies based on the evidence. Given the intense debate of the effectiveness of in-kind and cash benefits, this project will contribute literature on this area of development economics. This study seeks the root cause of decisions which affect the success of the aid programs in developing countries which is currently lacking.

2023 CT Farm Energy Workshops

February 1 3:30-5PM at the Audubon Center, 218 Day Road Pomfret Center, CT 06259

February 9 3-4:00PM (part of Climate Smart Ag Meeting) UConn Litchfield County Extension Center, 843 University Drive, Torrington, CT 06790

February 16 6-7:30PM at the UConn Middlesex County Extension Center, 1066 Saybrook Road, Haddam, CT 06438

Visit www.ctfarmenergy.org to register for free!

Climate Smart Agriculture

Interested in making your farm more resilient? Concerned about climate change? Join us at the Litchfield County Extension Center on February 9 to learn about ways to enable your operation to be sustainable. Dinner provided! For more information and to register, visit: https://nwcd.org/events/

For special accommodations, please contact info@nwcd.org

CT NOFA Winter Conference – workshop previews

CT NOFA is proud to present our 41st Winter Conference, to be held the second week of March, kicking off on Monday, March 6th, 2023 with a week of live virtual workshops and concluding on March 11th with an in-person gathering and celebration at Wesleyan University.

We’ll be offering a variety of live virtual workshops on farming, seed saving, organic land care, community food security, social justice issues, and more.

Join us in March as we learn, grow, innovate, and think critically about what we want our food system to look like in the future. Registration is open on a sliding scale ⏤ this model allows us to practice economic solidarity, providing mutual support for the cost of our programs. In this way, we make our education more accessible and help cover costs of operation. Choose the pricing tier that fits with your income and access to wealth, and help us create a more just, inclusive, and equitable conference.