The Vine - SEMAP October Newsletter

The warm weather growing season is winding down and some of the region has seen its first frost but the fall greens are getting sweeter and livestock are fattening up on the lush fall growth, thanks to the long-awaited rain. The bounty of produce available at this time is amazing. Look for lots of lovely varieties of fall vegetables at your local farmers' markets. And please stop by soon as many markets will finish for the season at the end of the month. It is the most colorful and flavorful part of the season - don't miss it! Continue reading.

With thanks,

Karen Schwalbe

Executive Director

SEMAP Wash Station & Cold Storage Twilight Workshop, October 24th

Join SEMAP for a tour of Skinny Dip Farm in Little Compton, RI. Husband and wife team Ben and Hannah Wolbach farm 4 acres of certified organic vegetables and flowers. We will get a chance to talk about:

- post-harvest handling for long-term winter storage

- using the Coolbot cold storage through the winter

- take a ride on the farm's bike-powered root washer

- talk about the farm overall

The start time has changed to 5pm. Tickets are $5 for Beginning Farmers & $20 for General Admission. Please register by October 22nd if possible. Send questions to [email protected].

An Update on the 2018 Cranberry Crop

By: Brian Wick, Executive Director, Cod Cranberry Cranberry Gowers' Association

The 2018 Massachusetts cranberry harvest is forecasted to be a good crop.

With the warm fall, many growers held off starting harvest, waiting to attain the minimum color levels that most handlers require. As a result, harvest is a little behind what is considered "normal", although with the ever changing climatic conditions in the region, it's becoming harder to determine what normal is. With the rains and humidity that inundated the region in the late summer and continuing into the fall, fruit quality remains a concern. So far, deliveries have been good in quantity but some quality issues have popped up. This may be more of a case of growers bringing in their problematic beds before they get worse and not necessarily a trend for the season.

One of the issues that has people talking is the volume regulation announced by USDA. Under the federal marketing order, which US cranberries, along with many other commodities belong, the Cranberry Marketing Committee is authorized to request a volume regulation, pending approval by USDA. In August of 2017, the committee recommended...

SEMAP 2018 Annual Meeting, November 15th

This year we are pleased to announce our Annual Meeting will be held at Round the Bend Farm's new Learning Center in South Dartmouth.

Join farmers & foodies from across southeastern Mass for networking and celebrate some of the leaders of the local food movement - all over good food! Our 2018 Annual Meeting will have a networking hour & light supper provided from 5:30pm to 6:30pm, and our meeting & awards ceremony will begin at 6:30pm. This event is FREE admission, but please RSVP at the ticket link so we know how much food is necessary.

Healthy Incentives Program Funding Update

The Healthy Incentives Program (HIP) will be operating on a seasonal schedule to enable clients to use their benefits during the peak growing season. This means that HIP will end at close of business the day before Thanksgiving on Wednesday, November 21st for the 2018 season. The Dept. of Transitional Assistance anticipates beginning again in the spring of 2019. HIP clients will also be made aware of this update. Questions can be sent to [email protected]

Bristol Aggie Fall Show, October 19th - 21st

Take part in a local tradition! Take a walk around campus and patronize the BA Grows Farmer's Market, view the student's work in the Landscape & Floral Design exhibits, explore the Ag Mechanics displays, m eander though the Bristol County Natural History Museum, and much more. Learn more.

NOFA/RI Farming Organic Panel, October 21st

Join NOFA-RI for a panel discussion of four farmers with 45 years of combined experience in organic and sustainable farming. Hosted at South Kingstown Land Trust Barn, the panel features Camille Abdel-Nabi of Little River Farm, Diana Kushner of Arcadian Fields, Kelli Roberts of Roots Farm and Sarah Turkus of Sidewalk Ends Farm and the Young Farmer Network, with Kate Goodson of NOFA/RI moderating. The panel of farmers will share their approaches and insights into the challenges and successes building an organic farm business with ample time for questions and discussion from the audience. Learn more.

Beginning Quickbooks For Farmers (Part 1) w/ Julia Shanks, October 23rd

QuickBooks is a powerful tool that goes way beyond just tracking income and expenses for taxes; it can help you manage cash, understand how to increase profits, and plan for growth. In the 1st session of the three-part series, we will cover: 1) An overview of QuickBooks, and how to decide between online and desktop 2) Basic accounting concepts that underlie QuickBooks 3) Set-up including creating a customized chart of accounts 4) Basic transactions such as entering expenses, creating wholesale customer invoices and recording bank deposits. Learn more.

Fall Family Food Day at New Bedford Farmers' Market, October 27th

Coastal Foodshed & The New Bedford Farmers Market will be hosting Fall Family Food Day on Saturday, October 27th at Clasky Common Park from 10-2pm. This day is to celebrate National Food Day and to wrap up the end of our outdoor market season. There will be games, activities for youth and families, face painting, live music, food-themed Halloween costume contests, fire trucks, & much more! Learn more.

Webinar: Scale Up! What You Need to Know to Grow Your Food Business, October 30th

Sustainable Business Network of Massachusetts is organizing a food safety webinar with Dr. Michele Pfannenstiel of Dirigo Food Safety. The webinar will focus on food safety for scaling food businesses and will be on Tuesday, October 30th from 12:00-1:00pm. Topics that will be covered include: who regulates what and how, how to manage your mind for success, the difference between cooking and manufacturing, the successful components of a food business, how to write a business plan that addresses the killers of a small food business. Learn more.

Do you use HIP? Take the survey!

A group of community organizations has made a 2018 survey to hear directly from HIP users about their experiences. The survey will be used to guide improvements to the program.

If you have used the Healthy Incentives Program, will you take a few minutes to share your thoughts on it? Or, if you know someone else who has used HIP, we invite you to share the survey with them. All answers are anonymous. The survey is available in 9 languages.

Take the HIP survey.

SEMAP Member Announcement:

Spring Rain Farm Pork Shares Available

Quarter, half, and whole pig shares are available from Spring Rain Farm in East Taunton. Each pig is a mix of several tasty rare heritage breeds raised in the meadows and forests overlooking their cranberry bogs, free to romp and root under a canopy of wildflowers, pine, and oak. In the fall, they are fed cranberries from the farm and other forage, such as apples and acorns. There will be farm field days in the fall for shareholders to see how the pigs are raised. Learn more here.