Photo at Moonlight Rose Alpacas in Swansea

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our first two Twilight Grower Skillshares of the year! We had such great turnout for these events, the first we've hosted since 2019!

We are tremendously grateful to our hosts, Elliot Farm in Lakeville and Moonlight Rose Alpacas in Swansea, for sharing their time, space and expertise. We also want to thank the folks from UMass Extension who joined us at Elliot Farm to share their insights and resources. You can see photos and highlights from both events on our website now!

Our next Twilight Event will be a soil health skillshare at Weatherlow Farm on Thursday, July 21, where we'll be joined by folks from NOFA/Mass to talk about soil science in greenhouse microbiomes. Be sure to check out the Twilight Series page on our website for the most up-to-date information on events and registration.

Our dear friends and longtime Southeastern MA farmers Peter and Lynn Reading have decided to retire from their business and sell their farm in West Bridgewater. The Readings are working with LandVest, and you can view the listing for the farm on their website. The property includes the farm stand, barn, sheds and greenhouses. Site visits can be scheduled through the LandVest webpage.

We are sad to see the Readings go and wish them all the best in their retirement!

Take a look at a few of the currently open grant, reimbursement, and award programs below, then check out a complete list on our webpage.

The MDAR property on the former Taunton State Hospital land has three parcels back up for lease. The parcels are shown in the map as Field 2 (8.4 acres), Field 3 (8.2 acres), and Field 7 (4.3 acres). Soils are classified as prime and state important. Applicants may bid on any number of the parcels. The application is due by 3 p.m. on July 15.

SEMAP has been working closely with farmers already using the property, and are happy to provide support for growers who pursue and are potentially accepted for any of these parcels. For support with the application or afterwards, please contact shickey@semaponline.org

Do you have experience in accepting SNAP and offering nutrition incentives at your market? Are you interested in sharing your knowledge and experience with a wider field? The Farmers Market Coalition is seeking operators with experience in implementing nutrition incentive programs to advise their team as part of the Nutrition Incentive Review Board as they create resources to support market operators. This is a commitment of a few hours monthly, and all participants are compensated!

Growing For Market, a magazine for local food producers and growers, shares a free article every month on a different topic related to farming and promoting your farm business.

This month, Kentucky-based vegetable farmer and freelance journalist Jesse Frost brings us "Summer Lettuce Lessons from Southern Growers." Lettuce and the summer heat do not often get along, but there many farmers in some of the hottest parts of our country finding ways to continue growing in the most adverse conditions. Jesse covers all aspects of lettuce growing, from germination and planting to shading and harvest, all through conversations with other farmers who are using these practices.

We hope you enjoy this month's article - and if you do, you can find more of Jesse's work through his website, where you can order his new book, "The Living Soil Handbook: The No-Till Grower's Guide to Ecological Market Gardening." You can also listen to his podcast, "The No-Till Market Garden Podcast," which we have more information on below!

Berry season has arrived! Some of our favorite treats are finally available at many of our local farms, and what better way to celebrate than with National Blueberry Month! Blueberries are a great source of antioxidants, which help to relieve oxidative stress, as well as vitamin C, vitamin K and manganese.

If you're looking to get your fix of these or other delicious berries now in season, be sure to check out some of our great local growers, including:

If you're looking to find new farms, or farms with certain crops, be sure to check out the MassGrown Map from MDAR. It is a great tool which allows to search and sort by region, town, crop and other important information. Be sure to also check out SEMAP's virtual Local Food Guide!

American Farmland Trust Presents Farms Under Threat 2040 for MA, CT, RI

American Farmland Trust has released their digital report Farms Under Threat 2040: Choosing an Abundant Future, detailing the potential future of development impacts on farmland across the country. The report covers extensive research on how development patterns and farmland protection intertwined, with urban and suburban sprawl increasingly chipping away at valuable farmland across the country. The full report is available online, and we highly encourage folks to read it.

Over the next few months, AFT will host state- and region-specific webinars to discuss the specific findings and impacts across the country. On September 9, join AFT for the Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island webinar to learn more about farmland protections in our region.

The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources is currently hiring for two positions which work with the Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) Program. Both roles are seeking applicants who are passionate about farmland protection and preservation, and have strong knowledge of agricultural practices.

Farmland Preservation Specialist: This position is within the Acquisition branch and combines telework, field work, and office work. The Farmland Preservation Specialist will report to the APR Acquisition Coordinator and is primarily responsible for identifying, cultivating, planning, managing and coordinating APR farmland restriction acquisitions. See full details.

APR Stewardship Planner: The position is within the Stewardship branch and combines telework, field work, and office work. The APR Stewardship Planner will report to the Agricultural Land Programs Supervisor and specific duties include communications and outreach, APR monitoring and compliance, recordkeeping, and land acquisitions. See full details.

It's a busy time of year for farmers and food business alike, and it might be difficult to find time to sit down with a book these days. Luckily, we have podcasts!

"The No-Till Market Garden Podcast" is the brain child of farmer Jesse Frost, who set out to talk to and learn from no-till farmers about how they run their business. The show started out with simple intentions - described as a "nuts and bolts (and earthworms and microbes) look at how to run a productive, profitable no-till market garden for small and mid-sized farmers." It has since blossomed into several spinoff series.

In the most recent winter growers episode, SEMAP-member Roots Farm in Tiverton are interviewed to discuss their background in farming and some of their growing practices, including movable high tunnels and no-till.

SEMAP is always looking to build up our reading, listening and viewing list. If you have a recommendation you would like us to share here, send an email to [email protected].

With the growing season hitting its peak this time of year, we want to make sure all of our readers and local eaters know what fresh finds you can find at your local farm or farmers' market. We hope this helps you plan recipes and get the most out of local food!

Throughout July, be on the lookout for...

And don't forget about year-round local products like meat, dairy, eggs, and seafood!

Have you checked out our Local Food Jobs page recently? You'll find local food and farm job listings relevant to Southeastern Massachusetts. Here are a few picks currently on the page. Want to share a listing? Email [email protected].

Part Time Farm Store and Field Crew at Moonrose Farm in Rehoboth

Greenhouse & Garden Manager at Gilded Tomato Company in Rehoboth

Multiple Positions at World Farmers in Lancaster

Urban Farm Director at Boys and Girls Club of Metro South in Brockton and Taunton