Calendar

Calendar - Events of Interest and Grant Deadlines

Updated 10/08/2025

October

10/8 National Cover Crop Variety Testing Network: 2024-2025 Trial Results (Online, 12:00 - 1:00 pm)

10/9 Forbes Forward (Northfield, VT, 10:00-12:00)

10/10 White River NRCD 85th Anniversary (E Thetford, VT; 11-5 pm, 3-6 pm, 7-9 pm by event)

10/12 Cedar Circle Pumpkin Festival (E Thetford, VT, 10:00 - 3:00 pm)

10/15 Cover crops and pest dynamics with John Tooker, Penn State (Online, 12:00 - 1:00 pm)

10/16 Tractor Parts, Maintenance & Safety (Washington County, 9:00 - 4:00 pm)

10/16 Cheshire County Conservation County Potluck (Swanzey, 6:00 - 8:00 pm)

10/17 Tractor Parts, Maintenance & Safety (Orleans County, 9:00 - 4:00 pm)

10/15 North Country Farm & Homestead Conference (Lancaster, NH, 9:00 - 3:30 pm)

10/18 Soil Building Workshop at Blackbird's Daughter

10/20 Compaction: Strategies and Tools to Reduce and Relieve (700 Simpson Hill Rd., Sutton VT, 10-1pm)

• Compaction.  We all got it.  So what do we do about it?  First we have to identify what kind of compaction we have.  We're going to talk about that.  Then we'll look at how to avoid compaction and how to distribute weight properly on our tractors.  We'll also run several pieces of equipment and talk about using different types of equipment and cover crops - what they're good for and how to get the most out of them.  And we're going to dig some holes, so dress for success. LUNCH provided! Brought to you by CCNRCD and CRWFA.  Register here: Compaction workshop Sign-Up

10/22 Cover crop interseeding and drone seeding with Jeff Sanders, University of Vermont, and Heidi Reed, Penn State (Online, 12:00 - 1:00 pm)

10/22 Cheshire County 80th Annual Celebration (Walpole, NH, 6:00 - 8:00 pm)

10/23 UVM Miller Farm (Burlington) Pasture Walk (Burlington, VT, 10:00 - 12:00)

10/24 Connecticut River Bi-State Ag Meeting with Congressional Delegates (Alyson's Orchard, Walpole, NH, 10 am - 2 pm)
RSVP: Bi-State Ag Meeting Registration

In April 2024 we co-sponsored, with the Connecticut River Joint Commission (CRJC), an event at Newmont Farm. Representatives from Congressional offices as well as local and state legislators came and we talked about several issues affecting those of us farming in the watershed. You may remember Sen. Welch (D-VT, on the Ag Committee) as being very receptive to your stories of navigating USDA programs, especially insurance and disaster response programs. We heard that he greatly appreciated the chance to hear from you directly, and has used your thoughts to improve his WEATHER bill.

This year the meeting is in October (10/24), held at Alyson's Orchard in Walpole, NH. We expect Sen. Shaheen (D-NH) and Sen. Welch to both be there, first to discuss two bills they've sponsored (the Connecticut River Watershed Partnership Act and the WEATHER Act) as well as immigration and employment, climate change, and what we might expect from Congress in the next couple of years. We've invited others in the Congressional delegations as well as state lawmakers to participate in the conversation - to talk about issues that are important to us, directly and indirectly related to farming here.

Help us estimate the number of people to expect by clicking this Bi-State Ag Meeting Registration

10/28 How to Train Employees to Water - greenhouse, nursery & garden centers (online, 6:30 - 8:00 pm)

10/29 Managing Transition and Early Lactation Cows for Optimal Health and Milk Production (online, 11:30-12:30)

10/29 Renewable Energy Sources for Greenhouse Environmental Control (online, 6:30 - 8:00 pm)

10/29 Cover crops and nutrient dynamics with Charlie White, Penn State (Online, 12:00 - 1:00 pm)

10/29 Practical Prairie Grazing for Health and True Wealth with Russ Wilson (Bakersfield, VT, 9:30-4)

10/30 Practical Prairie Grazing for Health and True Wealth with Russ Wilson(Wells, VT, 9:30-4)

Oct 1, 2025 – Oct 29, 2025 Organic Support Hour - Weekly, Online (Online, every Wednesday, 1 pm)
 

November

11/05 Estate Planning for Farm Families with Children (online, 1-2 pm)

11/5 Cover crops and soil water dynamics (Online, 12:00 - 1:00 pm)

11/06 Big Picture Planning and Strategic Decisions on Your Farm (Caledonia Cty TBD, 10:30 - 12:30 pm)

11/8 & 11/9 Intro to Butchering Poultry (VSU, Randolph, VT, 9:00 - 4:00 pm)

11/9 Farmer Mixer with Granite State Graziers (Swanzey, NH, 5:00 - 8:00 pm)

11/25 A biocontrol starter pack (online, 6:30 - 8:00 pm)

December

12/1 NH Farm Network Open Forum (service providers) (online, 1:00 - 2:30 pm)
12/10 & 12/11 High Tunnel Production Conference (Lebanon, NH, 9:00 - 4:00 pm)
12/16  Greenhouse: In-house root zone testing (online, 6:30 - 8:00 pm)
 

January

1/21 CRWFA Annual Meeting

1/30 & 31, NE Grazing & Livestock Conference (Manchester, NH)

February

2/19 No-Till and Cover Crop Conference (Burlington, 9:00 - 4:00 pm)

Grants

November

11/1 - Capital Equipment Assistance Program (CEAP) application due

11/5 - Working Lands Producer Association and Service Provider Grant application due

TBD - FACT Fund-A-Farmer

December

12/9 - SARE Farmer Grant proposal due (up to $30,000 for on-farm research)

12/11 - Working Lands Business Enhancement Grant application due

Ongoing

VT - Farmstead BMP

VT - Pasture and Surface Water Fencing

VT - Seeding and Filter Strip

VT - CREP (Conservation Reserve Enhancement Programs)

Help with Conference or Workshop costs

• For farmers, custom operators, and service providers: is there a conference or event (water quality-focused) that is expensive or far away?  If you would like help paying for a training like that, the VT Agency of Ag can help.  Click here for more information.  For registration fees and/or travel costs.  This is run through the FAP program (Farm Agronomic Practice).

• FACT (Food Animal Concerns Trust) can offer up to $400 to attend a conference or workshop (for registration fees).  Click here for more information.

Good Luck!