The Urban Farming Institute’s Urban Farming Symposium will be back on March 28, 2026. This one-day, in-person gathering will bring together farmers, growers, youth, policymakers, and community leaders from across the Commonwealth.
Registration opens in February at https://www.urbanfarminginstitute.org/events/the-massachusetts-commercial-urban-farming-symposium
For more info: rose.arruda@mass.gov
SBN’s Boston Local Food Festival is a deliciously free outdoor event that connects Massachusetts and New England eaters of all backgrounds with the abundance of fresh, nutritious local food choices available close to home. The Boston Local Food Festival is an event for all ages aimed to allow locals to taste and appreciate the variety of locally produced and harvested products grown right here in the Boston area! There will be live music performed by local musicians and fun activities for children. There will also be competitions (like the annual Seafood Throwdown, sponsored by NAMA) and demonstrations put on by local food experts.
The festival will provide access to healthy food for $6 or less, created with local ingredients. The goal of this event is to connect local farmers and producers to their consumers, strengthening the community and educating the locals in a delicious and informative way.
The festival has been endorsed by the City of Boston, Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), and several leading food organizations, businesses, and farms. We also have a goal of making this a Zero Waste event. In 2012, 91% of waste was diverted from landfills!The event will take place from 11 – 5 on Sunday, September 14 on the Rose Kennedy Greenway, near the Aquarium T stop, in Boston. For more information on the Sustainable Business Network visit www.sbnmass.org.
The 2nd Annual Massachusetts Urban Farming Conference (UFC) is designed to advance urban farming issues ranging from farming techniques and business models to climate change adaptation and food security. The UFC contributes to short-term and long-term state-wide strategic planning for a sustainable food system in Massachusetts.
Network with Massachusetts’ diverse, multi-sector stakeholders in this dynamic event that looks at current issues, emerging practices and programs, and markets that can contribute to Massachusetts’ urban farming sector resiliency.
For more information, contact Rose Arruda at MDAR: Rose.Arruda@state.ma.us. The conference will take place at Northeastern University on Saturday, March 8, from 8 – 4:30. $30. To register online visit http://www.eventbrite.com/e/2nd-annual-massachusetts-urban-farming-conference-tickets-7547919029. Thank you www.digboston.com for the image below.
The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) and Project for Public Spaces are exploring the possibilities of a year round public market in Boston. They are looking for input from you. A community workshop will be held next week to collect feedback from the community and vendors. Bring your ideas for products and vendors, programs and events for the market, market layout, and merchandising. The Boston Public Market at Dewey Square will be back this May across from South Station offering fresh produce and tasty treats from local farms and vendors. The meeting will take place Wednesday, February 23, from 5:30 – 7:30 in the Saltonstall Building, 100 Cambridge Street, 2nd Floor, Rooms B, C, and D (near the Bowdoin Street and Government Center T Stations.) If you are interested in attending, please contact David Webber at David.Webber@state.ma.us or call 617-626-1754 by Tuesday, February 22. Fabulous photo by Mike DeVries, The Capital Times, may be purchased at http://gallery.pictopia.com.
Each year farmers as well as agriculture officials from across the Bay State visit their legislators on Massachusetts Agriculture Day at the State House, to discuss issues and legislation affecting their farms and communities. The event this year, taking place Thursday, April 8, includes a speaking program, “Agriculture Day” awards, informational exhibits and a reception featuring Massachusetts’ farm and specialty food products. Join The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources in recognizing Massachusetts’ farmers, and learn more about efforts to maintain the long-term viability of Massachusetts’ agriculture. For more information, contact Lisa Damon at 617-626-1731, or email Lisa.Damon@state.ma.us.
Asian Longhorned Beetle (“ALB”) is an invasive wood-boring pest that was discovered in Worcester, MA in August 2008. It is a huge threat to the trees that grow in our parks and along every street, and puts the livelihood of our state’s forests as well as our nursery and maple syrup industries at risk. Help us survey Boston’s trees for signs of this invasive beetle. Learn how to recognize ALB and ALB tree damage, and what trees are most vulnerable. A brief training session will be held before the survey. Meet Saturday, November 14 (raindate Sunday, November 15) at 9:00 am on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall at Arlington Street. Wear comfortable shoes and bring water. Call 617-626-1735 to register. For more information, log on to http://massnrc.org/pests/alb. This survey is sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources.
It was just over a year ago that the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) was first reported by Worcester resident Donna Massie. Since that time, local, state, and federal entities have joined together to fight the infestation of an invasive pest that has caused negative impact to the City of Worcester and placed the Commonwealth as well as the entire Northeastern United States on high alert. To this end, the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) has worked with the Governor’s Office to declare August as Asian Longhorned Beetle Awareness Month, with the goal of encouraging every resident in the Commonwealth to learn to identify and report sightings of this invasive insect. Aren’t you glad you know?
