2024 Pioneer Valley Regional Agricultural Conference

The Northampton Agricultural Commission would like to invite you to the 2024 Pioneer Valley Regional Agricultural Conference on Saturday February 3rd from 9am to noon at the Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School Library in Northampton. (Snow date — Saturday Feb 10th.) Doors open at 8:30am and there will be coffee and baked goods.

We’ll have three great speakers presenting:

Tom Jenkins from Blue Dog Forestry will discuss managing forests for income, wildlife habitat, and recreational access, and how he works with his oxen for low-impact timbering.

Laurie Cuevas from Thomas Farm and Dairy will present on raising Nubian goats for her farm’s award winning chevre cheese and running a successful diversified farm with local beef, seasonal vegetables, and fresh eggs.

Missy Leab, coordinator of the Massachusetts Maple Producers Association and owner of Ioka Valley Farm, will highlight current trends in maple sugaring and how raising hormone-free beef, and growing pumpkins, squash, and christmas trees has helped her 4th-generation farm continue to thrive.