Wednesday, April 24th from 4–5:30 PM at the West Tisbury Library.

Learn what biochar is, how it’s produced, and how to use it to improve your garden’s fertility!

Biochar is a charcoal-based soil supplement made out of heating wood in a low oxygen environment. It is a legacy of indigenous burning practices and wisdom, including the Wampanoag. Biochar’s unique properties make it an ideal material to improve soil productivity in gardens and on farms: it can filter contaminants from surface and groundwater, help restore ecosystem function to disturbed habitats, and sequester carbon in the soil for centuries. Creating biochar can also help reduce fire risk, excess wood waste, and invasives on the island. Maggie Craig has received a Vision Fellowship to research biochar on the island and we are so lucky to have her here to share her expertise!

FREE and open to all, no registration required.

Sunday, April 21st from 1–2:30 PM at the Ag Hall

In this workshop, soil scientist Alli Fish will cover the basics of healthy soil and how to use amendments and other adjustments to respond to common soil issues. She will also share information on soil testing, including how to conduct testing, where to send tests, and and how to interpret the results of soil tests.

COST: FREE, registration preferred. Sign up in our online store today!

Thursday, April 11th from 5:30–7 PM at the Ag Hall

Anna Swanson will lead this workshop on backyard garden planning. Anna will describe ways to best utilize a small space based on sunlight, nutrient needs, crop rotation, and more. The class will then have a chance to plan their own garden plots and ask questions. Whether you are a long-time gardener trying to optimize your garden this season or a first-time grower unsure where to start, this workshop is for you!

About Anna: Anna has worked alongside agriculture for the past 10 years, from leading farm-to-school programs to managing community gardens to farming flowers. She now works at the Agricultural Society and is excited to talk gardens with you all!

COST: FREE, registration strongly preferred. Sign up in our online store today!

Monday, April 8th from 5:30–7 PM at the Ag Hall

Have you been dreaming of fresh eggs on your table every morning for breakfast without a trip to the diner or the grocery store? With your own chickens, it’s just a short walk out to the back yard for omelets (some assembly required).

This 90-minute interactive workshop will take you through the basics of backyard chickens, including: a brief history of this preferred poultry, from antiquity to the present, in five minutes or less; identifying your personal reasons for keeping chickens; the legalities of keeping chickens in your backyard; housing, space, and setback considerations; predator prevention and mitigation; breed selection; sourcing the right birds at the right age, from fertile egg to adult hen; and the care and feeding of your flock. Participants will take home a packet of worksheets and recommended resources tailored to Vineyard homesteads.

About Norah: Norah Van Riper is a relatively recent washashore with a long personal and professional background in historical agriculture and homesteading, including ten years of chasing chickens around her backyard and back into her yard from across the street. She lives in Vineyard Haven.

Cost: FREE, registration required. Sign up in our online store today!

Sunday, April 7th from 1–3 PM at the Ag Hall

Learn to turn old plastic bags, t-shirts, fabric scraps, and paper into something new with Anna Marie D’Addarie!

• Turn plastic bags into plarn (plastic yarn) and t-shirts into tarn (t-shirt yarn).

• Convert scraps of paper into decorative material for crafts.

• Learn crumb quilting, a sewing technique that turns small scraps of fabric into a unique fabric for crafts.

This workshop will give you some new ideas and demonstrate how easy it is to create with what you already have! No supplies needed.

COST: FREE, but registration is required. Sign up in our online store today!

Thursday, April 4th from 5–7 PM at a private residence (POSTPONED from 3/28)

Volunteer to help us prune our orchard before spring! Dinner, training with Ian Jochems of Polly Hill Arboretum, and all tools provided. Pre-registration required. Sign up today in our online store!

Wednesday, April 3rd from 5–6 PM at the Ag Hall

All Island beekeepers are invited to the monthly meeting of the MV Beekeeping Club! We host regular meetings on the first Wednesday of the month to discuss disease prevention, hive maintenance, and more. If you keep hives on the Island or are bee-curious, please join us!

COST: FREE, no registration required.

Tuesday, April 2nd from 10:30 AM–noon at the Ag Hall

In the second of this two-part series for present and future farm managers, Virginia Barbatti will focus on leadership development: cultivating leadership skills among farm team members. Primary topics will include training and mentorship, continuous learning, and empowering team members.

COST: FREE, register in our online store or by emailing programs@mvagsoc.org.

Tuesday, March 26th from 11 AM–1 PM at the Ag Hall

At this presentation and discussion, we will review what we have learned from our climate resilience interviews with farmers and share our initial ideas for how we can support farmers on the island in a shifting climate. Lunch provided.

COST: FREE, register in our online store or by emailing Lucy at programs@mvagsoc.org.

Join us at the Ag Hall on Sunday, March 24th from 9:30 AM to 3 PM for our first annual Homesteader Conference! Each attendee will have the chance to attend our keynote lecture and two workshops focused on homesteader skills. Lunch will also be provided.

Here’s the schedule for this conference:

9:30–10 AM: Snacks, coffee, and check-in

10 AM–10:45 AM: Keynote (Ecologically Conscious Gardening: Making the Connection with Matt Pelikan and Rich Couse)

11 AM–12:30 PM: Conference Session 1 (Fermenting Local Produce with Laurisa Rich, Soapmaking 101 with Emily Fischer, or Growing Your Own Perennial Food Forest with Roxanne Kapitan)

12:30–1:30 PM: Lunch

1:30–3 PM: Conference Session 2 (Botanical Dyeing with Alia Munley, An Introduction to Backyard Chickens with Norah Van Riper, or The Joy of Growing Sprouts at Home with Wendi Goldfarb and Rob Chaunce)

Please email Lucy Grinnan at programs@mvagsoc.org if you have any questions!

Register now in our online store!

Thursday, March 21st from 6:30–8 PM at the Ag Hall

Our final of three community dinners this winter: enjoy a warm meal and spend time with friends old and new at the Ag Hall! This meal will immediately follow our second annual female farmer panel at the Ag Hall.

Please bring a dish highlighting local food to share, as well as your own dishware, utensils, and drinks.

Cost: FREE and open to all, no registration required.

Thursday, March 21st from 5–6:30 PM at the Ag Hall

This Women's History Month, learn more about the experiences of women farming here on the island! This year, our panel will be facilitated by Susie Middleton and will feature Kate Woods (Beetlebung Farm), Meg Athearn (Morning Glory Farm), Rebecca Miller (North Tabor Farm), Jo Douglas (Fork to Pork/Leaf to Beef), and Isa Brillard (Island Grown Initiative). A community potluck will follow.

Cost: FREE and open to all, no registration required.

Tuesday, March 19th from 10:30 AM–noon at the Ag Hall

In the first of this two-part series for present and future farm managers, Virginia Barbatti will focus on team building: fostering effective communication and collaboration among farm teams. Primary topics will include communication skills, collaborative decision-making, and recognizing and utilizing strengths.

COST: FREE, register in our online store or by emailing Lucy at programs@mvagsoc.org.

Sunday, March 17th from 1–3 PM at a private residence (rain date: Saturday, March 23rd)

Come join the Agricultural Society and Ian Jochems of Polly Hill Arboretum for a fruit tree pruning class! This workshop will include a short lecture/demonstration followed by hands-on experience pruning fruit trees. Please come dressed or prepared for any weather conditions. Tools will be provided; no need to bring your own.

COST: $10 for Ag Society members, $15 for non-members. Register online here.

Tuesday, March 12th from 5–7:30 PM at the Ag Hall

In this intensive for flower and vegetable producers, Masoud and Arthur will focus on cover cropping, including varieties and termination/decomposition. Please bring your questions about these topics!

Cost: FREE. Light dinner provided. Register in our online store or by emailing Lucy at programs@mvagsoc.org.

Tuesday, March 12th from 1:30–4 PM at the Ag Hall

In this intensive for farmers with livestock, Masoud and Arthur will discuss grazing and pasture management. Please bring your questions about these topics!

Cost: FREE. Sign up in our online store or by emailing programs@mvagsoc.org.

Make your March a little brighter and buy your tickets today for our 8th annual Meat Ball! The Meat Ball takes place on Saturday, March 9th from 5:30–9 PM at the Agricultural Hall (35 Panhandle Rd, West Tisbury).

Enjoy a buffet dinner of Island-raised meat prepared by Charlie Granquist of Slough Farm and dance to Missus Biskus. Good for the whole family—all ages are welcome!

Please bring your own place settings and beverages. Doors open at 5:30 and food service begins at 6. Serving food from 6 until we run out, vegetarian options available.

COST: $30 for non-members, $40 for non-members, $10 for kids 6-12, FREE for kids 5 and under. Buy tickets here!

Wednesday, March 6th from 5–6 PM at the Ag Hall

All Island beekeepers are invited to the monthly meeting of the MV Beekeeping Club! We host regular meetings on the first Wednesday of the month to discuss disease prevention, hive maintenance, and more. If you keep hives on the Island or are bee-curious, please join us!

COST: FREE, no registration required.

Wednesday, March 6th from 11 AM–2 PM at the Ag Hall

Get to know the staff of the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources! Lunch will be served, and a presentation on eligibility and requirements for MDAR’s various grant programs will follow. Please email Lucy at programs@mvagsoc.org with any questions!

COST: FREE, register in our online store or by emailing Lucy at programs@mvagsoc.org.

Sunday, March 3rd from 1 to 2:30 PM at Morning Glory Farm

Learn to grow mushrooms on logs with Meg Athearn! This class will primarily focus on shiitake mushrooms but will also address oyster and winecap mushroom cultivation. Each workshop participant will come away with their own shiitake log. Ages 10 and up.

Cost: $10 for Ag Society members, $15 for non-members. Register online here!

Sunday, February 25th from 1–2:30 PM at the Ag Hall

Learn to grow mushrooms on logs with Matthew Dix of North Tabor Farm! This class will primarily focus on shiitake mushrooms, but will also address oyster and winecap mushroom cultivation. Each workshop participant will come away with their own shiitake log to harvest. Ages 10 and up.

COST: $10 for Ag Society members, $15 for non-members. Register online here.

Wednesday, February 21st from 10–11:30 AM on Zoom

Deeper than the soil we grow, farmers have the opportunity to nourish our communities beyond calories with the stories we tell. Beyond traditional "marketing", together we'll explore simple tools and strategies to bring energy, authenticity, and ease to the stories we share and change we're hungry to make.

Cost: FREE. Register here to receive the Zoom link!

Saturday, February 17th from 11 AM–1 PM at the Ag Hall Animal Barn

All ages welcome! Shearing demo by Siri Swanson of Yankee Rock Farm, spinning demo by Norah Van Riper. Southeast New England Fibershed will be in attendance. Event co-hosted by Slough Farm and the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society.

COST: FREE, no no registration required.

Friday, February 16th from 6–8 PM at Slough Farm

If you are a knitter, crocheter, dyer, spinner, weaver, or shepherd passionate about local fiber, come to our second Fibershed meeting! SE New England Fibershed coordinators Amy DuFault and Amanda Cholakis of Coastal Wool Washing will be on-site for this discussion of the past, present, and future of local fiber on Martha's Vineyard. Event co-hosted by Slough Farm and the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society.

COST: FREE, email Lucy Grinnan at programs@mvagsoc.org to register!

Thursday, February 15th from 5:30–7 PM at the Ag Hall

Our second of three community dinners this winter: enjoy a warm meal and spend time with friends old and new at the Ag Hall! This meal will immediately follow our Deep Roots film screening at the West Tisbury Library.

Please bring a dish highlighting local food to share, as well as your own dishware, utensils, and drinks.

Cost: FREE and open to all, no registration required.

Thursday, February 15th from 4–5:30 PM at the West Tisbury Library

Back by popular demand: a second screening of 2022 Vision Fellow Matt Taylor’s films about island farmers! Free popcorn and movie snacks provided.

COST: FREE, no registration required.

Monday, February 12th from 12:30–2 PM on Zoom

Learn all about farm recordkeeping to maximize profits with Richard Wiswall! More information and registration available in our online store.

COST: FREE, pre-registration required. Register here or by emailing Lucy at programs@mvagsoc.org.

All Island beekeepers are invited to our monthly meeting of the MV Beekeeping Club! This club will host regular meetings to discuss disease prevention, hive maintenance, and more. If you keep hives on the Island, please join us! We are also compiling an email list for local beekeepers; email us at programs@mvagsoc.org to be added to our list.

COST: FREE, no registration required.