Upcoming Events
Photo by Gwen Norton
See our events in calendar form here!
Silvopasture Workshop with Nikki Burton
Silvopasture Workshop with Nikki Burton from UMass Extension
Monday, January 6th from 12–2 PM at the Ag Hall
Do you raise livestock and want to explore ways to diversify your production, address concerns about climate change, and improve livestock welfare? Join us for an intensive workshop focused on exploring silvopastures. In this workshop, we will cover livestock considerations, tree selections, tree protections, tree placement, and shade considerations. We will also discuss implementions on farm, utilizing a current stand, tree fodder, and approaches to grazing, fencing, and housing.
COST: FREE and open to all, no pre-registration required.
Beekeeping Club
Wednesday, January 8th from 5–6 PM at the Ag Hall
All Island beekeepers and bee enthusiasts are invited to the monthly meeting of the MV Beekeeping Club! We host regular meetings on the first Wednesday of the month (second this month, because of the holidays) to discuss disease prevention, hive maintenance, and more. If you keep hives on the Island or are bee-curious, please join us!
COST: FREE and open to all, no registration required.
Computer Lab for Farmers
Thursday, January 9th from 5:30–7:30 PM at the Ag Hall
This is a casual hangout for farmers who want to work on their personal or business budgets, crop rotation plan, or other computer/admin tasks near other farmers. Stop by to work on that computer task you've been dodging for months (you know the one). Snacks provided!
COST: FREE and open to all farmers and farmworkers, no pre-registration required.
Backyard Mushroom Growing Workshop
Backyard Mushroom Growing
Saturday, January 11th from 10–11:30 AM at Morning Glory Farm
Learn to grow mushrooms on logs with Meg Athearn of Morning Glory 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. Workshop fee includes one log; additional logs are $20 each. Ages 10 and up.
COST: $30 ($25 for Ag Society members). Pre-registration is required. Register below! Full scholarships are upon request; please email Lucy at programs@mvagsoc.org if the workshop fee is a barrier to your participation.
Local Food Community Potluck
Monday, January 13th from 5:30–7 PM at the Ag Hall
Our first of three community dinners this winter: enjoy a warm meal and spend time with friends old and new 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.
Farm Grants and Loans Workshop with Caroline Pam
Tuesday, January 21st from 12–3 PM at the Ag Hall
This workshop will provide an overview of MDAR, NRCS, AFT, PASA, and USDA grant opportunities, eligible projects, and timelines. Caroline Pam will share strategies for successful grant proposals as well as loan and financing options for reimbursement grants. Mia Halter from NRCS will provide details on EQIP, high tunnel, and other NRCS programs. Melissa Adams from MDAR will join by Zoom to offer guidance on choosing the right MDAR grant for your farm.
Whether you’re looking to improve infrastructure, food safety, soil health, or energy efficiency on your farm, all participants will leave the workshop with a grantwriting plan for the 2025 growing season! Additional support is available from the Agricultural Society to help you complete grant applications.
COST: FREE and open to all. RSVP required, as lunch is provided. Email Lucy at programs@mvagsoc.org or sign up below if you would like to attend!
Produce Safety Alliance Training
Thursday, January 30th and Friday, January 31st from 9 AM–2 PM on Zoom
Hosted by UMass Extension and the MDAR Produce Safety Program
The Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) Grower Training Course is a standardized curriculum developed by the Produce Safety Alliance at Cornell University Extension. The course covers the requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule (PSR) as well as general good agricultural practices.
The PSA Grower Training Course satisfies the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirement outlined in PSR § 112.22(c) that requires ‘At least one supervisor or responsible party for your farm must have successfully completed food safety training at least equivalent to that received under standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by the Food and Drug Administration.’ The training is also required for participation in Massachusetts’ Commonwealth Quality Program.
This course is intended for commercial fruit and vegetable growers and others interested in learning about produce safety, the FSMA PSR, farm food safety best practices, and co-management of natural resources and food safety, and is appropriate whether you have a large farm that is fully covered by the law or a small, exempt farm.
See https://ag.umass.edu/food-safety/umass-produce-safety-alliance-remote-grower-training for more details about the training, including technology requirements for joining remotely and being eligible for a certificate of completion.
Questions? Contact Lisa McKeag at 413-658-8631 or lmckeag@umass.edu
COST: FREE, pre-registration required. Learn more and sign up here!
Nutrient Management Planning for Livestock Farms
Friday, January 31st from 10 AM–12 PM at the Ag Hall
Manure can be a great asset on any farm, elevating soil health for sustainable abundant harvests. It can also be an environmental liability, posing risks to water, soil, and air quality. Join Graham Mallory from Northern Tilth LLC to learn about how livestock farmers can evaluate their manure production and make wise decisions in how they retain and land-apply those valuable nutrients. We'll take one diversified livestock farm from Edgartown as our example, and talk about all things manure!
COST: FREE and open to all, no pre-registration required.
Beekeeping Club
Wednesday, February 5th from 5–6 PM at the Ag Hall
All Island beekeepers and bee enthusiasts 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 and open to all, no registration required.
Sheep-Shearing Shindig
Saturday, February 8th from 10 AM–12 PM at the Ag Hall animal barn
Siri Swanson of Yankee Rock Farm in Vermont will be visiting the island again to shear Slough Farm's Tunis flock! Come by to learn all about shearing and wool processing. Warm cider provided. All ages are welcome.
Event co-hosted by Slough Farm and the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society.
COST: FREE, no registration required.
Local Food Community Potluck
Monday, February 10th 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! 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.
Beekeeping Club
Wednesday, March 5th from 5–6 PM at the Ag Hall
All Island beekeepers and bee enthusiasts 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 and open to all, no registration required.
Local Food Community Potluck
Monday, March 10th from 5:30–7 PM at the Ag Hall
Our third of three community dinners this winter: enjoy a warm meal and spend time with friends old and new 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.
West Tisbury Winter Farmers Market
Join us at the Ag Hall for the last farmers market of the year!
Please no dogs and no smoking! More info can be found here.
Cost: FREE
Lighting of the Edgartown Lighthouse
Saturday, December 14th from 6–7 PM at Memorial Wharf
A time honored tradition, Edgartown’s version of a tree lighting is full of seaside village charm. Thank you to the MV Museum for the annual holiday lighting of the Edgartown Lighthouse, which takes place at 6pm sharp, with help from Martha’s Vineyard 4-H.
Come celebrate with us at Memorial Wharf for a great viewing spot and countdown! Beginning at 5:30 PM Edgartown’s favorite mascots, non-profit concessions by the Martha’s Vineyard Boys & Girls Club, caroling, give-aways and maybe the Man In Red himself! This fun event is brought to you by the Edgartown Board of Trade.
COST: FREE and open to all, no pre-registration required. If you wish to watch the lighting from the Harbor View Hotel, you must make reservations with Bettini Restaurant.
Yule Log Celebration (Mushroom Cultivation Workshop and DIY Mushroom "Yule" Logs)
Saturday, December 14th from 1–3 PM at Morning Glory Farm
Innoculate a shiitake mushroom log to gift or keep!
1–1:45 PM: Mushroom Cultivation Workshop
COST: $40 ($35 for Ag Society members). Fee includes one log; additional logs are $25 each. Pre-registration is required. Register in the Ag Society online store!
1:45–3 PM: DIY Mushroom “Yule” Logs
$40 for the first log and $25 for each additional log. Just show up and make as many as you wish!
Deer Breakdown Demonstration
Thursday, December 12th from 5:30–6:30 PM at The FARM Institute
Shotgun season is upon us! If you are hunting on the island this season, learn to break down and butcher your own deer at the Farm Institute with Charlie Granquist of Slough Farm. The class will demonstrate cutting, deboning, trimming, and packaging your deer.
This event is co-hosted by the Farm Institute, Slough Farm, and the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society, host of the Island Deer Cooler. Learn more about the Island Deer Cooler here.
COST: FREE, but pre-registration is required as space is limited. Sign up on the Trustees website!
Mending Night for Farmers
Tuesday, December 10th from 5:30–7:30 PM at the West Tisbury Library
Led by Dalila Bennett of Fire Cat Farm. Are your Carhartt's looking a little worse for wear? Are your sweaters full of holes? Bring all your old and worn-down clothes to the West Tisbury Library and we’ll learn to mend them together!
Dalila will demonstrate visible mending by hand and needlefelting (for wool items). They will also be on-hand with a sewing machine for more difficult projects, like larger patches and thick fabrics. Everyone will get a kit of embroidery supplies to take home for future sewing projects!
Snacks and warm drinks provided. It'll be cozy!
COST: FREE and open to anyone who worked in farming this year. Pre-registration is required, but don't worry: if this class fills, we'll schedule a second one! Register in our online store.
West Tisbury Winter Farmers Market
Join us at the Ag Hall for the second to last farmers market of the year!
Please no dogs and no smoking! More info can be found here.
Cost: FREE
MV Beekeeping Club
Wednesday, December 4th from 5–6 PM at the Ag Hall
All Island beekeepers and bee enthusiasts 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 and open to all, no registration required.
Fall Fix-It Day
Sunday, November 24th from 10 AM–1 PM at the Ag Hall
Help us prepare our grounds for the long winter by fixing fences and helping clean up the fields! A lunch for volunteers will follow.
COST: FREE and open to all, no registration required.
MVAS Annual Meeting
Wednesday, November 20th from 7–8:30 PM at the Ag Hall
Learn more about what we've been up to this year and what we have planned for the future at our annual meeting!
COST: FREE and open to all, no registration required. 2024 and lifetime members can vote!
Cranberry Bog Tour
Sunday, November 17th from 1–2 PM at 572 Lambert’s Cove Road in Tisbury
Pick cranberries at the island's only commercial cranberry bog! The tour includes an explanation of the cranberry operation, including harvesting, sorting, and packaging. The bog is unlimited pick-your-own: bring a bag to bring the cranberries home.
COST: $10, pre-registration required. Sign up in our online store!
Cranberry Bog Tour
Sunday, November 10th from 10–11 AM at 572 Lambert's Cove Road in Tisbury
Pick cranberries at the island's only commercial cranberry bog! The tour includes an explanation of the cranberry operation, including harvesting, sorting, and packaging. Bring a bag to carry your cranberries home!
COST: $10, pre-registration required. Sign up on our website today!
MV Beekeeping Club
Wednesday, November 6th from 5–6 PM at the Ag Hall
All Island beekeepers and bee enthusiasts 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 and open to all, no registration required.
Barn Raisers Ball
Saturday, November 2nd from 7–10 PM at the Ag Hall
We're excited to dance the night away with you all to celebrate the 1994 construction of our barn by over 300 community members! 30 years later, community still makes all our work possible, and we can't wait to celebrate with you all. Like past years, this will be a BYOB event with a dessert potluck and music by Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish.
COST: Open to all, suggested donation of $10 at the door.
Barn Raisers Day
Barn Raisers Day
Saturday, November 2nd from from 10 AM–1 PM at the"new" Ag Hall
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of our community barn raising, we are building tiny Ag Halls! Visit the Ag Hall to enjoy snacks and warm drinks while working to construct a barn of your own—a model of the Ag Hall built from candy, cardboard, craft supplies, legos, and more! All materials will be provided (although you are welcome to bring your own!).
This event is for all ages. Entries will be displayed at the Barn Raisers Ball, where people will vote for their favorite entry, and winners will receive a free 2025 Ag Society membership!
COST: FREE and open to all, no registration required.
Halloween Kids Dog Show and Costume Contest
Sunday, October 27th from 12–2 PM at the Ag Hall
Join West Tisbury Animal Control, Tisbury Animal Control, and the Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Society for the first annual Halloween Kids Dog Show and Costume Contest! Enter your dog or stop by to watch!
Awards include: best trick, best costume, best doggy look-a-like, best puppy (under 1 years), best old timer (over 10 years), best full breed, best supermutt, smallest dog, biggest dog, least obedient, and most obedient.
COST: FREE and open to all, registration required to participate. Please email aco@westtisbury-ma.gov to register!
Harvest Festival
Sunday, October 20th from 10 AM–2 PM at the Ag Hall
Mark your calendars for our annual Harvest Festival! Expect all the classics: pumpkin carving, animals, hay maze, crafts for kids, demos for adults, local bites, a pie baking contest, a pie eating contest, music by the Flying Elbows, and more. We've also got some new and exciting opportunities, like indigo dyeing, squash toss, and a Halloween costume swap!
We can't wait to celebrate the season with you all!
COST: FREE and open to all, no registration required.
Farmworker Social and Farmer Olympics
Wednesday, September 18th from 5:30–8 PM at Ag Hall
Celebrate the winding down of summer with a farmworker social and farmer olympics! The olympics will take place in teams; contests will include fastest splitting of seed garlic, seed ID, livestock imitations, distance estimates, and more. The olympics will begin promptly, so please be timely. We hope to see you there!
COST: FREE and open to all current farm employees, dinner provided. Registration preferred; sign up in our online store or by emailing Lucy at programs@mvagsoc.org.
Winter Hive Management for Island Beekeepers
Thursday, September 12th from 5:30–7 PM at the Ag Hall
Massachusetts apiary inspector Kim Skyrm and his team are visiting the island again to speak about winter hive management, discuss the state of beekeeping across the state, and share best practices for island beekeepers!
In addition to presenting at the Ag Hall, they will be on-Island for four days inspecting hives; if you are interested in getting a hive inspection, please sign up today!
COST: FREE and open to all, no registration required.
MV Beekeeping Club
Wednesday, July 3rd from 5–6 PM at the Ag Hall
All Island beekeepers and bee enthusiasts 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
Measuring Soil Quality on Regenerative Livestock Operations
Tuesday, September 3rd from 6–8 PM at the Slough Farm horse barn.
At this workshop, Donna Kilpatrick of Heifer USA will demonstrate methods of measuring the impact of regenerative practices on farm soil. Donna is the head farmer at Heifer Ranch, a 1200-acre regenerative ranch and farm hub of the Savory Institute. Dinner will follow!
While Donna is here (September 2nd through 5th), she will also be visiting farms to discuss regenerative grazing practices. Please email us if you would like her to visit your farm!
COST: FREE and open to all current farm employees, dinner provided. Registration preferred; sign up in our online store or by emailing Lucy at programs@mvagsoc.org.
Fair Move-Out Day
Sunday, August 25th from 10 AM–1 PM at the Ag Hall
Another wonderful Fair is in the books, but we still need your help to clean up the Hall and grounds: moving all the baking cabinets and tables back into storage, cleaning the Hall, tidying the grounds, and more. Comfort lifting heavy objects and skills in carpentry are especially needed, but there is plenty of work for all of us. Lunch to celebrate another successful Fair will follow!
COST: FREE and open to all. Registration is not necessary but is helpful. Please respond to this email or email Lucy at programs@mvagsoc.org to let us know if you would like to help out!
162nd Annual Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Fair
Thursday, August 15th–Sunday, August 18th from 10 AM–11 PM (6 PM on Sunday) at the Ag Hall and Fairgrounds
You know the drill: displays, rides, games, contests, animals, food, and fun for the whole family!
COST: $15 for adults, $10 for seniors (62+) and veterans and kids (5–12), FREE for kids 4 and under
Blue Ribbon Series: Fairy Houses
Friday, August 2nd from 3–4:30 PM at the West Tisbury Library
Learn to make your own fairy house using sticks, moss, leaves, and other natural materials!
The Blue Ribbon Series is a set of programs developed by the West Tisbury Library and the Agricultural Society. This is the final class in the series!
COST: FREE and open to all, registration required. Email hburbidge@clamsnet.org to register.
Pizza Party for Farmworkers
Monday, July 29th from 6–8 PM at North Tabor Farm.
Enjoy a pizza party with your fellow farmworkers! Pizza provided, bring your own drinks.
COST: FREE, dinner provided. Open to all current farm employees, but registration required! Register in our online store or by emailing programs@mvagsoc.org.
Blue Ribbon Series: Teacup Arrangements
Friday, July 26th from 3–4:30 PM at the West Tisbury Library
Learn to make your own miniature arrangements using local flowers!
The Blue Ribbon Series is a set of programs developed by the West Tisbury Library and the Agricultural Society. Join us every Friday in July!
COST: FREE and open to all, while supplies last. No registration required.
Cup of Karma Project
Sunday, July 21st from 3–5 PM at the Ag Hall
Polly Simpkins will host an afternoon of inspiring storytelling with five speakers from the Martha’s Vineyard agricultural community: Jim Athearn of Morning Glory Farm, Kaila Allen-Posin of Allen Farm, Cicilio Neto the owner of island-famous ox Chilmark, beekeeper Juli Vanderhoop of Orange Peel Bakery, and Kate Woods of Beetlebung Farm. Snacks are provided!
COST: FREE and open to all, no registration required.
A Sustainable Harvest: Past, Present, and Future
Saturday, July 20th from 4–6 PM at the Ag Hall
Join us for a panel discussion about the island's food system! This talk will be facilitated by Dr. Jessica B. Harris (culinary historian and author of High on the Hog and The Martha's Vineyard Table) in conversation with Simon Athearn (CEO, Morning Glory Farm), Betsy Carnie (Chef, MV Public Charter School), Dan Martino (Owner, Cottage City Oysters), and Shelley Edmundson (Executive Director, MV Fishermen's Preservation Trust).
Opening remarks by Kristina Hook of the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe will precede the talk and a variety of local bites by chef Spring Sheldon highlighting the bounty of land and sea will follow it.
This event is co-hosted by the MV Commission and the MV Agricultural Society in honor of the Martha's Vineyard Commission's 50th anniversary.
COST: FREE and open to all, no registration required.
Blue Ribbon Series: Beach Trash Art
Friday, July 19th from 3–4:30 PM at the West Tisbury Library
Learn to make art from beach trash with Beach Befriender Laurisa Rich!
The Blue Ribbon Series is a set of programs developed by the West Tisbury Library and the Agricultural Society. Join us every Friday until August 2nd!
COST: FREE and open to all, no registration required.
Pest and Week Walk and Talk with UMass Extension
Wednesday, July 17th from 6–8 PM at Morning Glory Farm
Join UMass Extension specialists Sue Scheufele and Maria Gannett for a field walk at Morning Glory Farm. We will identify current pest and weed issues in vegetable crops and discuss their management. There will be lots of time for Q&A and discussion. Dinner will follow. This event is co-sponsored by NOFA/Mass as part of the Transition to Organic Production Partnership and Martha’s Vineyard Ag Society.
COST: FREE, dinner provided. Open to all current farm employees, but registration required! Register in our online store or by emailing programs@mvagsoc.org.
