Sunday, April 12th from 1–2:30 PM at Beetlebung Farm

This workshop will start with an overview on GROWING, looking at different methods and practices, with a focus on growing regeneratively. We'll then talk about carrot specifics and move into a discussion on varieties and types of carrots. We'll discuss tips, tricks, and challenges for the field or garden: everything from sowing and growing to harvesting, serving, and storing. An open Q&A will conclude the class.

About Ethan: Ethan is an MV native who has been farming on the island for 21 years. Currently, he is the Farm Operations Manager at Beetlebung Farm. He lives in West Tisbury with his wife Bri, daughter Rilo, two cats, and dog. When not farming he can be found building block barns with Rilo, making dinner for the family, or managing the West Tisbury Farmers Market.

COST: FREE and open to all, registration required. Sign up below!

Wednesday, April 8th from 5–6 PM at the Ag Hall

This is our monthly meeting of the Ag Society's new Homegrown Club, a monthly meetup for backyard growers on the island. At each meeting, we'll talk about best practices for your garden in that time of year, share resources, and brainstorm answers to your questions about everything from seed varieties to pests. Please join us!

COST: FREE and open to all. Just show up!

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

Join us for a panel with James Beard Award winner Nancy Matsumoto and local female farmers and food system workers! This panel will feature Alexis Moreis of the Chappaquiddick Wampanoag Tribe, Caroline Pam of Island Grown Initiative, Emma Green-Beach of MV Shellfish Group, and Chef Ting of Black Joy Kitchen.

Nancy Matsumoto is a freelance writer and editor. Her latest book,  Reaping What She Sows: How Women Are Rebuilding Our Broken Food Systemtells the story of women at the forefront of food system change. She is also the co-author of the James Beard award-winning Exploring the World of Japanese Craft Sake. Her book By the Shore of Lake Michigan, a translation of a volume of Japanese tanka poetry published by her grandparents, was awarded an American Book Award in 2025. Nancy’s Substack publication “Reaping” continues to tell stories of the people, institutions, and businesses leading ecosystems regeneration.

Alexis Moreis is a Wôpanâak conservationist, raised on Nôepe. She is a Tribal Council Member & THPO for the Wampanoag Tribe of Chappaquiddick. Alexis is a founding member of Pôhshutupuhk8 Midnight Land Collective, a conservation collaborative lead by Aquinnah and Chappaquiddick Wampanoag Island residents. Her work focuses on land rematriation legislation, environmental justice & health equity, and Indigenous sustenance rights. You can find Alexis leading the development of a Chappaquiddick Wampanoag Cultural Center & Pôhshutupuhk8 Farm. Learn more at chappaquiddickwampanoagtribe.org& midnightland.org.

Caroline Pam co-owned and operated Kitchen Garden Farm with her husband in Sunderland, MA. Over 18 years, she grew the business from 1 acre to 65 acres and launched an award-winning line of value-added products, including sriracha, salsa, and dried chilies. After selling the farm to two longtime employees in 2024, Caroline moved to Martha's Vineyard and is now co-executive director of Island Grown Initiative, a nonprofit working to strengthen the island food system through regenerative farming, food access, and farm to school programs. 

Emma Green-Beach is the Executive Director & Shellfish Biologist of the Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group, Inc. She holds a Master’s degree in Ecology & Evolution from Rutgers University and has nearly 20 years of experience in marine science, shellfish hatchery production, and community-based aquaculture development. She believes deeply in the ability of shellfish to connect people to their environment, food, economy and each other. When Emma is not growing shellfish seed and writing grant proposals, she is knitting, gardening, or wandering down the beach with her family.

Chef Ting cooked for her first dinner party at age 7 when she invited all of her 2nd-grade teachers to dinner (without telling her mother). She grew up in a community rich in food culture and went on to travel to almost every corner of the world, seeking to learn the best-loved dishes from grandmothers in villages far and wide. She is at 68 countries and counting. She brings this food expertise into a fine dining experience, informed by her time spent in diplomatic kitchens, fast-casual concepts, village eateries, ocean-to-table restaurants, vegetarian emporiums, and bespoke food experiences.  Chef Ting believes that her best food tells the story of the Black Diaspora and the way that the food of melanated people has influenced food in so many places,  starting with African royalty sourcing spices along the Silk Road in 560 B.C. and traveling with enslaved Africans as we moved from the continent to South America, the Caribbean,  and then the American South. She is committed to creating food that invigorates the body and the soul. Chef Ting infuses her food journeys with the critical health benefits from her early career in medicine and the innovation and process from her years running a corporate strategy firm.  She now pursues her true passion: engaging all the senses of fellow humans by cooking stories that resonate inside of each one of us.

Event is co-sponsored by the Ag Society and Slough Farm.

COST: FREE and open to all, registration helpful. Sign up below!

Monday, April 6th from 5:30–7:30 PM at the Ag Hall

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 Ag Hall and we’ll learn to mend them together! This workshop will include visible mending by hand and needlefelting (for wool items). Materials provided; just bring a few items in need of love!

Since it's our final mending night of the spring, we'll also be hosting a clothing swap! Bring any clothes looking for a new home. We'll bring anything left over to the thrift store or Dumptique after the swap!

COST: FREE and open to all, registration helpful. Sign up below!

Wednesday, April 1st 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 pre-registration required.

Tuesday, March 31st from 5:30–7 PM at the Ag Hall

Learn how to grow salad greens at home! In this workshop, Rosemary Confalone will cover which types of greens are easiest to grow, how to make your own salad mix, and the basics of succession planting so you can harvest all season long. This is a great workshop for backyard growers who want to save money and take their growing to the next level.

About Rosemary: Rosemary Confalone is a lifelong backyard grower, and former farmer. She has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Massachusetts in Plant and Soil Science, with a focus in Sustainable Food and Farming.

COST: FREE and open to all, from beginner to experienced gardeners. Registration appreciated. Sign up below!

Sunday, March 29th from 1–2:30 PM at Beetlebung Farm‍ ‍

Gathering at Beetlebung Farm in Chilmark, this workshop will begin with a walk around our regenerative fields and tunnels. We'll discuss growing in general with a focus on growing regeneratively. We'll take a look at different methods, practices, tools and infrastructure we have and use here on the farm. We'll then have a seat and talk about the specifics about brassicas. We'll discuss varieties and types - including cabbage, kale, cauliflower, bok choy, and broccoli. We'll discuss tips, tricks, and challenges for the farm or garden: everything from sowing and growing to harvesting, serving, and storing. Questions are encouraged throughout. Dress warmly!

About Ethan: Ethan is an MV native who has been farming on the island for over twenty years. Currently, he is the Farm Manager at Beetlebung Farm. He lives in West Tisbury with his wife Bri, daughter Rilo, and two cats. When not farming he's most likely playing games with Rilo, making dinner for the family, or managing the West Tisbury Farmers Market.

COST: FREE and open to all, from beginner to experienced gardeners. Registration required. Sign up below!

Tuesday, March 24th from 11 AM to 1 PM at the Ag Hall

Are you interested in strengthening our local food system and expanding economic opportunity on Island?

Join community leaders, food producers, and entrepreneurs for a collaborative conversation on the potential of a shared-use commercial kitchen.

This event will feature a panel with Caroline Pam (Island Grown Initiative & Kitchen Garden Farm), Karen Macumber (The Hive & Nantucket Foods), and Linda Davey (Cape Cod Culinary Incubator), moderated by Rose Willett (North Tisbury Market & Whippoorwill Farm). Breakout sessions focused on identifying the infrastructure our Island needs will follow.

COST: FREE and open to all. Interested in attending? Sign up on Eventbrite here!

Sunday, March 22nd from 1–2:30 PM at a private residence

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.

This workshop is now full. Email Lucy Grinnan at programs@mvagsoc.org to be added to the waitlist!

Saturday, March 21st from 5:30–8:30 PM at the Ag Hall

Buy your tickets today for our fundraiser and annual celebration of island-raised meat! Enjoy a buffet dinner prepared by Charlie Granquist of Slough Farm and enjoy a contra dance with live music by the Flying Elbows and Friends. Vegetarian and alpha-gal-friendly options available. Good for the whole family—all ages are welcome.

COST: $40 for Ag Society members (13+), $50 for non-members (13+), $10 for kids ages 5–12, FREE for kids 4 and under.

Online ticket sales have now ended, but we’ll have tickets available at the door (card or cash)!

Thursday, March 19th from 1–3:30 PM at the Ag Hall

In this workshop, Sue Scheufele of UMass Extension will dive deeper into the pest management strategies she covered last year. Dr. Rachel Hestrin from the Stockbridge School of Agriculture at UMass will also be present to answer farmer questions about soil microbiology, nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, and anything else.

The first part of the workshop will focus on getting the most out of organic pesticides. In this session we will learn some of the key pesticides that organic growers should know and develop an understanding of how they work so that you can make better decisions about when to use which one on which pest. The presentation will focus on vegetable pests but the information is relevant to tree fruits, berries, flowers, and more.

The second part of the workshop will focus on understanding downy mildews. In this session we will talk about downy mildew biology and how we can utilize that to our advantage to get better control by using cultural controls, resistant varieties, and fungicides. The presentation will focus on basil and cucurbit downy mildews but we can tackle other downy mildews during Q&A.

COST: FREE and open to all island farmers and farmworkers. Lunch provided, registration appreciated. Sign up below!

Thursday, March 19th from 11 AM–12:30 PM at the Ag Hall

In this session we will cover the key early-season decisions that can help growers prepare strawberry plantings for a productive season. Topics will include winter injury, mulch removal, irrigation and fertility readiness, and early scouting for pests and diseases. We will also talk about wet spring conditions, root and crown health, and how to reduce the risk of problems such as black root rot complex through practical cultural practices and early-season IPM. The presentation will focus on strawberries and will be tailored for Martha’s Vineyard growers. A Q & A will follow.

COST: FREE and open to all island farmers and farmworkers. Lunch provided, registration appreciated. Sign up below!

Wednesday, March 18th from 5–6 PM at the Ag Hall

This is our March meeting of the Ag Society's new Homegrown Club, a monthly meetup for backyard growers on the island. At each meeting, we'll talk about best practices for your garden in that time of year, share resources, and brainstorm answers to your questions about everything from seed varieties to pests. Please join us!

COST: FREE and open to all. Just show up!

Sunday, March 15th from 2:30–4 PM at the Ag Hall

Looking for an opportunity to get your little ones moving? Join the Family Center at the Ag Hall for an afternoon of action! We have balls, trikes, scooters & more! Drop ins welcome. Kids must wear helmets if riding.

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

Sunday, March 15th from 1–2:30 PM at Beetlebung Farm

Gathering at Beetlebung Farm in Chilmark, this workshop will begin with a walk around our regenerative fields and tunnels. We'll discuss growing in general with a focus on growing regeneratively. We'll take a look at different methods, practices, tools and infrastructure we have and use here on the farm. We'll then have a seat and talk about the specifics about alliums. We'll discuss varieties and types, including onions, garlic, scallions, and leeks. We'll discuss tips, tricks, and challenges for the farm or garden: everything from sowing and growing to harvesting, serving, and storing. Questions are encouraged throughout. Dress warmly!

About Ethan: Ethan is an MV native who has been farming on the island for over twenty years. Currently, he is the Farm Manager at Beetlebung Farm. He lives in West Tisbury with his wife Bri, daughter Rilo, and two cats. When not farming he's most likely playing games with Rilo, making dinner for the family, or managing the West Tisbury Farmers Market.

COST: FREE and open to all, from beginner to experienced gardeners. Registration required. Sign up online below!

Tuesday, March 10th from 5:30–7 PM on Zoom

Imagine growing a cover crop at the same time as your vegetables. It’s possible! Come hear from five farmers and gardeners who are planting into year-round clover and grasses to increase their soil health and suppress weeds. A Q&A will follow!

About our presenters:

Lincoln Fishman grew vegetables and animals for nearly 20 years in Western MA. He now coordinates a network of thirty farms running on-farm trials in his role as Momentum Ag's Director.

Andrew Woodruff has been farming on the Island of Martha’s Vineyard for 45 years. He currently works as the regenerative consultant for the Island Grown Initiative’s food equity farm.

Tom Bryan teaches UW-Madison students about sustainable food systems while directing a 5-acre non-profit farm that serves local affordable housing units. He's a first-gen farmer who mostly doesn't know what he's doing, but fortunately he is ok making mistakes.

Piyush Labhsetwar is the farm manager at a community farm and garden called Grow Food Northampton in Western Mass. Piyush is also a research affiliate at Smith College and studies various ways of increasing living roots on our farmlands including agroforestry, perennial grains and living mulch.

Renee Ciulla leases farmland in Shelburne Falls and grows mixed veg, lots of garlic, seed crops and flowers. She is also a faculty member at the Stockbridge School of Ag and teaches courses related to Sustainable Food & Farming.

Born and raised in RI on a farm, John Eidson always had a passion for working with the land. He has grown hay and sod and is a dedicated cover cropper. John has been the Farm Manager at Sodco since 2010. John has innovated a unique system of vegetable production in a multi-species living mulch.

COST: FREE and open to all, registration required. Sign up below for the Zoom link!

Sunday, March 8th from 1–2:30 PM at Beetlebung Farm

Gathering at Beetlebung Farm in Chilmark, this workshop will begin with a walk around our regenerative fields and tunnels. We'll discuss growing in general with a focus on growing regeneratively. We'll take a look at different methods, practices, tools and infrastructure we have and use here on the farm. We'll then have a seat and talk about the specifics about Beans & Peas. We'll discuss varieties and types - including bush, string, green, pole, dry, and broad beans, as well as snap, shelling, snow, field, and peas grown for shoots. We'll discuss tips, tricks, and challenges for the farm or garden: everything from sowing and growing to harvesting, serving, and storing. Questions are encouraged throughout. Dress warmly!

About Ethan: Ethan is an MV native who has been farming on the island for over twenty years. Currently, he is the Farm Manager at Beetlebung Farm. He lives in West Tisbury with his wife Bri, daughter Rilo, and two cats. When not farming he's most likely playing games with Rilo, making dinner for the family, or managing the West Tisbury Farmers Market.

COST: FREE, registration required. Sign up online below!

Wednesday, March 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 pre-registration required.

Wednesday, March 4th from 11 AM–1 PM at the Ag Hall

This winter, we're facilitating a variety of farmer to farmer discussions about issues farmers are facing, including wash/pack, season extension, and market channels. This one will focus on market channels and season extension. Discuss what is working well on your farm and crowdsource things to try for your current issues. Lunch included!

COST: FREE. Lunch provided, registration appreciated. Sign up below!

Tuesday, March 3rd from 5:30–7:30 PM at the Ag Hall

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 Ag Hall and we’ll learn to mend them together! This workshop will include visible mending by hand and needlefelting (for wool items). Materials provided, just bring a few items in need of love!

COST: FREE and open to all, registration helpful. Sign up below!

Sunday, March 1st from 2:30–4 PM at the Ag Hall

Looking for an opportunity to get your little ones moving? Join the Family Center at the Ag Hall for an afternoon of action! We have balls, trikes, scooters & more! Drop ins welcome. Kids must wear helmets if riding.

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

Sunday, March 1st from 1–2:30 PM at the Agricultural Hall (LOCATION CHANGE from Island Grown Initiative)

Come join the Agricultural Society, Ian Jochems of Polly Hill Arboretum for a fruit tree & shrub pruning class! Due to the weather, this class will take place inside.

COST: FREE and open to all, registration required. Sign up below!

Wednesday, February 18th from 5:30–7 PM at the Ag Hall

Learn how to select, plant, and care for small fruits and berries! In this workshop, IGI Orchard Manager Mary Sage Napolitan will present on the diversity of small fruiting shrubs and vines that can be incorporated into home gardens, farms, and orchards on Martha’s Vineyard. We will cover methods and timing for establishment, soil amendments, pruning, and long-term care to support healthy plants and abundant perennial harvests of delicious small fruits. We’ll discuss popular fruits including blueberries, raspberries, and grapes, and lesser-known varieties such as bush cherries, honeyberry, and more.

A hands-on pruning demonstration will follow at the IGI orchard on March 1st, so stay tuned for that as well!

COST: FREE and open to all, registration preferred. Sign up below!

Wednesday, February 18th from 10–11:30 AM at the Ag Hall (NOTE: date changed from Wednesday, February 13th)

Flower growers, florists, and individuals interested in wholesale purchasing of local flowers are invited to join us as we begin discussions on forming a new flower collective on Martha’s Vineyard. A flower collective is a collaborative network of growers and buyers working together to streamline the growing, selling, and distribution of locally grown flowers. Such a collective can strengthen local agriculture, reduce reliance on imported flowers, and foster community connections.

We envision serving not only florists, but also real estate agents, hospitality groups, property managers, and event planners interested in purchasing local flowers on a regular basis. We hope to not only increase the use of local flowers by Island businesses and at Island events, but also to establish off-Island outlets for local growers seeking to expand their markets. We invite you to join us as we begin the conversation!

COST: FREE and open to all, registration helpful. Sign up below!

Tuesday, February 17th from 10 to 11:30 AM at the Ag Hall

This workshop will cover traditional perennial vegetables grown on the island, such as asparagus, blueberries (one of Roxanne’s specialties!), and rhubarb, in addition to less common perennials a farmer or backyard grower can grow successfully here in zone 7b, such as salad burnett, sorrel, myoga ginger, and sea kale.

Come refine your growing practices for perennials and learn about unique crops to add to your edible offerings! A plant list with sourcing information will be provided.

COST: FREE, registration preferred. This workshop is designed for commercial farmers, but open to advanced backyard growers as well. Sign up below!

Sunday, February 15th from 2:30–4 PM at the Ag Hall

Looking for an opportunity to get your little ones moving? Join the Family Center at the Ag Hall for an afternoon of action! We have balls, trikes, scooters & more! Drop ins welcome. Kids must wear helmets if riding.

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

Thursday, February 12th from 11 AM–1 PM at the Ag Hall

Learn how Deer Damage Permits (DDPs) can help address agricultural damage caused by deer, particularly when other management options are not feasible or effective. A Deer Damage Permit may be issued to qualified landowners to allow approved sub-permittees onto their property to address agricultural damage from deer outside the regulated hunting season.

From 11–11:30 AM, Martin Feehan of MassWildlife will give a presentation on Deer Damage Permits, including how DDPs work and who qualifies. From 11:30 AM–1 PM, Martin will offer 1:1 consultations with interested farmers or landowners. All interested landowners and farmers are encouraged to attend.

This workshop is co-hosted by Tick Free Martha’s Vineyard and the MV Agricultural Society. Questions? Please contact Martin Feehan from MassWildlife at 508-389-6320.

COST: FREE and open to all, registration helpful, light lunch provided. Sign up below!

Wednesday, February 11th from 5–6 PM at the Ag Hall

This is the third meeting of the Ag Society's new Homegrown Club, a monthly meetup for backyard growers on the island. At each meeting, we'll talk about best practices for your garden in that time of year, share resources, and brainstorm answers to your questions about everything from seed varieties to pests. Please join us!

COST: FREE and open to all. Just show up!

Wednesday, February 11th from 12:15 to 1:30 PM on Zoom

In this workshop, Ryan Hassell of Morning Glory Farm and Camille Abdel-Nabi of Long Lane Farm will share their experiences growing indoor year-round with high tunnels and greenhouses. Time for Q and A and community sharing will follow.

Ryan Hassell has been farming for eight years at Morning Glory Farm, a 68-acre vegetable and fruit operation where year-round production is a major focus. They run two 30×96 heated greenhouses for tomatoes and cucumbers, along with three 14×50 high tunnels that carry summer crops like tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, zucchini, and bok choy, then shift to leafy greens and kale through the winter.  Ryan will walk through how to manage winter production in both high tunnels and heated houses, with an emphasis on soil health, crop rotation, and keeping tunnels productive through the cold months, sharing what’s worked for him in real conditions, including lessons learned and practical takeaways other growers can apply.

Camille Abdel-Nabi of Long Lane Farm in Warren, RI has farmed organic vegetables for 14 seasons. On her current farm, she has four 30 x 192 high tunnels primarily used to grow shoulder season greens in the spring and winter and heirloom tomatoes in the summertime. In this presentation, Camille will discuss best practices for growing organic greens year round and summertime tomatoes, including her comparison of various tomato trellising systems. Long Lane Farm also grows microgreens in a heated greenhouse and Camille will discuss the pros and cons of producing microgreens.

COST: FREE and open to all, registration required. Sign up below for the Zoom link!

Tuesday, February 10th from 5:30–7 PM at the Ag Hall

Our final community dinner 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, or just yourself!

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