Programs and Resources

Small Farm Library - a leading regional resource for sustainable agriculture, contains over 5,000 titles, 100 periodicals, and extensive video and microfiche collections...the full range of information a beginning farmer needs. Search the Online Catalog. Selected titles are available for purchase from the NESFI Bookstore. A growing collection is online in our Virtual Library. Explore our librarian's list of Recommended Agricultural Websites for more resources.

Exploring the Small Farm Dream - A Decision-Making Workbook and Short Course with extensive web-based support.

Courses and Workshops - Upcoming NESFI events, including our winter business training series featuring Exploring Small Farm Dream, Preparing the Soil, and Tilling the Soil of Opportunity.

Small Farm Resource Matching Services

New England Land Link - connects farmland owners with farmers seeking land to rent, lease, or purchase. Consultation is available regarding farm transition strategies, tenure options, and related issues.

Business & Farm Skills Training

NxLevel / Working Capital - Entrepreneurship training for start-up and early stage small farms and natural resource-based enterprises. Assistance with market research and business plan development. For more information, info@smallfarm.org or contact NESFI ).

Small Farm Stewardship Training Program - Self-directed, hands-on training in farming skills. Farm mentoring. Peer-designed, competency-based curricula for beginning farmers and farmer-mentors now under development. For more information, info@smallfarm.org or contact NESFI ).

Special Projects

SNE Farmer Research Group Network (FRGN) - provides resources for farmers in southern New England to test their own ideas, current recommendations and alternative practices on their own farms. NESFI is a collaborator, facilitating farmer projects, meetings, and demonstrations. Partners include the University of Connecticut, USDA-NRCS, University of Massachusetts, the Departments of Agriculture in Connecticut and Massachusetts, and USDA-NESARE.

Conservation Partnership Initiative for Grazing in the Chicopee River Basin (CPI)

Growing New Farmers - establishing a regional service network for new farmers and developing research, policies, professional training, programs, and tools for future and start-up NE farmers.

Risky Business - an on-line tool to help beginning Massachusetts farmers address risk.

Lampson Brook Farmstead

Lampson Brook Farmstead -  400+ acres managed by NESFI for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Small Farm and Beginning Farmer Policy Issues

Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group - a network of over sixty member organizations from Maine to West Virginia working to promote a more sustainable and secure regional food and farming system.

Policy Updates - NESFI has been active in promoting public policies that support a vibrant small farm sector for over twenty years. It works at state, regional and national levels to engage in policy education with community groups, legislators and agency personnel. (On-line updates starting soon.)