Northeast Harvest Agricultural Conference

Registration

How to Become a Certified Kitchen

John Coulon is the Board of Health Agent for the Town of Topsfield for the past 6 years.  He has been a Public Health Officer for 26 years working in small towns and larger communities.  John works closely with all our food vendors during the Topsfield Fair and other events on the fairgrounds and in Topsfield.  During his career he has permitted residential kitchens and farmer's market vendors and farm stands and roadside vendors.

John teaches the ServSafe course as an instructor for the National Restaurant Association.  John also serves on state-wide groups including the Food Establishment Advisory Committee and the Massachusetts Partnership for Food Safety Education.

Direct Marketing / CSA’s & Social Networking

Diana Rodgers is the marketing and events manager at Green Meadows Farm in Hamilton, MA. Prior to joining Green Meadows, Diana spent many years in the natural foods industry and was a Marketing Team Leader at Whole Foods Market for five years. She employs many low-budget "grass roots" approaches to her marketing strategy at Green Meadows Farm. Community-based marketing combined with social media (plus great produce and meat) has helped grow Green Meadows Farm to a 400+ member CSA with a successful farmstand, education program and more. Diana will use specific examples to show how you can increase your farm's bottom line with low-cost approaches to marketing. 

Panel Discussion – “Farmers’ Markets”

There will be a discussion about the successes and challenges of farmers’ markets.

Participating are:  Jennifer Bell, Salem Farmers’ Market; Niki Bogin, Cape Ann Farmers’ Market;  Patsy Kraemer, Arlington Farmers’ Market; Peg Mallett, Wayland Farmers’ Market.

Backyard Poultry

Megan Megrath will discuss the aspects of backyard poultry, including how, when, and where to purchase chicks, the necessary care, shelter, and feeding of your flock, and the compliance with local bylaws, ordinances, and permits.  Over the past few years, there has been a steady increase in the number of families raising small flocks of chickens.  Perhaps, if you want the best tasting, locally grown omelet or deviled eggs, maybe raising backyard poultry is for YOU!  Come and listen to Megan.

Megan Megrath is the MDAR’s Animal Health Poultry Field Inspector and has been with the State for 22 years. Megan worked in the Commercial Broiler Breeder Industry for 10 years before joining the state.

Megan lives right here in Essex County.

Pesticides

George Hamilton will speak on air-blast and boom sprayers and their calibrations.  Sprayers are used in such areas as orchards, vineyards, and nurseries.

George Hamilton is the Extension Educator for Agricultural Resources at the University of New Hampshire.  He joined the UNH Cooperative Extension in 1989.  He has direct responsibilities for working with commercial farm operations in the areas of vegetables, fruit, field crops, livestock and farm business management.  He received both his Bachelor of Science Degree and Master of Science Degree in Agricultural Education from The Pennsylvania State University.  

James P. O'Brien is the Executive Director of Northeast Harvest, a buy local organization which serves Essex and Middlesex counties. James is also currently the General Manager of the Topsfield Fair, the oldest continuously operating county fair in America. He is also a Board Member of the Essex County Farm Bureau, MA Fruit Growers, Essex National Heritage Commission, and District Chairman and Board Member of the Yankee Clipper Boy Scouts. He holds a degree in Forestry and Business Management from the University of Maine at Orono.