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Workshops
Join us for Berkshire Grown farmer workshops, giving farmers opportunities to learn from experts on everything from farm production, business management, marketing, and more.
Explore our upcoming workshops below for details and registration.
Labor-Movement with Cynthia Flores
Presented by
Cynthia Flores
Overview
Improving body movements in everyday farm work for health and longevity.
Description
Labor-Movement believes that when you move well, you work well. Our mission is to help farmers, fishermen, landscapers, and industrial athletes to improve their movement health + wellness, increase efficiency and extend longevity in a season or career
- Tuesday, April 15th 2025
- 1 pm – 3 pm
- Woven Roots Farm - 12 Mc Carthy Rd, Tyringham, MA
Cost
$20 Members, $30 non-members
*Attendance is limited, we anticipate this workshop will fill quickly.
Cynthia’s Labor-Movement Manual, titled Athletes in Overalls: Field Moves, will be available for a discounted price of $20 to workshop participants.
About the Presenters:
Cynthia Flores founded Labor-Movement LLC in 2020 with the mission of working with farmers and farmworkers to train body mechanics and movement patterns used in farming. Cynthia farmed in Western Maine for 20 years and is a Certified Personal Trainer, Functional Movement Specialist, Licensed Massage Therapist, and strength athlete.
Chainsaw Basics for Women/Female Bodied/Nonbinary/
Trans Folx with Tish Carr & Tracey Testo-Smith
Presented by
Tish Carr & Tracey Testo-Smith
Overview
This two-day workshops provides an introduction to chainsaw safety, operation and maintenance, specifically geared toward women, nonbinary, trans folx in agriculture. This workshop will be a mix of classroom learning and chainsaw operation with a major focus on safety. If comfortable, participants will participate in brush cutting, small tree clearing and cutting downed wood.
- April 30 & May 1, 2025 (must attend both sessions)
- 8:30 am – 5 pm
- Roots Rising Farm - 923 Barker Rd, Pittsfield MA
Cost
$75 members, $100 non-members
*Attendance is limited, we anticipate this workshop will fill quickly.
Participants will be required to wear personal protection equipment (PPE), including:
- Wrap-around chainsaw chaps
- Steel toe or composite toe boots
- Helmet with face shield
- Ear protection
- Gloves (preferably chainsaw safety gloves)
Financial assistance may be available to help with the purchase of PPE.
Participants will be required to sign a waiver.
About the Presenters:
tish has been involved with trees and chainsaws since the mid-1970’s, starting with her dad’s Homelite XL-12. Since that time, her passion and enthusiasm for using chainsaws, on the ground and in the trees has only increased! This has translated into the last 20-plus years of sharing that enthusiasm with a variety of formal and informal chainsaw trainings, particularly women chainsaw training. Much has been learned over the years to create effective and safe learning environments for women looking to broaden their knowledge and empower themselves with a new skill set. tish is a licensed forester and a licensed arborist in Maine. She is also a licensed arborist in Connecticut, ISA certified arborist and TRAQ certified arborist. tish graduated from the University of Maine with a B.S. in forestry, B.S. in wildlife management, MF in forestry and a PhD in Ecology and Environmental Science. tish formally began her career as a community forester/City Forester in the mid-1980s and has continued in this field since. When tish is not working with her chainsaw or trees, she is the Executive Director for Wabanaki Youth in Science (WaYS) and she is spending time with her animals or hiking or paddling on some adventure.
Tractor Maintenance 101 with SG
Overview
This full-day workshop will provide an introduction to tractor maintenance. Topics covered include tractor safety, parts of the tractor, engine function, basic maintenance, doing oil filters and changes.
- March 19th 2025
- 9 am – 5 pm
- Gould Farm - 100 Gould Rd, Monterey, MA 01245
Cost
$50 members, $70 non-members
*Attendance is limited, we anticipate this workshop will fill quickly.
About the instructor:
Since 2018, SG Groat (they/she) has been providing timely, honest and affordable service and repair work and teaching farmers how to operate and maintain equipment. Over the past 17 years of growing food, making compost, and teaching adults and kids, SG has been developing their knack for operating equipment and fixing machines. Though SG loves to repair equipment, they’ve found they are most joyous when teaching. SG has been fine-tuning their Tractor Operation and Small Engines workshops for several years and has traveled across the Northeast to train farmers on the function, operation, and service of their equipment. In 2021, SG worked with the Hudson Valley Farm Hub to create curriculum for and co-lead a 10-day Farm Mechanic Basics course for farmers to learn how to repair and maintain their own equipment. SG continues to teach the Farm Mechanic Basics course every winter. Throughout their work, they strive to make mechanical information more accessible to Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, people of color, women and non-binary folks.
Social Media Marketing Panel- Making social media work for you!
Presented by
Dawn Stanyon (Dawn Loves Social), Kat Ragone (Starry Ridge Farm), Meg Bantle (Full Well Farm), Abby Angelo (Guido’s)
Overview
Do you find yourself struggling to prioritize social media among the myriad of other tasks on your to do list? Or are you wondering if what you’re doing on social media is even effective?
Join us for a panel presentation of farmers and social media experts who will cover these questions and much more.
Through a mix of short presentations and Q&A, the panelists will share their experience and tips to help you: define your audiences, choose the right platforms to reach those audiences, understand the algorithm to increase engagement, develop strategies to motivate people to action, and most importantly how to create a social media structure that works for you!
*Option to Zoom
Join us after the workshop for a farmer social at Hot Plate Brewery!
Cost
$20 – Suggested amount, Sliding Scale payment available
About the Presenters:
Dawn believes in the positive power of social media to create community and grow opportunity. Since 2015, Dawn has worked with small businesses and nonprofits as a social media consultant and content creator. She supports Berkshire Grown’s social media presence for five years. In her previous work life, Dawn was director of sales for the Emily Post Institute and director of development and communications at the largest VNA & Hospice in Vermont. Dawn is an ExtraSpecialTeas board member and served on the board of the Southern Berkshire Chamber for seven years.
Meg Bantle is a six-generation farmer and co-owner and founder of Full Well Farm in Adams, MA. They also have a degree in English from Williams College and years of experience as a storyteller, through journalism, social media, and art.
Abby Angelo is the Digital Marketing Coordinator for Guido’s Fresh Marketplace. She has worked in social media since 2017 and has experience creating for multiple industries. Abby is passionate about creating content that is fun, transparent, and informative. Since starting at Guido’s in July of 2023, she has loved learning more about local food and being a part of the Berkshire community!