The New England Agroforester - Summer Solstice 2026

June 22, 2026

Issue 4 – Summer Solstice 2026 Summer in Full Swing: ADAPT Updates from the Field

Dear Agroforestry Enthusiasts,

This Summer Solstice issue takes you out into the field and behind the scenes, where agroforestry in New England is being tested, measured, and reshaped as we speak: soil cores pulled from systematically marked plots, mini‑atmospheres in PVC chambers capturing invisible greenhouse gas flows, and the unexpected turn where an archaeological discovery led researchers to a new learning path.

Along the way, you will meet the people bringing this work to life: graduate researchers standardizing soil carbon sampling, technicians installing sensor arrays in working pastures, and a new UNH faculty member whose path into agroforestry began with Appalachian ginseng and community learning.

You’ll find local scenes and the wider lens, from twilight farm walks and grazing conference recordings to funding through Conservation Innovation Grants. A national survey shows silvopasture gaining ground across the country, while a new report reminds us that successful tree planting depends as much on relationships and trust as on species selection.

And because it is summer, we close with a taste of serviceberry‑honey yogurt cake, elderflower jelly, and a forest‑grown mocktail built from sumac, black cherry, and maple.

Whether you come for the data, the field stories, or the recipes, this issue offers a glimpse of agroforestry as both careful science and lived practice, unfolding across landscapes and seasons.

Sincerely,

The ADAPT Team

Issue #4

Quick Links

Technical Assistance & Peer Networking

The Research Grove

The Learning Landscape

Funding

Events Calendar

Summer Recipes for Agroforesters

Photo Synthesis: Reader-Submitted Images

ADAPT Project Managers Ryan Smith (left) and Aaron Guman (right) and Project Coordinator Aaron Hoag (center) on a cooperator farm site visit.

The Research Grove

ADAPT educators and participants at a silvopasture and forest farming walk in late May, 2026.

Learning Landscape

Technical Assistance & Peer Networking

Funding

USDA Issues Second Supplemental Disaster Payment to Farmers, Extends Program Application Deadline to August 12

Thanks to for this news: USDA is maximizing disaster assistance support for producers by issuing a second (SDRP) payment to eligible producers who have approved program applications for losses due to natural disasters in calendar years. Visit USDA FSA for more information on SDRP.

Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) announced for 2026

On May 27, 2026, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced $65 million in (CIG) funding for 2026 to support cutting-edge approaches that improve farm productivity while advancing natural resource conservation on working lands. Notices of funding opportunities (NOFOs) for and are available on Grants.gov and applications are accepted through July 27, 2026.

For agroforestry practitioners and researchers in New England, the program offers a timely opportunity to explore integrated systems such as silvopasture, riparian buffers, and climate-resilient tree-based practices, especially those that deliver measurable conservation and producer benefits. Funding in 2026 prioritizes projects that enhance soil health, water management, grazing systems, nutrient management, and habitat.

Tips for Farmers Interested in Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG)

Partner early. CIG On-Farm Trials proposals must be submitted by an eligible organization such as a nonprofit, university, or agribusiness, which then recruits participating producers. Start conversations now with Extension, conservation districts, NGOs, or researcher partners who can lead an application.
Bring a real on-farm question. Strong projects test something innovative but practical, such as: silvopasture systems or agroforestry layouts; new grazing strategies; soil health or nutrient management approaches. Focus on ideas that can be replicated regionally and generate measurable results.
Be ready to host trials. Selected projects run 3–5 years and involve implementing and evaluating practices on your land. Think about fields, labor, and recordkeeping you can commit.
Emphasize outcomes. Projects are more competitive when they show (1) quantifiable soil, water, or climate benefits; (2) economic viability for farmers; and (3) potential for wider adoption across farms.
Understand the financial structure. Farmers typically receive incentive payments to offset the risk of trying new practices rather than direct awards to individuals.
Leverage your network. Projects must recruit multiple producers, and grant recipients are responsible for that recruitment. Being part of a farmer network or producer group strengthens proposals significantly.
Start right away. With large awards and national competition, successful proposals are well-developed, with clear partnerships, timelines, and evaluation plans.

Grants and Incentives for the Northeast

The by Farm Credit East Knowledge Exchange contains grants and other incentives available in all New England states plus New York and New Jersey. Opportunities are from various funding sources and include grants, tax incentives, and loan programs available to agricultural producers and others involved in agriculture or related industries. Categories related to agroforestry include conservation, environment, and forestry; dairy, row crops, and specialty crops; and research, education, and promotion. Visit Farm Credit East to .

MOFGA Grant Programs

See for an up-to-date listing of regional grant programs and business training opportunities for farmers.

Events

Agroforestry Twilight Meetings 2026

Join UNH Extension staff and partners for a series of outdoor, in-person twilight meetings exploring how farmers use agroforestry practices. Visit working farms across the northeast to learn about forest farming, silvopasture, and rotational grazing, with insights on plant propagation, land transitions, and building farm businesses around forest crops. Events run rain or shine and offer hands-on opportunities to see real-world applications and research in action. Sign up for one or more sessions to discover how agroforestry tools can work on your land.

Forest Farming at The Smokey House Center — September 4, 2026 — Danby, VT
Forest Farming at Wild Hudson Valley — September 6, 2026 — Leeds, NY
Rotational Grazing and Silvopasture — September 17, 2026 — Jefferson, NH
Silvopasture by Addition and Subtraction — September 17, 2026 — Stratham, NH
Agroforestry Research at UNH — October 9, 2026 — Lee & Madbury, NH

For more information and to register, visit , or contact or .

Forest Farming: Ecological and Legal Considerations for Connecticut

Thursday, June 25 in Ridgefield, CT. Two of the highest-value, rare native herbs, American ginseng and goldenseal, will be the focus. Along with basics of forest farming, details of working with these sensitive species will be explored. Hosted by the Northeast Forest Farmers Coalition in partnership with The Hickories and The Forest School at the Yale School of the Environment. This event is part of CT NOFA’s Equipment Share Program and is FREE to attend. . For more information, visit .

Northern Nut Growers Association & Chestnut Growers of America Joint Conference 2026

The is July 31-August 3, 2026 at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. This four‑day event brings together growers, researchers, and educators for technical sessions, panel discussions, and networking focused on chestnuts, hazelnuts, and other nut crops.

Activities include full‑day educational sessions, poster exhibits, a research auction, and a banquet. Highlighted are fields trips to or the Chestnut Repository at the . “So much incredible knowledge and experiences are shared,” said Postdoctoral Research Associate and Co-Chair of the ’s Demonstration Site Working Group.

The conference is open to anyone interested in nut production, agroforestry, or tree crop research. The includes key information for prospective attendees, including registration details and a full event schedule with technical sessions, field tours, and networking activities. It also highlights:

Scholarships: Limited financial support options are available for students and early or beginning growers, with contact information provided to apply.
Participation opportunities: Options for exhibitors, speakers, and attendees, including exhibit tables and conference involvement.
Program features: Technical sessions, poster displays, panel discussions, auctions supporting research, and farm tours.
Logistics: Details on lodging, registration, schedule timing, and campus location.
Contact information: Email contacts for general questions, registration support, and scholarship inquiries.

For details, visit the page.

We The Land! 2026

Trust (NEFOC) has announced its biennial gathering, We The Land! 2026, taking place August 7-9 at Smith College in Northampton, MA. The event provides space protectors to share resources and collectively strategize. With a focus on building a resilient "mycelial network," the weekend will feature knowledge exchanges, grassroots organizing, and ceremonies rooted in healing and redefining reciprocity with the land.

While encompassing a broad range of agricultural and food sovereignty movements, several aspects of We The Land! intersect with agroforestry and community forestry principles: ecosystem restoration and native species, permanent land tenure and long-term stewardship over short-term extraction, and multi-generational planning for perennial crops, silvopasture, and forest farming.

Limited tickets are available. For registration, logistics, and FAQs, visit the or email wetheland@nefoclandtrust.org.

Wild Seed Project Community Potluck

Saturday, June 27, 2026 at in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. (Rain date: Sunday, June 28.) Includes informal gathering time and a brief tour of the nursery and seed plots. An accurate head count is needed, so . A labeled dish to share is encouraged, and personal dining wares are recommended to help minimize waste. A picnic blanket or camp chair is suggested for seating.

Farm-A-Q: A Celebration of Local Food, Farms & Community

Two women talking at an outdoor booth at an event

Farm-A-Q: A Celebration of Local Food, Farms & Community

Sunday, June 28, 2026 at Tuckaway Farm, Lee, NH. Farm-A-Q is a beloved annual community event where local chefs and farmers come together share farm-to-table food and local agricultural knowledge. .

America’s Potluck: July 5, 2026

Thanks to for sharing this article in their April 2026 : (originally published by ). is an opportunity for neighbors to join with one another to share a fun, communal meal, creating a sense of connection and belonging and fostering interactions among people from all walks of life. Participating State and Territory 250th Anniversary Commissions in New England include , , , , , and .

Interactive Learning Session on Youth Engagement and Career Pathways to Supporting the Food System

Virtual session July 8, 2026. This interactive learning session hosted by the will highlight how farm to school initiatives can cultivate youth engagement, leadership development, and meaningful career pathways in food, agriculture, and school nutrition.

Farming in Climate Change

Thursday, July 9 Online. Free. Presented by (MOFGA). will introduce the general impacts of climate change that farmers could expect to experience on their farm followed by concrete farm resiliency practices. .

Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) Summer Events:

Summer offerings with (CISA) include:

Preparing and planning for new & increased pest and disease risks in a warmer New England: Monday, July 13 in Shelburne Falls, MA
Building resilient soils: planning & resources for extreme weather events: Thursday, July 16 in Wilbraham, MA
Managing pasture and livestock watering for flooding, drought and extreme heat events: Monday, August 17 in Warwick, MA

For details on these events and to be added to the CISA calendar, visit .

Agroforestry Coalition Working Groups

Several working groups of the meet regularly throughout the year: Policy, Communications, Nurseries, Demonstration Farms, and Technical Assistance and Training. See the Agroforestry Coalition’s for details and subscribe for updates.

Save-the-date: Gather to Grow Forest Farming Conference

Save-the-date:

Gather to Grow Forest Farming Conference: October 23-25, 2026 in Blacksburg, VA. From the : Registration for the 2026 Gather to Grow Forest Farm Conference, themed “Rooted In & Branching Out,” . An Early Bird rate of $249 is offered through July 15. Regular adult registration is $299, student registration is $199, and youth registration (with adult) is $149. Sponsorship packages, scholarship requests, sessions and topics, speaker proposals, and conference media are available on the . For conference inquiries, email info@appalachianforestfarmers.org. For program, sponsorship, or exhibiting, email Margaret_bloomquist@ncsu.edu.

10th annual Massachusetts Food System Forum: November 19, in Worcester, MA. For details, email kristina@mafoodsystem.org.

Serviceberry, Amelanchier canadensis. Serviceberries are a classic Northeast agroforestry crop: extremely hardy, productive, and ideal for hedgerows and silvopasture buffers. Photo credit: UConn .

Summer Recipes for Agroforesters

The chestnut recipes in our Winter Solstice 2025 issue were so popular, we had to make space for summer recipes. We hope you’ll try these ones featuring elder and serviceberry, or other agroforestry products. We’d love to try what you make, but if you can’t share in person, send us your photos!

For our Fall Equinox 2026 issue, we’re looking for recipes using invasive species. Autumn olive pizza or tart crust? Send your ideas to agroforestry@unh.edu.

Serviceberry–Honey Yogurt Cake

Image:

Ingredients:

1½ cups fresh serviceberries
⅓ cup maple syrup from your favorite New England sugarbush
¼ cup local honey
1½ cups all-purpose or spelt flour
½ cup whole-milk yogurt
2 pasture-raised eggs
1 tsp baking soda
¼ cup melted butter or ghee
Pinch salt

Method:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a loaf pan.
Whisk the eggs, yogurt, maple syrup, honey, and melted butter or ghee.
Fold in the dry ingredients. Gently stir in the berries (see hints above).
Bake 45–55 minutes, until set.

Hints to keep berries or fruits from settling to the bottom of the cake:

Chill the batter first.
Gently toss the berries in a little sugar or starch before adding them to the batter.
Rather than stirring, glide the spatula down the side of the bowl to the bottom, then gently lift and fold the batter several times.

Elderflower Jelly

Elderflower jelly is good with serviceberry-honey yogurt cake or any similar baked good. Photo: Ashley Adamant,

Harvest tips: Shrub-layer elderflowers in New England typically reach peak bloom in mid-June to early July. Foraging is best on dry, sunny days when the flowers are fully open and fragrant. Snap them underneath the flowerhead; do not wash; and use them right away.

Recipes can be found at and .

Black Cherry–Sumac Forest Fizz

A 100% native Northeast mocktail. Sumac is typically ready in June and July; wild or forest-grown cherries are ready in July to August. Photo credit:

Special thanks to forager and University of Maine Sustainability Coordinator for the important ecological, cultural, and culinary notes on these recipes.

Native species used:

Black cherry (Prunus serotina) – known as wôbakskwak (or wôbaskkwa) by Western Abenaki, wαbəskʷαkʷ in Penobscot (Eastern Wabanaki), or wαpahskʷ in Passamaquoddy‑Maliseet.
Staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) – known as kȣzigem / kʷazigem by Abenaki and Penobscot/Passamaquoddy
Sugar maple (Acer saccharum)
Native bee balm (Monarda fistulosa) or mountain mint (Pycnanthemum spp.)

Flavor Profile: Tart and refreshing with layered fruit acidity, mild tannins, and a subtle forest sweetness. No processed sweeteners required. Note: Eaters with allergies to mangoes or cashews should avoid sumac.

Ingredients (1 drink)

2 oz black cherry juice or black cherry concentrate
1½ oz staghorn sumac infusion (recipe below)
½ oz maple syrup
Chilled sparkling water
Ice

Staghorn Sumac Infusion (make ahead). Bright, citrusy, naturally acidic liquid often called “sumac-ade.” Sumac infusion can be frozen in ice cube trays for later.

Harvest ripe staghorn sumac berry clusters (deep red, fuzzy, upright cones only).
Gently rinse and crush ½ cup berries.
Soak in 2 cups cold water for 1–4 hours.
Strain through cheese cloth or a coffee filter.

Assembly

Fill a glass with ice.
Add black cherry juice, sumac infusion, and maple syrup.
Stir gently.
Top with sparkling water.
Garnish with native herbs or berries.
Serve cold.

Optional garnish:

Bee balm petal or leaf
Mint sprig
Whole (pitted) black cherry

Agroforestry & Ecological Context: This mocktail relies entirely on native perennial species that thrive in woodland edges, hedgerows, silvopasture buffers, and managed Northeastern forests. Note that many species within the mountain mint group are endangered or extirpated in New Hampshire in Maine, so choose with caution. Also, avoid spotted bee balm, which has conservation status in western New England.

Language Context: Resources on the languages and words for plants used by Penobscot, Abenaki, Passamaquoddy, and other Indigenous groups of the Northeast include:

Photo Synthesis: Reader-Submitted Images

UNH Research Technician Christian Filteau with a dairy cow at UNH’s silvopasture-by-subtraction research site at the .

We want to feature more of your photos here! Send them to agroforestry@unh.edu.

UNH Land, Water, and Life Acknowledgement

As we all journey on the trail of life, we wish to acknowledge the spiritual and physical connection the Pennacook, Abenaki, and Wabanaki Peoples have maintained to ��’d��쾱�ԲԲ� (homeland) and the aki (land), nebi (water), olakwika (flora), and awaasak (fauna) which the �鶹app community is honored to steward today. We also acknowledge the hardships they continue to endure after the loss of unceded homelands and champion the university’s responsibility to foster relationships and opportunities that strengthen the well-being of the Indigenous People who carry forward the traditions of their ancestors.

Published

June 22, 2026

Topics

Research

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