Our featured auction item is an Agrotourism on Nantucket package including tours of the island’s most scenic farms, a 4 night stay in a Polpis area cottage, and gift certificates to Black Eyed Susans and The Chanticleer! CLICK HERE to view more details and bid on this family-friendly item! Visit our Online Auction page to learn more and to view other unique items!
Featured Online Auction Item!
November 21st, 2011Sustainable Nantucket Featured in Fall Edition of Edible Cape Cod!
September 15th, 2011
The Fall 2011 edition of Edible Cape Cod features a wonderful article about Sustainable Nantucket, our Programs and efforts within the community. Written by Nantucket native Susan Fernald, the article highlights our COMMUNITY AGRICULTURE PROGRAM, FARM TO SCHOOL PROGRAM, Nantucket Grown ™ brand and much more. A digital version of the magazine can be found on the Edible Cape Cod web site, and hard copies of the magazine can be found in businesses on the Cape – all listed here.
Our thanks to Susan and Edible Cape Cod!
SN seeks Fall Development Intern
September 1st, 2011Sustainable Nantucket is seeking a part-time development intern for Fall 2011. Excellent opportunity to gain experience in development and non-profit work.
The intern will work under the Development Coordinator updating the database, performing research, assisting with fundraising campaigns, solicitations and events, and various support activities. 10-25 hours per week.
Required Attributes & Skills: Ability to work independently, working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, attention to detail, reliability.
Preferred Attributes & Experience: Interest in sustainable agriculture, experience with Giftworks, prior experience working in a non-profit setting and/or on fundraising events.
Please send brief cover letter and resume to Rachael@sustainablenantucket.org.
SN Seeks Market Manager for 2012
August 19th, 2011Sustainable Nantucket is seeking to fill the position of Market Manager for the 2012 season. Applicants should have a passionate interest in working with local community members, stimulating the local economy, and helping to create policies that benefit the awareness and availability of local produce and locally made items. Each applicant should have solid research, writing, interpersonal and communication skills, and strong Microsoft Office computer skills. Each applicant should have some event planning and/or service industry experience.
Market Manager Responsibilities:
• Work with Program Manager to develop Market budget
• Manage Market expenses within approved budget
• Recruit & manage volunteers during season
• Design & order product inventory
• Work with Market Committee to formulate current Market policy, review vendor applicants
and generate new ideas. Draft agendas, facilitate meetings, send out follow-up memos and task
lists, coordinate committee activities.
• Coordinate 2 Market days per week:
o Planning: research, outreach, scheduling, inventory, permits, finances, etc.
o On-site: Overall set up, PR/volunteer/ vendor management, collection of fees, customer
relations, break-down etc.
• Vendor management – application process, correspondence, schedules, lay-out
• Attend Market Manager Conference
• Coordinate and hold Market workshop
Compensation & Hours:
• Annual Salary – Commensurate with experience
• This is a year round position – hours to be discussed and will vary seasonally.
Please send inquiries, cover letter & resume to Program Manager: Morgan Beryl - morgan@sustainablenantucket.org or call our office at 508-228-3399.
SN Offering Composters at a Discounted Rate
April 8th, 2011
Sustainable Nantucket has an arrangement with a Massachusetts-based company to purchase backyard composters in bulk at a discounted rate to the benefit of those in the Nantucket community wishing either to get started with composting, or expand their current compost setup.
“The New Age Composter” is fairly compact in size, durable, easy to assemble, rodent-proof and designed to produce finished compost in as little as 60 to 80 days. The price of these composters purchased through Sustainable Nantucket is $53.00 plus shipping (an estimated $7.-$12.00 extra).
If you have never composted before but are interested in getting started, Sustainable Nantucket is offering two composting workshops in April: How to Make Compost Work for You! and Micro-biology in the Soil – Composting Level 2.
Composting is easy to do once you learn the basics, and it’s good for the environment, your yard and garden. The nutrient-rich compost you will collect from your composter will not only feed your plants, but it will also cut down on the amount of kitchen and yard waste that would otherwise be going into the landfill.
To purchase a composter contact Morgan Beryl, our Program Manager.
USDA Organic Cost Share Program Applications Now Available
March 18th, 2011Applications are now available through the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources for Organic Cost Share Reimbursement. The Department has been awarded funds from the United States Department of Agriculture through the Organic Certification Cost Share Program for reimbursement to organic crop and livestock producers as well as processors that have been certified by a certifying agent.
Reimbursement is available to production and processing operations certified and/or receiving continuation of certification during the period of October 1, 2010 through September 30, 2011. Payments to eligible producers and processors will be limited to 75% of an individual’s costs up to a maximum of $750.00.
Click here for reimbursement forms, or contact Ellen Hart, 617-626-1742, Ellen.Hart@state.ma.us.
Victory Garden Raffle Winner Announced!
March 4th, 2011
Tara draws the winning ticket!
Congratulations to our 2011 Victory Garden Raffle winner Nat Davidson! The winning ticket was drawn at the Sustainable Nantucket office on Wednesday morning and Nat’s prize includes the design and installation of a 10′ x 10′ raised bed garden, all the tools and materials needed for this process, and a handcrafted birdhouse by Matt Oates! Our sincere thanks to all who purchased raffle tickets, the funds raised will help support our Programs, initiatives and outreach, all of which are aimed at cultivating a healthy Nantucket.
Special thanks to all those who are volunteering their time and resources, and to those who have donated materials for this project: Nantucket Edible Landscapes, Champoux Landscaping, Island Lumber, Mitch Blake Fine Carpentry and Matt Oates.
SN Launches Nantucket Grown™ Brand to Benefit Local Food
February 25th, 2011Sustainable Nantucket is pleased to announce the launch of our new Nantucket Grown™ brand aimed at promoting and encouraging the consumption of locally grown food on Nantucket. 
Sustainable Nantucket is focused on connecting on-island consumers with sources of locally grown food. Nantucket Grown™ will provide farmers with an instantly recognizable branding campaign that will indicate to consumers that the food they are purchasing was grown, processed, and distributed on Nantucket. Sustainable Nantucket will provide our local growers with Nantucket Grown™ stickers to place on all produce being sold at our Farmers & Artisans Market, and elsewhere.
Nantucket Grown™ is modeled on existing ‘Buy Fresh, Buy Local” brands developed in other Massachusetts communities, such as CISA’s “Be A Local Hero” and Martha’s Vineyard’s “Island Grown” brand. These brands have been very successful in raising awareness around the importance of sourcing food locally. The image for the brand was designed by island artist Sue Riddle, who also designed our Farmers & Artisans Market logo.
Eventually, we also intend to make our brand available for use by island restaurants featuring locally grown foods on their menus. This would NOT take the place of naming the individual farm or grower on the menu listing, but instead be something that could be placed on the bottom of a menu, or in an advertisement, as an indication that this particular restaurant has met our criteria for sourcing food locally. The sight of the Nantucket Grown™ logo will be an assurance to consumers that the restaurant they are frequenting makes every effort to purchase the freshest local produce and foods available.
“We see this brand as an essential part of what we are working to accomplish in terms of fostering a sustainable food system, and in turn a vital economy for the island. Nantucket Grown™ is addressing the need to raise awareness and expand the Market for local food, and is evolving hand in hand with our Farmers & Artisans Market, Farm to School Program, Community Agriculture Program and Youth Council.” states executive director Michelle Whelan.
Call for Agricultural Interns for 2011
January 13th, 2011Sustainable Nantucket is proud to announce our second year facilitating agricultural internships for Nantucket farmers and food artisans. If you are a college student with an interest in agriculture or small scale food production, if you are ready to roll up your sleeves and work hard, and are open to the unique experiences island life can provide, we encourage you to apply to our program. We offer you an opportunity to immerse yourself in our island culture while gaining hands-on experience working with one of our small business owners in a variety of capacities. There are 3 types of positions available: Private Farm/Small Grower, Farm to School and Value-Added Food Product Interns.
To view our agricultural internship description, click here.
In order to apply, please send your resume, available dates, and position of interest to:
Morgan Beryl at morgan@sustainablenantucket.org
For interns, our program provides:
- Education, experience and working knowledge of sustainable agriculture that students can take with them as they move forward in a variety of capacities, including, should they choose, to establish their own community and environmentally friendly farms.
- Satisfies internship requirements for agriculturally based BA programs across the nation.
- Opportunity to investigate Nantucket as a place to begin an agri-business.
For the Nantucket agricultural community, our program provides:
- Support to growers in the form of passionate and knowledgeable help in the field, as well as with administrative and operational tasks.
- Gives growers the ability to expand their reach to more customers through the Farmers & Artisans Market, local restaurants, CSA members and private customers.
- Gives growers the ability to increase production.
Study Shows Customers Willing to Pay More for Local Food
December 21st, 2010A recent study funded by the Leopold Centre for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University shows that restaurant customers are willing to pay more for meals that are prepared with locally grown foods. The results also indicate that customers actually prefer these meals when they are priced slightly higher than meals made with non-local ingredients. Read the full story on the Penn State web site here.
