Click here to view the Campus Farmer Summit website! 

Campus Farmer Summit Schedule

Thursday, November 12, 2026
Pre-Conference Gathering and Tour at Fairfield Farm, The Hotchkiss School, 11 Interlaken Road, Lakeville, CT 06039.

Friday, November 13, 2026
Food Systems at UMass Amherst UMass Farms Walking Tour
1:00 – 5:00pm UMass Agricultural Learning Center (ALC) 911 North Pleasant St. Amherst MA
1:00pm - 2:00pm Farm tour including: The UMass Student Farm Campus Supported Agriculture program; Stockbridge Livestock Program - Silvopasture and Woodland Pig Production; Stockbridge Floral Design - Student Led Flower Farming.
2:30pm Walk to campus (10 mins) - Tour Campus Agricultural Projects including: The UMass Permaculture Garden and UMass Hydro Farm.
4:00pm - 4:45pm Tour The UMass Campus Pantry, walk back to ALC.
6:00pm - 7:30pm Dinner at Berkshire Dining Hall. Presentation by the UMass Dining Sustainability Team. Topic: Sourcing Local Food for Campus Kitchens.

Saturday, November 14, 2026
2026 Campus Farmer Summit. Campus Center Auditorium, University of Massachusetts Amherst
8:15am Registration Opens. Breakfast & Networking in main ballroom.
9:00am - 9:30am Opening Remarks by Laura Sayre in the main ballroom.
9:30am - Scheduled time for exhibitor booth visits in large hallway outside of ballroom.
10:00am - 10:50am Discussion Session #1
1. Panel - The Student Farmer Experience (Amherst College, Stockbridge School of Agriculture)
2. Integrating Concepts of Agroecology and Agroforestry Systems on Campus Farms (University of British Columbia, Cornell University)               
3. Blooming Beyond Food: Expanding the Campus Farm (Stockbridge School of Agriculture Floral Design)
11:00am - 11:50am Discussion Session #2
1. Panel - Maximizing the Land Grant Mission and Assessing the Reach and Value of Campus Farms (University of Vermont, UMass Amherst, Morven Sustainability Lab)
2. From Chef to Sustainability Leader (Sodexo)
3. The Challenges and Rewards of Livestock Programming in Education (Stockbridge School of Agriculture, Gill St. Bernard's School)
12:15pm - 2:00pm Lunch and Panel Presentation - Friends of the Farm, The UMass Amherst Campus Food System. Main ballroom
2:10pm - 3:00pm Discussion Session #3
1. Panel - Fostering Meaningful Engagement, Using AI on the Farm and a Launching New Campus Farm (Hotchkiss Schol, Loomis Chaffee School, École Jeannine Manuel International School)
2. Engaging Community College Students Through Experiential Learning (Community College Alliance for Agriculture Advancement, Greenfield Community College, Tompkins Cortland Community College)
3. Urban Agriculture Rooted in Community and Addressing Food Insecurity on Campus (Durham College Barett Urban Farm, Santa Clara University Forge Gardens)
3:30pm - 4:00pm Closing Remarks by Laura Sayre
4:00pm - 5:00pm Final Networking Reception

Summit Location
Thursday, November 12
Thursday’s lunch and tour will be offered at Fairfield Farm at The Hotchkiss School. Meet at 12:00pm at Fairfield Farm located at 400 Sharon Rd, Lakeville, CT, 06039.
Parking free and available at the farm. Local transportation needed for the tour will be provided free of charge. For more information, please contact Bridget, Fairfield Farm Manager and Programs Director: Blawrencemeigs@hotchkiss.org.

Friday, November 13
Friday's tour will begin at 1:00pm at the UMass Agricultural Learning Center located at 961 North Pleasant St. Amherst MA, 01002. Parking available at the farm. For more information, please contact Amanda Brown: amandabrown@umass.edu.

Saturday, November 14
The Campus Farmer Summit is being held in the Campus Center at the University of Massachusetts Amherst located at 1 Campus Center Way, Massachusetts Ave., Amherst, MA 01030.  Please check the summit page for more information. The UMass campus can be difficult to navigate; we encourage you to look at a campus map prior to your arrival. Visit https://www.umass.edu/admissions/visit/visitor-info to view/download a campus map and view general travel details.

Registration/Check In
More information about on-site registration and check in will be updated as the event approaches!

Parking
Parking is available in the Campus Center Parking Garage at a discounted rate for seminar attendees. For GPS purposes, the garage is located at 91 Campus Center Way, Amherst, MA, 01003. Click here to obtain directions from your location. 

Campus Center Way is off of Commonwealth Avenue, across the street from the Mullins Center. After turning onto Campus Center Way stay to the left to go up the hill. You will see the garage entrance on your right. We recommend following the Hotel UMass/Campus Center signs down to park on Level 2, where there is a marked entrance into the Campus Center. Alternatively, you can park on any level and use the Northeast or Southeast Stairwells to gain access to outdoor campus paths that lead down to the Campus Center. The garage clearance is 7' 2".  You will enter on Level 3 and exit on Level 4. If you have a vehicle larger than the 7'2" clearance, or have any questions, please contact us at registration@umass.edu for additional assistance.

An email with a parking discount code will be provided to registered attendees prior to the event. Once you enter the garage, your license plate will be recorded. After parking, please head to one of the garage's pay stations to enter in your license plate number and the number of hours you plan to stay. Enter your discounted parking coupon code and then use your credit or debit card to complete payment. You may also enter your cell phone number to get a reminder text to extend your time if needed. Please note you will have 20 minutes to register your license plate number into the parking system after entering the garage.

Driving to Campus

FROM THE SOUTH, VIA I-91 NORTH

Take Exit 25 in Northampton: From the exit ramp, stay in the right lane to take the first rotary exit, turning right onto Route 9. Travel approximately 4.5 miles to Route 116 North. Turn left onto 116 and go one mile to the UMass exit. Stay to the right as you exit to merge onto Massachusetts Avenue. Stay in the left lane and take a left at the second intersection onto Commonwealth Avenue (the first set of lights is only a blinking yellow light, take a left at the next set of lights). Stay in the right lane and continue on Commonwealth Avenue until you reach a set of traffic lights. At these lights turn onto Campus Center Way. Stay to the left and travel up the hill - you will see the garage entrance on your right.

FROM THE NORTH, VIA I-91 SOUTH

Take Exit 36 in Deerfield: At the stop sign at the top of the ramp, turn right (north) onto Routes U.S. 5/10/116, and immediately turn right again at the traffic lights onto Route 116 South. Follow Route 116 South for eight miles to the UMass exit. Turn left at the stop sign onto Massachusetts Avenue. Stay in the left lane and take a left at the second intersection onto Commonwealth Avenue (the first set of lights is only a blinking yellow light, take a left at the next set of lights). Stay in the right lane and continue on Commonwealth Avenue until you reach a set of traffic lights. At these lights turn onto Campus Center Way. Stay to the left and travel up the hill - you will see the garage entrance on your right.

FROM THE NORTH, VIA I-93 SOUTH

Follow I-93 to I-495 South. Follow to Route 2 West. Continue on Route 2 to U.S. 202 South. Follow for about 15 miles to the blinking light at the Pelham exit marked “Route 9 and 116 Amherst.” Turn right and follow for seven miles to Amherst center. Turn right onto North Pleasant Street. Stay on North Pleasant Street (you will need to turn left twice to remain on North Pleasant Street, - follow signs to the UMass Campus). As you enter campus you will come to a set of lights. Stay to the left to turn onto Massachusetts Avenue. Follow Massachusetts Avenue through campus until you come to a set of lights. At the lights take a right onto Commonwealth Avenue. Continue on Commonwealth Avenue until you reach a set of traffic lights. Turn right onto Campus Center Way. Stay to the left and go up the hill. You will see the garage entrance up the hill on your right. 

FROM THE EAST OR WEST, VIA I-90

Travelers have a choice of four routes:
Off Exit 63 (Palmer/Ware): Follow Route 32 South to Palmer; take Route 20 West to Route 181 North into Belchertown, and then Route 9 West to Amherst. Follow signs to UMass.
Off Exit 54 (Ludlow): Follow Route 21 North to U.S. 202 North to Route 9 West to Amherst center. Follow signs to UMass.
Off Exit 49 (Chicopee): Follow Route 33 North to Route 116 North to Amherst center. Turn left at the light onto Route 9 West. Follow signs to UMass.
Off Exit 45 (West Springfield): I-91 North to Exit 19 to Route 9 East to Amherst. Follow signs to UMass.

Please don't hesitate to contact the UMass Conference Services at registration@umass.edu with any campus, area, or travel related inquiries!

Lodging

Hotel UMass 

On-Campus Accommodations: Reserve before October 15, 2026! 

Located in the heart of the picturesque UMass Amherst campus, Hotel UMass blends a tranquil countryside escape with the bustling energy of campus life, making it your ideal destination when staying in the area or attending programs in the UMass Amherst Campus Center. During your stay, you will have access to UMass's distinctive cultural atmosphere and celebrated dining program, all the while remaining only minutes away from historic downtown Amherst. The breathtaking views from your guestroom alone will allow you to appreciate the natural beauty of scenic New England and discover the magic of the Pioneer Valley.

A number of on-campus guest rooms are held at Hotel UMass for a discounted rate of $199 (Thursday, November 12), $229 (Friday, November 13) and $229 (Saturday, November 14), per room per night (plus applicable fees, currently 6% plus $1.00 per room, per night).We encourage interested guests to complete their online reservation early: the discounted rate is only available until October 15 or until space fills! 

Registration does not include lodging, so lodging reservations and payment should be arranged separately. To complete a reservation, interested attendees should click here to be taken directly to the Campus Farmer Summit Hotel UMass reservation page. 

Note reservations are available online only: if you call to complete a reservation you will be directed to book online. 

Hotel Parking
If you are a hotel guest arriving on Friday, November 13, we suggest you park on the 2nd level of the Campus Center Parking Garage when you arrive and leave your belongings locked in your car out of sight. Visit the Hotel Front Desk to register your vehicle. While you should register your vehicle upon arrival, please do not try to check-in at the hotel until after 3:00pm.

The Amherst Area offers a diverse selection of local accommodations. Neighboring Hadley features a variety of chain hotels, just a 5–10-minute drive from campus. Additionally, the town of Amherst itself boasts numerous boutique inns and B&Bs for a classic New England experience. Some popular options, including estimated commute times, can be found below. A full listing of Amherst area lodging can be found here.

Amherst
Inn on Boltwood: a historic Amherst Hotel with 49 unique guest rooms and a masterfully crafted dining experience; 30 Boltwood Avenue, Amherst; click here or call 413-256-8200 (10-minute drive). 

Black Walnut Inn: featuring 10 rooms, ranked #1 of 14 Amherst B&Bs and Inns; 1184 North Pleasant Street, Amherst; click here or call 413-549-5649 (8-minute drive).

Hadley
Courtyard Marriott: centrally located hotel with an indoor pool, fitness center, and a newly renovated lobby with evening bar service and dinner menu; 423 Russell Street, Hadley; click here or call 413-256-5454 (8-minute drive).

Homewood Suites: offers studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom suites (including kitchenettes) and free hot breakfast; 340 Russell Street, Hadley; click here or call 413-387-0583 (15-minute drive).

Comfort Inn and Suites:  indoor hot tub, oversized vehicle parking, business center; 400 Russell Street, Hadley; click here or call 413-341-1556 (12-minute drive)

Northampton
Fairfield Inn and Suites:  new state-of-the-art hotel located a short walk to downtown Northampton; 115A Conz Street, Northampton; click here or call 413-587-9800 (22-minute drive).

Hotel Northampton: historic hotel in downtown Northampton with two award-winning restaurants; 36 King Street, Northampton; click here or call 413-584-3100 (22-minute drive).

Quality Inn and Suites: a well-appointed and conveniently located hotel with free hot breakfast, indoor heated pool, and fitness center; click here or call 413-341-1461 (21-minute drive).

Deerfield
Deerfield Inn: historic hotel with excellent restaurant and tavern; 81 Old Main Street, Deerfield MA; click here or call 413-774-5587 (27-minute drive).

Red Roof PLUS+: easily accessible budget hotel with indoor pool close to Deerfield attractions; 9 Greenfield Road, South Deerfield; click here or call 413-665-7161 (19-minute drive).

Have questions or need assistance? We're happy to help!
Please contact UMass Conference Services at registration@umass.edu or 413-577-8102.
Our office is open Monday through Friday from 8AM - 4PM ET (excluding federal and/or Massachusetts state holidays). All calls, voicemails and/or emails will be answered as soon as possible during our standard business hours. We look forward to hearing from you!

We are here to help! 

For Campus Farmer Summit Related Questions:

Contact campusfarmernetwork@gmail.com or visit the summit website here! 

For Registration, Payment, or General Campus Related Questions:

Contact UMass Conference Services at 413-577-8102 or registration@umass.edu, 8:00am - 4:00pm, Monday through Friday. 

For Hotel UMass Related Questions:

Contact Hotel UMass at 877-822-2110 or hotel@umass.edu or visit www.hotelumass.com.