Stories

“Be A Local Hero: Buy Locally Grown” is one of the most recognized slogans in Western Massachusetts, thanks to the work of Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA), the nation’s first ‘buy local’ organization. Today, Massachusetts is home to ten of these buy local groups, working to connect farmers with consumers so that local economies […]

Founded in 1988, the Pioneer Valley NE Growers Coop works with skilled farmers who lack resources to run their own operations. These farmers, who in their home countries cultivated crops for a living, are in Massachusetts as seasonal workers or resident farm workers. Hankering for familiar produce, they began to grow it on small plots […]

Peapod, the grocery delivery program for Stop & Shop Supermarket, is now bringing local farm produce to doorsteps in eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Produce is sourced from four farms – Town Farm, Ward’s Berry Farm, the Kitchen Garden, and Langwater Farm – as well as the Farm Fresh Rhode Island food hub. The $34.99 […]

When it signed the Real Food Campus Commitment in 2013, UMass Amherst became one of the largest schools in the country to commit to sourcing 20% “Real Food” by the year 2020. Real food is defined as food that is local, fair, ecologically sound, and humanely-raised. UMass Amherst’s efforts toward the Real Food Challenge couple […]

Nuestras Raices is a 23-year-old urban agriculture and economic justice organization founded by the Latino community in Holyoke. The organization supports a network of 13 community gardens and a 30-acre urban farm dedicated to cultivating, sharing and selling the treasured cultural crops beloved by Latino families. Youth development, microenterprise support, farm to school, and cultural […]

Despite a devastating fire that leveled Mi Tierra’s restaurant in 2013, the restaurant is thriving today and you can find Mi Tierra’s delicious corn (local and organic) tortillas in stores all over the Connecticut River Valley. This seemingly quick recovery is thanks in no small part to outpouring of community support and a microloan from […]

The Worcester Regional Food Hub is a collaborative that aims to support the regional economy and address food justice issues by expanding access to healthy, locally grown products. Co-led by the Regional Environmental Council and the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, the collaborative’s planning efforts have included stakeholder engagement and identifying opportunities for strengthening the […]

North Shore Community College (NSCC) has developed the Agriculture and Food Service Career Pathway for students interested in professions in the food system. Participating students can select from certificates and degrees in several fields including Environmental Horticulture, Culinary Arts & Foodservice, Hospitality & Tourism, Dietary Manager, Nutritional Science & Dietary Technology, and Food Science & […]

Freedom Food Farm in Raynham is one of many CSAs in Massachusetts that offer weekly workplace deliveries of fresh produce. Owner and manager Chuck Currie says his farm delivers more than 60 shares to members at four local businesses each week. Workplace CSA deliveries are another way to increase the market for locally grown food, […]

Many healthcare institutions are realizing that it’s time to buy seafood in line with their values. The Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance, in collaboration with Health Care Without Harm’s Healthy Food in Healthcare Program, are assisting health care facilities in sourcing and serving local, ecologically-responsible seafood whenever possible. Changing buying policies to include local seafood can […]