8 Family-Friendly Farms for Pumpkin Pickin’ in Western MA

QUESTION AND ANSWERS Where’s a good place to pick pumpkins with the kids in Western MA? Patricia McCarthy Krutiak recommends, “Whitney’s Farm Stand. Route 8. Cheshire, MA.” (Berkshire Co.) Heather Dunham Katsoulis recommends, “Westview Farms Creamery in Monson (Hampden Co.); Austin Brothers Valley Farm in Belchertown (Hampshire Co.); and Fletcher Farm in Southampton (Hampshire Co.). […]

In time of grief, how can a town help? We Can Farm

The Recorder, November 1, 2015 by Richie Davis. HEATH — In a town where roads may not always connect but people certainly do, the hopes of Jesse and Jeff took root on We Can Farm. Jessica Van Steensburg still marvels at how much her partner, Robert J. “Jeff” Aho, knew and shared much of that understanding with people around him. But it was Van Steensburg — who’d grown up on a small farm in Londonderry, N.H.

Food Plan Aims to Grow Economy and Community

The Recorder, October 22, 2015 by Richie Davis. A Massachusetts Local Food Action plan being released today calls for the state to take steps to beef up agriculture and food production as a way to not only enhance the local food supply, but also to improve the economy and reduce hunger among those least able to feel secure about their next meal.

Reflections on Diversity and Inclusion in Western Massachusetts

Recently, I had the good fortune of participating in a two-day intensive “Undoing Racism” workshop hosted by a local group of the same name – the Undoing Racism Organizing Collective (UROC).  I’d like to share with you some of my reflection on the workshop, and why this topic is important to The Food Bank and […]