Search Results

Keyword search: farm

By ALEXA LEWIS and MADISON SCHOFIELD

When he started tapping trees for the 2025 sugaring season, Paul Zononi of Paul’s Sugar House in Williamsburg was shocked to find that the sap came at a trickle — and with only half of its typical sugar content.

By CHINANU OKOLI

Applications are rolling in for the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources’ new Farm Transfer Planning Assistance initiative that connects aging farmers and their successors with experienced planners to set retirement goals and figure out how management and assets will be transferred.

By EMILEE KLEIN and MADISON SCHOFIELD

Brunch restaurant Jake’s in Northampton is scrambling for eggs.

By EMILEE KLEIN

SPRINGFIELD — Most Massachusetts farmworkers whose hard work puts food on the dinner tables for Massachusetts families have difficulty affording the produce they pick and process.

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN and EMILEE KLEIN

With two cases of bird flu having been confirmed at the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus, local health officials are issuing advisories and at least one Franklin County farm is taking measures to protect its poultry.

By CHRIS LARABEE

Just over a month since Healthy Incentives Program (HIP) benefits were cut by a minimum of 50%, local businesses and advocates for the initiative are hopeful that it will be restored, as farmers, vendors and stores are seeing the effects of reduced benefits.

By SAMUEL GELINAS

WASHINGTON — The roller coaster ride last week over a down-to-the-wire congressional spending bill ended on a high note for U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, who expressed victory that some $220 million in federal money will soon be in the hands of New England...

By CHRIS LARABEE

SOUTH DEERFIELD — After a national search, Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) has found a new executive director right here in the Pioneer Valley.The agency announced on Dec. 12 that its board of directors had chosen Jennifer Core, a...

By ADA DENENFELD KELLY

ATHOL — Adams Farm Slaughterhouse was recently awarded a Food Security Infrastructure Grant (FSIG) in the interest of lowering consumer costs and improving food security.Maintenance Manager Clare Barnes explained that Adams Farm received a grant of...

By MADISON SCHOFIELD

Wondering where you can find farm fresh eggs near you? If so, you may find just what you’re looking for on Egglister, a new web app with a map of farm stands in Franklin and Hampshire counties that are selling fresh eggs. The tool comes from data...

By CHRIS LARABEE

A big change will be coming to families who take advantage of the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP).Beginning in December, all families using HIP benefits, regardless of their household size, will see their monthly incentives reduced to $20, which is,...

By MARA MELLITS

Earlier this year, a nationwide outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in cows caused panic for dairy farmers everywhere. Now, Massachusetts has become the only state to test all of its dairy herds, from 95 farms, and achieve 100% negative...

By ANTHONY CAMMALLERI

With the start of October right around the corner, some squash and pumpkin farmers in the Pioneer Valley and North Quabbin are bearing the burden of Phytophthora capsici — a soil-based disease described by one farmer as being “like the plague” for...

By CHRIS LARABEE

SUNDERLAND – Two local farms opened their doors to Climate Chief Melissa Hoffer Monday morning as she heard farmers explain the challenges brought on by climate change, as well as opportunities for future investments in the industry.The state’s...

By CHRIS LARABEE and ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL

SUNDERLAND — From extreme weather related to climate change to stronger crop insurance protections and an increase on the cap on lending, area farmers paused their work briefly Tuesday to share their concerns with U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern when he swung...

By COLIN A. YOUNG

BOSTON – Mindful of how difficult it is to grow much of anything in the outdoor climate of Massachusetts, never mind growing a crop that is legal here but still entirely prohibited at the federal level, the Cannabis Control Commission traveled to...

By CHRIS LARABEE

After a frantic emergency response to save animals and equipment on July 10, 2023, David Fisher and Maggie Toran assessed their farm field as memories of Hurricane Irene came flooding back.At their horse-powered, community-supported agriculture (CSA)...

By LEAH VERESS

Alice Colman recalls the day a routine fennel harvest turned into a wake-up call. As she stood in her field, carefully examining a plant’s feathery leaves, she felt herself growing increasingly frustrated with the crop’s appearance. When she kneeled...

By TANISHA BHAT

Ben Clark, the owner of Clarkdale Fruit Farms in Deerfield, received $120,000 from the $20 million Natural Disaster Recovery Program created last year after he lost the entirety of his peach crop and 70% of his apples and pears due to sudden cold...

By GREG VINE

PETERSHAM – Lin Chen, the new owner of what was known locally as Rice’s Roots Farm, displays a wide smile when discussing his plans for the 228-acre site in Petersham.Doing business under the name Global Roots Farm, LLC, he hopes to serve the North...

By MAX BOWEN

PHILLIPSTON — Red Apple Farm will become home to faeries, knights, trolls and lots of magic on the first weekend in May.The Enchanted Orchard Renaissance Faire will take place on May 4-5. Richard and Rajuli Fahey of Winchendon have been to the farm a...