Warm up at a winter market!
 
February 29th: Winter Fare at the Northampton and Hadley Winter Farmers' Markets

Winter Fare is a special day at the markets with workshops, community groups, music, and more!

Winter Fare at the Northampton Winter Farmers' Market includes three free, public workshops led by local businesses: Ghee Making with Hannah Jacobson-Hardy of Full Moon Ghee, Growing Mushrooms at Home by Mycoterra Farm, and a Fire Cider Demo with Jade Alicandro Mace of Milk & Honey Herbs. 

Winter Fare at the Winter Farmers' Market at the Hampshire Mall in Hadley will focus on climate change, highlighting the local organizations doing climate change advocacy, education, and action in the Pioneer Valley.
It's sugaring season!
 
Leslie Lynn Lucio photo
Maple sugar shacks are opening this month! Get out of the house for a pancake breakfast at a local sugar shack.
Looking for some late winter local food inspiration?

Northampton Winter Farmers' Market
Behind the scenes at winter markets
Read all about winter markets in CISA's February column in the Daily Hampshire Gazette.

Valley Bounty, CISA's weekly column in the Daily Hampshire Gazette, gives a peek at what's happening right now on local farms and shares farmers' favorite recipes. 
HIP is running through February 23rd, then suspended until May 14th
 
 
HIP (Healthy Incentives Program) will be suspended again this winter. SNAP recipients can earn their HIP benefits at participating farms only up until February 23. From February 24 to May 14, the HIP program will be inactive and SNAP recipients will not be able to earn HIP benefits; SNAP benefits will be uninterrupted. HIP benefits earned before the suspension can be spent through the end of February.

Make sure to take advantage of HIP while it's running this month: find vendors and stay up to date on the program on the HIP Pioneer Valley Facebook page.
Local Hero profile: Many Hands Farm Corps
Many Hands Farm Corps, Amherst

CISA intern Talia Brown visited Many Hands Farm Corps in Amherst, and she writes, "Leaving the farm, I was filled with a renewed sense of optimism in the power of good, local food, community leaders, and community action."

Read about the farm, and all the good work they're doing!
Save the Date: CISA's Annual Meeting

Elizabeth Solaka photo
Thursday, April 16, 6-8:30pm
Trinity United Methodist Church
361 Sumner Ave, Springfield

Come celebrate CISA along with this year's Local Hero award winners with CISA staff, board, and your community! Dinner will be provided. This event is free, but seating is limited to 150 people.

RSVP to Jennifer Williams at 413-665-7100 x 10.
Local Hero enrollment is open

Farmers, restaurants, grocers/ specialty retailers/ distributors, institutions, garden centers/ landscape designers, and specialty producers are invited to join CISA's flagship Local Hero program now. If you own a local farm or related business, join us to benefit from all the resources CISA has to offer. Or pass the information along to your favorite local business or farmer!

Details and application.
Running Now: Winter Workshops on Farm Labor Management

Are you a new manager, an aspiring manager or middle manager, or an experienced farmer looking to improve your management skills? CISA's winter workshop series will develop your skills for improving workplace culture and communication, giving effective feedback to those you manage, managing across cultures with dexterity and humility, setting clear performance expectations, resolving conflict in the workplace, and achieving workplace respect.

Details and registration.
Quick Links

Check out our press page for news stories about local farms and local agriculture, along with our weekly interview series on WRSI, monthly column in the Daily Hampshire Gazette, and more!
Go to press page

Farm tours, film screenings, workshops, special local meals -- there's always something happening in the Valley!
Go to events listing

Job opportunities, land, equipment.
Go to classifieds
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Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 
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