Maple sap is running, plants are sprouting, and lambs are coming: it's early spring!

Maple syrup makers are boiling sap, and some are offering socially-distanced breakfast or special outdoor events. Find details at massmaple.org.

Winter farmers' markets are still going over the next couple of weeks. Find an open market near you here.

Thinking of signing up for a summer farm share? This is a great time to do it and ensure a steady supply of super fresh produce all summer long. Find your CSA!

Help us raise $100,000 for Local Food for All! Your contribution by March 31st will support two programs that ease hunger and support farmers in Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties. CISA's Senior FarmShare program will provide 500 low-income elders with fresh produce from local farms all summer. CISA also supports all farmers’ markets in the Valley in accepting SNAP and HIP (the Healthy Incentives Program gives an instant rebate on fruits and veggies bought directly from participating farms).

All people who work on farms, growing and harvesting the food that feeds our families, should have the right to apply for a driver’s license, even without all the needed documentation to reside in this country. If we can’t make this happen for their safety and everyone’s safety in a pandemic, when can we? Passing the Work & Family Mobility Act is good for racial justice, public health, public safety, and economic equity. Email and call your legislator to let them know why you support ensuring all families have the right to move freely and with dignity in our state.

Find a HIP retailer near you using the new HIP Map on CISA’s website! If you have SNAP, you can earn an instant rebate on fresh fruits and vegetables purchased at any of the locations on the map through HIP, the Healthy Incentives Program. CISA is committed to keeping the vendors on this map updated every month, or as soon as new information comes in. Spread the word about this new map so that all community members can get increased access to local produce!

CISA’s Field Notes: An Evening of Storytelling and Connection will be back this spring -- and we’re looking for storytellers! Field Notes features community members telling true, personal stories on the theme of local food or farming in western Massachusetts. Do you have a story you'd love to share? Pitch it to us by March 26th and you could be part of this year's (COVID-conscious, online) show!

CISA's weekly Valley Bounty column in the Daily Hampshire Gazette focuses on what's happening behind the scenes right now at local farms. Recent columns include: spring on the way at Harvest Farm and Rooted Flowers, maple season at Berkshire Sweet Gold Maple, and regional produce distribution (more fun than it sounds!) with Myers Produce. Read Valley Bounty!

WRSI's Local Hero Spotlight interviews feature a local farm or business each week. Recent interviews include: Easthampton superstars Daily Operation and Coco and the Cellar Bar, poultry CSA Underline Farm, and late winter deliciousness with the Winter Farmers' Market at the Hampshire Mall. Listen to WRSI's Local Hero Spotlight!

Farmers, restaurateurs, retailers, specialty food producers, and institutional buyers, this is the time to join CISA’s flagship program and become a Local Hero member! Boost your business, reach new customers, and access all the resources CISA has to offer. We're offering a sliding scale this year so that fees won't be a barrier during this crisis. Deadline for enrollment is March 31st, so don't wait!