October = pumpkins, apples, and plenty more!
Looking for pumpkins to carve? Apples to pie? Beef to stew? Anything else for your warming fall meals? Find it locally in CISA's online guide! You can search by food or location, or by type of business (meaning, find a new farm stand, farmers' market, restaurant,etc).

We talk with farmers every week to get the behind-the-scenes stories. Check out CISA's Valley Bounty column in the Daily Hampshire Gazette and WRSI's Local Hero Spotlight interviews with Monte Belmonte if you want to know what's going on!
CISA is hiring!
Work with CISA to support a stronger local food system! We are hiring for two positions:

The Program Manager will coordinate CISA's flagship Local Hero membership program and lead CISA's farm and business support efforts, including technical assistance to farms, farmers' markets, and food businesses. They enjoy leading a dynamic team, networking with farm and food businesses, and thinking strategically.

The Communications Coordinator will maintain CISA's web presence, manage community events, and collaborate on strategy, writing, and creative development. They enjoy communicating effectively to diverse audiences and sharing stories through the lens of CISA's mission. A detail-oriented project coordinator that sees the big picture.
Take action in support of licenses for all
The Work and Family Mobility Act, which will allow all qualified Massachusetts drivers to apply for a standard driver's license regardless of immigration status, is closer than ever to being passed -- and we need your help.

We at CISA are working alongside the Driving Families Forward Coalition and the Pioneer Valley Workers Center to win passage of this bill.

Here's how you can get involved:


2) Call your legislators -- today! Contact info and scripts here.

3) Phone bank with the Pioneer Valley Workers Center next Thursday, October 21, 5-7pm. Sign up here.
Wise allocation of ARPA will include support for local farms
Another opportunity to take action to support local farms!

Right now, Massachusetts legislators are making decisions about how they can best apportion resources from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). These funds are designed to support businesses that have been especially impacted by COVID, but they also provide an opportunity to build on strengths in our local economy and to develop resilience to future challenges. We call on our legislators to invest ARPA funds in critical local agricultural infrastructure needs.
Get to know: Mountain Orchard
Resilient could be any farmer’s middle name, and this is especially true for the Jensen family of Mountain Orchard in Granville, Massachusetts. Having been in operation for more than 100 years, they’ve experienced just about every good and bad thing that a family orchard can: storm damage, expansion, personal loss, market changes, and new opportunities. But they have remained resilient, nonetheless.
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!

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