Kids and caregivers: come on out to Look Park next Thursday to join a hands-on cooking demo, enjoy a free mini-popsicle, and taste a rainbow of locally grown berries!

We're excited to host this summer celebration of local food, local farms, and local families! The event will be held at Look Park in Florence at the mini shelter between the splash pad and the playground.

Highlights include:

This event will be held rain or shine. It’s open to the public and free to all visitors to the park ($5 gate admission applies).

Questions? Contact Lisa Goodrich at 413-665-7100, ext. 29. We hope to see you there!

What ISN'T in season in August? Not much! It's the height of the growing season: peaches, tomatoes, corn, and too much more to name. CISA's online guide can help you find markets, farm stands, specific crops, restaurants, or grocery stores that offer local food, or just everything near you.

Curious about what's really happening on local farms and what farmers are excited about? We talk with them every week on WRSI and our Valley Bounty column in the Daily Hampshire Gazette. Here are a couple recent highlights:

Farming is not for the faint of heart, so who better to cultivate 125 acres into organic farmland than a cardiologist? Dr. James Arcoleo, a doctor who wanted to model the approach to food that he told his patients to follow, and so Falls Farm LLC was born.

Great local food, friends, and community support. The Chicopee Farmers’ Market is just one of many programs run by the Valley Opportunity Council, and a way to connect with all of them. Says VOC’s Nicole Balthazar, who oversees the market, “This is just a great way to reach out to the community, and that’s what we’re all about.”

Jackie Lapinski of Gooseberry Farms joined Phil and Monte for a chat about the last centennial farm in West Springfield.

The farm celebrates 101 years in operation this year, and right now you can find corn, tomatoes, lots of other produce, and soft serve ice cream at their farm stand.

“The Old Creamery Co-op has a dual mission,” says general manager Lloyd Miller. “First and foremost, we’re a full-service grocery store, providing high quality and, in many cases, organic and locally-sourced products, from produce to meat, dairy, and even soap." Its second mission is to serve as a community gathering space. “People driving by only have a few seconds to get an impression of the place,” says Miller. “When they see people playing and enjoying the area out front, it communicates what this place is – it’s more than just a grocery store.”