CISA's May 2024 enewsletter

Join us for Pedal to Pasture

Sunday, June 2nd, 9am-12pm

Hatfield

Join CISA for a scenic group bike ride and get to know the farmers at Prospect Meadow Farm, Bardwell Farm, and Golonka Farm!

This 12-mile loop is great for all ages and all levels of experience. Registration includes lunch and a Crooked Stick popsicle.

We’re seeking volunteers!

Show your love for CISA and our mission by helping to register and welcome riders at our participating farms. No bikes needed. Email Kate Hennessey and find out how you can make this event successful!

What's in season: spring has sprung!

Spring is here! We can help you find it all locally

The asparagus is poking through the soil, and little seedlings and newborn animals are populating farms around the region. Yay!

Find it all -- farmers' market openings, specific crops like asparagus, nearby farm stands -- in CISA's online guide to local food and farms >

HIP locations are opening

As summer approaches, there are more and more outlets for HIP (the amazing state program that provides an instant rebate when you use SNAP to buy produce from participating local farms and markets). If you or anyone you know uses SNAP to buy food, you need to know about HIP!

Find a HIP location >

It's not too late to sign up for your summer CSA!

Sign up with a local farm now and get a weekly distribution of the harvest! Many farms allow for installment payments, or accept SNAP and HIP -- and don't forget about the UMassFive no-interest Farm Share loans!

Find your farm share >

Support CISA today

CISA is grateful to work alongside businesses like Myers Produce, other food producers and businesses, and local farms to strengthen and sustain local agriculture in western Massachusetts.

We envision a world where the local food economy flourishes and fresh food is accessible to all.

Donate to CISA today to help build a stronger, more resilient, and equitable local food system in the Connecticut River Valley.

Make your gift here >

CISA in action: showing the Local Hero love!

This time of year, CISA staffers are out and about visiting farms and other Local Hero members to drop off Local Hero signage and other materials.

Speaking of which, do you need a fresh Be a Local Hero, Buy Locally Grown bumper sticker for your own car or bike? Request one now (they're available in English OR Spanish, for the first time!) and we'll send it to you for free!

Request your free Local Hero bumper sticker >

Photo: CISA staffers Jen Smith and Julia Mazzuchi

pause their delivery planning to show off the new bumper stickers!

Get to know our Local Heroes

Take a peek behind the scenes at local farms and other local businesses through CISA's weekly Valley Bounty column in the Daily Hampshire Gazette and interviews on The Fabulous 413 on NEPM! Find them all here -- and here are a couple recent highlights:

Valley Bounty: Marty’s Local Delivering Local Food from Farm Fields to School Lunches

Marty's Local is a South Deerfield-based food distribution company with a dedicated focus on local and regional sourcing. They also work closely with many local school districts, providing healthy, locally grown food for their daily meals.

Sandra Thomas, Director of marketing and Customer Support at Marty's Local, says, "I enjoy the fact that students have the opportunity to learn that flavorful food is grown and made by people in their community. They have the chance to learn about what it takes to grow food, and that there is good food all around us year-round.”

Read all about them >

NEPM: Kosinski Farms

Sue and Elisa Kosinski from Kosinski Farms in Westfield joined CISA on the Fabulous 413 to talk farming as a family, being a female trailblazer in local farming, and how being a teacher applies to farming. There’s more on Pick-Your-Own strawberries, fueling the farm with corn, Raven Hollow Winery, and CSA options for this season. The farm stand is now open for Mother’s Day plants and starts, pies and donuts from the bakery, and more!

Listen!

Welcoming the Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust this summer!

This August 2-4, the Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust community will converge on the campus of Smith College for an extraordinary conference called We the Land! A Gathering for Indigenous, Black, Latinx, Asian, SWANA and PoC Earth Workers, Land Stewards, and Farmers.

Whether or not you are attending, as local allies and advocates for this community, we can support the gathering in two meaningful ways: making a financial contribution, or offering transportation or housing.

Details and links >