Welcome to the Farming Career, Nuestras Raíces in Holyoke Says

MassLive, January 25, 2017, by Mary Plaisance

Training for careers in farming were announced at the nonprofit Nuestras Raices at 329 Main St. Wednesday in a program funded with an $800,000 federal grant.

“It’s an amazing program that I know a lot of people will benefit (from),” said Hilda Roque, executive director of Nuestras Raices.

Nuestras Raices is seeking applicants for the program, which is free and will be taught in English and Spanish, with 50 to be trained this year and 50 next year, officials said.

The first round of training will begin April 4 and the application deadline is March 15. Applicants don’t have to be Holyoke residents.

The training is a 100-hour program on organic farming and agricultural business planning. Training will take place at the Nuestras Raices farm at 24 Jones Ferry Road and in classroom lessons at Dean Technical High School, 1045 Main St.

Nuestras Raices is working on the program with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, which is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That’s the department that provided the grant, Margaret Sawyer of Nuestras Raices said.

Click here to obtain an application or visit nuestras-raices.org.

Nuestras Raices (“our roots”) seeks to promote economic, human and community development in Holyoke through projects relating to food, agriculture and the environment. The organization began in 1992 in South Holyoke.