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By DIANE BRONCACCIO

The groundhog predicted an early end to winter: did that also mean an earlier start to maple sugaring? Apparently so, according to several maple sugarers in the Pioneer Valley.“This is the earliest we’ve ever started,” remarked Chip Williams of the...

GREENFIELD – Western Mass Rights of Nature and the Nolumbeka Project are holding a pair of events at Greenfield Community College on Friday and Saturday that will teach attendees more about Native American culture.The two organizations first invite...

By LISA GOODRICH

Though more weeks of winter lie ahead, National Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) week — Feb. 19-25 — marks the symbolic start of the CSA cycle, when member sign-ups start rolling in and participating farmers begin planning for the coming growing...

MONTAGUE — The Cultural Council has awarded 28 grants totaling $16,146 to support local cultural programs as part of its annual funding distribution.According to a notice from Cultural Council Chair Kathleen Lynch, grants are awarded to projects that...

By CHRIS LARABEE

With a full body of work compiled over 2023’s farming and harvest seasons, Local Access to Valley Arts (The LAVA Center) is launching a touring exhibit for “indiVISIBLE: Seeing and Celebrating Indispensable Agricultural Workers” this week at...

By SCOTT MERZBACH

NORTHAMPTON — Prohibiting PFAS from consumer products sold in Massachusetts remains an objective for Sen. Jo Comerford, who sees a recently advanced legislative bill to protect soil and farms from such contamination as an important first step to...

By EMILEE KLEIN

NORTHAMPTON — The Pioneer Valley Regional Agricultural Conference planned for Saturday will present three guest speakers on low-impact forestry, cheese making and small-scale maple syrup production for agricultural professionals looking to diversify...

By DOMENIC POLI

GILL — From the outside looking in, not much has changed at Sunrise Valley Farm recently. But, for the past month or so, owners Brian and Keri Peila have had one major addition to their to-do list.With help from their three children, the couple has...

By BELLA LEVAVI

CHARLEMONT — The Hawlemont, Agriculture and You (HAY) program has welcomed a rare breed of cow to their barn, giving students a lesson on biodiversity this school year.The school welcomed the 6-month-old, yet-to-be-named Kerry heifer last week. She is...

By MADDIE FABIAN

Editor’s note: This is the fourth and final article from the Western Massachusetts Solar Forum series. The first three forums took place in September, and another series of forums is in the works for this spring. AMHERST — Most experts agree solar...

By SCOTT MERZBACH

A permanent disaster relief fund to assist farmers devastated by acts of nature, and providing farmers more flexibility for using their properties once they are protected in the Agricultural Preservation Restriction program, are among the bills the...

By JACOB NELSON

“So much was just about to bloom,” said Suna Turgay of Flowerwork Farm in Northampton. “And then the flooding came.”Warmer, wetter and less predictable weather are all on the rise in New England as our climate changes. The idea of normal is constantly...

By CHRIS LARABEE

SOUTH DEERFIELD — Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture’s (CISA) Buy Local campaign will get a boost in the coming months on the heels of a Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) grant.CISA received the $84,737 grant on Nov....

By JAMES PENTLAND

Western and central Massachusetts farmers are receiving a boost from $23.3 million in disaster relief from a philanthropic fund set up in the wake of July’s devastating floods and further state aid announced by the Healey-Driscoll administration.The...

By MADDIE FABIAN

For farms across western Massachusetts, the effects of climate change were tangible this growing season.At Red Fire Farm with property in Montague and Granby, co-owner Sarah Voiland said that after the May frost event, the farm’s full harvest on...

By MADDIE FABIAN

NORTHAMPTON — This year was a tough run for Massachusetts farmers, with more than $42 million and 13,000 acres of crop losses reported due to extreme weather during the spring and summer.Despite the Feb. 4 freeze, May 18 frost and July 10 flooding...

By JACOB NELSON

In many ways, farming is an act of faith. Faith that nature will provide for a harvest, and a farmer’s faith in themselves to figure out whatever challenges arise. Some years bring bumper crops, others disappointment, but with climate change fueling...

By CHRIS LARABEE

ASHFIELD — Like many Americans after Thanksgiving, crowds of Franklin County residents left their homes on Black Friday to knock out some holiday shopping.In Ashfield, though, it wasn’t to purchase electronics or other big-ticket items, but rather one...