Farmland Access in the Berkshires and Beyond

By Martha Jackson Suquet

Did you know that Massachusetts (like the rest of the country) is losing farmland at an alarming rate? 60,000 acres of farmland in the state were converted to other uses between 1997 and 2017, with another 78,000 acres projected to be lost by 2040. To address this continuing loss, the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) has collaborated with stakeholders statewide to craft the Massachusetts Farmland Action Plan, a document laying out strategies to slow farmland loss and support a more viable agricultural economy. Within Berkshire County, several organizations have been working for many years to protect farmland and make it accessible to a new generation of farmers.

Farmland can come under threat from a variety of causes. As populations increase and shift, pressure builds to convert land to other uses, including housing and large-scale solar installations. An aging farmer population can lead to farmland loss if robust succession plans aren’t put in place. And when farm businesses struggle to stay afloat, as many Massachusetts dairy farms have, their land is in danger of being lost. No matter the cause, when farmland is converted to other uses, it is a permanent loss.

The Massachusetts Farmland Action Plan lays out goals and strategies organized around three primary challenges – increase permanent farmland protection, improve access to farmland for all farmers, and enhance the support farmers need to maintain viable businesses.

Permanently Protect Farmland:

The action plan identifies several strategies to work toward this goal. The state can accelerate its purchase of agricultural restrictions on farmland, which protects land from development. It can also develop new avenues for land protection, identify new funding sources for that protection, and formalize its prioritization of which lands need protection.

Increase Access to Farmland:

The state can improve farmland accessibility through two primary channels. One is by making more land available, which could be done by identifying public land suitable for farming or by assisting farmers in converting or restoring unused land. The other component is to ensure that existing farmland remains available to farmers. Supporting farm transitions can further that goal, as can programs that assist underserved farmers to ensure equitable land access.

Support Farm Viability:

Once farmers have access to land, they need support to ensure that their business remains viable. Farm viability depends on everything from access to funding, to available labor, to climate change preparedness. The action plan lays out several ways that the state can support farm viability, including outreach to ensure that farmers are aware of all available support programs, and making sure that funding and technical assistance are available to and suitable for all types of farmers and farm businesses.

Organizations like Berkshire Grown support farm viability, and even though we are not a land access organization, we recognize that keeping farmers farming is a key element of protecting farmland.

It’s important to note that issues of farmland access and protection are inseparable from the history of discrimination against BIPOC farmers. When farmland is made available, who is eligible to steward it? What kinds of farms and farming activities are included in farm viability efforts? How are language barriers and historic wealth inequity addressed? Statewide, BIPOC farmers make up only 3% of all farmers, despite representing 29% of the total population. “These figures,” the plan emphasizes, “demonstrate the urgency of intentional, focused restorative effort to support access to land and resilient communities.”

Read the entire article here.

Read the Massachusetts Farmland Action Plan | Mass.gov

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What we're reading:

Massachusetts Focuses On Climate Smart Farming Efforts

By Daniel Walton for farmflavor.com

Sean Stanton owns and operates North Plain Farm in Great Barrington, producing an array of vegetables, pork, beef, milk, chicken and eggs. Photo credit: Shayna Stevens

Sean Stanton runs what’s known in the agriculture business as a diversified operation. Instead of just one crop, his North Plain Farm in Great Barrington yields a bevy of vegetables, pork, beef, milk, chicken and eggs.

“Sometimes, I wonder if it might not be too diversified,” Stanton says with a smile.

Since 2018, Stanton has been implementing diversification from the literal ground up in the pastures that feed his livestock. Using a $30,000 grant from the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, he purchased a no-till seed drill allowing him to plant different types of forage over the year without tearing up his fields. He also bought an input spreader to apply organic, composted chicken manure on his new seeds and improve their yields.

Stanton says the resulting growth is better for his animals, and since he can harvest more feed with less fuel, it’s better for the planet as well. His grant was awarded through MDAR’s Agricultural Climate Resiliency & Efficiencies program, part of the department’s ongoing efforts to upgrade the state’s farms in response to climate change.

Renewable Practices

Although Massachusetts has long offered resource management support to farmers, the state recently refocused its efforts by establishing the Climate Smart Agriculture Program. This initiative combines what had previously been three separate programs into a single application pipeline, making it easier for growers to access about $1.2 million annually in grant funding.

Through that support and additional funds from the federal government, as outlined in the most recent Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Plan, the state wants to help at least 20% of farms and forests adopt climate smart practices by 2030. Those moves aim to cut greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture by 25% compared to 1990 levels through 2030 – part of the state’s overall 50% emissions reduction goal.

Beyond helping to change how growers manage fields through incentivizing healthy soil practices, Massachusetts also encourages them to adopt renewable energy as a source of farm power. For example, Stanton received another state grant to place solar panels on North Plain’s farm store.

Read the article here.

Massachusetts Grants Give Beginning Farmers Momementum

By Christiana Lilly for farmflavor.com

Wellspring Farm; Photo credit: Shayna Stevens

The average age of farmers nationally is increasing, and it’s no different for Massachusetts. To keep farming a viable career choice, the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources has a bevy of programs to encourage beginner farmers to continue growing their businesses.

“A lot of our farmers are aging. Some of them don’t have an identified successor to take over their business, land and assets,” says Melissa Adams, MDAR’s farm viability and agricultural training programs manager. “We’re ready to contribute to a strong regional agricultural economy, but there’s a lot of challenges and learning involved.”

The department offers grants as well as courses such as Exploring the Small Farm Dream, a five-week course developed by the New England Small Farm Institute for those looking into or planning to start a commercial farm business. Classes cover topics such as finding land, farming finances and marketing, and they connect students with early-stage farmers who are just a little ahead of them.

“Students have the opportunity to ask questions directly to the farmers and get a better sense of both the challenges and the things they really like about working as a farmer,” Adams says.

Urban Farming

The increase in farming assistance includes more urban areas as well. Through MDAR’s Urban Agriculture Program, residents have access to affordable, fresh food.

Fred Rose is the co-director of the nonprofit Wellspring Cooperative, which has created a network of cooperatives in areas with high unemployment. The organization also includes Wellspring Harvest in Springfield, a hydroponic greenhouse that grows lettuce varieties for commercial and institutional markets, and a mobile market to serve food-insecure communities.

“It’s bringing food production  into the city, both in terms of employment and in terms of  access,” Rose says.

Thanks to the grant, Wellspring was able to grow the greenhouse. This included purchasing LED lights so they could grow year-round and a controller to automate the greenhouse mechanics. Previously, workers manually adjusted the greenhouse humidity and temperature to create a steady environment, which you can’t do very well, Rose says. Wellspring also added an additional row with the grant.

“We would not be able to be profitable without the grants, which really have helped us overcome many of these hurdles,” he says. “They’ve really been essential.”

MEGA Support

There’s also help for newer farmers who have already put their shovels in the ground. In 2010, MDAR created the Matching Enterprise Grants for Agriculture program, or MEGA, which focuses on farmers who are between one and 10 years in business to help develop their farms into commercially viable operations.

This includes help with business planning, financial projections and other technical assistance needed, including the option for a new  six-month mentorship program. The program is one-to-one matching grants, where farmers are reimbursed at the close of their capital project.

Read the article here.

This Versatile but Little-Known Root Veggie is a Godsend in Winter

In the middle of winter, celeriac is a saviour. Try it in soups, mashes and the best darn veggie pasta ever.

By Amy Grief for Chateline

Sure, it might look like a mandrake from Harry Potter's herbology class, but celery root (also known as celeriac) won't kill you—in fact, it's delicious, economical and like most root vegetables, super versatile and especially useful during long Canadian winters.

So, what is celeriac?

Celeriac is actually a type of celery—but it won't grow into the light green stalks you're used to chomping down on. Rather, it's a bulbous veggie about the size of a grapefruit and has a mild, slightly sweet, celery-like flavour.

It's a little intimidating upon first glance, but as I'm learning, it's easy to prepare. To peel it safely, cut off the top and bottom and stand it on a cutting board. Now you're ready to peel off the knobby, brown skin with a knife (the bumps make it tough to use a peeler). Give it a wash and you're good to go.

How can I cook with celeriac?

Alida Solomon, the chef and owner of Toronto Italian restaurant Tutti Matti, calls celeriac the universal vegetable because it can be prepared so many ways: cut into cubes and roasted in the oven, grated to add some crunch to a slaw or coated in tempura batter and deep-fried. In the Chatelaine Kitchen, it's common to see it used like potatoes in a creamy mash or mixed with other root veggies atop a hearty cottage pie.

Learn more here and discover tasty recipes using celeriac.

Whole-Roasted Celeriac With Tahini-Herb Sauce

When you've got a bit of time, roast a whole celeriac wintery side that satisfies. Top with tahini-herb sauce for a hit of fresh flavour. Get our whole-roasted celeriac recipe.

Photo credit: Erik Putz

Find Berkshire-grown food and farm products in the 2023 Guide to Local Food & Farms

The 2023 Guide to Local Food & Farms remains the region’s most comprehensive guide to local farms, farmers markets, and restaurants offering local foods.

Use it to find farm stands, CSA farms, pick-your-own farms and orchards, as well as locally sourced value-added products like charcuterie, preserves, and fermented foods and locations and hours of food pantries spread across the county.

Get ready for holiday cooking and look for farms selling pasture raised turkeys and meats and other favorite foods. You can also find the best in locally grown food and products near you by using Berkshire Grown's searchable map!

Shop the (Winter) B erkshire Farmers Markets

Find fresh, local food all year long!

Farmers markets in Pittsfield, North Adams, Sheffield, Great Barrington, Williamstown, Bennington (VT), and Millerton (NY) are open over the winter months. Visit Berkshire Farmers Markets to find your local winter market.

Use SNAP or HIP, WIC or Senior Coupons? Many of the markets offer Market Match and other budget-boosting programs. Visit Berkshire Farmers Markets for dates, locations, and more information on where SNAP, HIP and other benefits are honored. Click here to learn about HIP program basics and frequently asked questions.

Last Chance!

Support Berkshire Grown at Big Y.

Berkshire Grown will receive a $1 donation to Share the Bounty when you purchase a reusable $2.50 Community Bag during January 2024 at Big Y, 700 Main Street in Great Barrington.

Thank you Big Y shoppers!