Kakhtiranova came to the U.S. in 2003 from central Russia. Despite being married and having children in this country, immigration protections were removed under the last president, forcing Kakhtiranova to seek sanctuary in order to remain with her family. The congregation became her second family, providing sanctuary for almost three years.

As Kakhtiranova considered work options she could do in her situation, a friend suggested she consider selling her pierogi. Elders in the congregation helped Kakhtiranova set up a system of making pierogi and getting them out into the community, initially at River Valley Co-op and Cornucopia Natural Wellness Market. The business was born, and P’Frogi was named by her son, whose malapropism became the family food business brand.

Irida Kakhtiranova, owner of P’Frogi, makes Pierogi’s that she sells in various stores and farmers market in the valley.

Kakhtiranova says, “I grew up with pierogi, which comes from Polish origin. Instead of making farmer’s cheese or sauerkraut filling, the Russian people filled them with fruit, like cherries, plums, or prunes. I grew up watching that. I never really made it on my own until I came to the states and had my own kids. Then I learned my mother’s techniques for making them by watching her on Skype.”

Raised Muslim, if Kakhtiranova had remained at home, arranged marriage was part of her family culture. She notes, “when you get married, one of the tests that you face by your mother-in-law is how thin you can roll out your dough and cut noodles.” Although Kakhtiranova avoided an arranged marriage by coming to the U.S., she brought the art of rolling out fine dough with her. It took a couple of years to perfect thin dough on a professional scale. Most commercially available pierogi has thicker dough than P’Frogi products. She adds, “My clientele love that my dough is very thin, so you can experience the flavor of the filling.”

P’Frogi, pierogi sold in various stores and farmers market in the valley.

Local, farm-fresh produce helps P’Frogi products stand apart. “For me, it has always been important to go to the farm to buy potatoes. In Russia, we went to farms to buy our vegetables. When I came to the States, grocery store food didn’t taste as good to me,” says Kakhtiranova.

She continues, “Once I moved to this area, I saw that there are many opportunities to get potatoes and cabbage. While I lived in the church, there were volunteers who came from Deerfield. They brought me potatoes and cabbage from Teddy Smiarowski Farm on their way home. As I found out what they had at the farms, I got more produce. I even had a farm share with Mountain View Farm at one time,” says Kakhtiranova.

The seasons inspire the flavors available throughout the year. One specialty flavor, farmer’s cheese and apple pie filling made with Clarkdale Fruit Farms apples, is available at Clarkdale Fruit Farm. While the co-op carries an array of flavors in their freezer case throughout the year, some additional flavors are available at farmers’ markets.

Popular flavors include carrot and onion, butternut squash, cabbage, farmer’s cheese, and potato and mushroom. She even makes spinach and feta or bacon and cheddar. “While some customers want traditional pierogi, I have clients that love what I do,” says Kakhtiranova.

Irida Kakhtiranova, owner of P’Frogi, fills the Pierogi she makes with a bacon and cheddar filling.

While the public has received the products well, “people have come up to me and said, ‘oh, you’re not Polish, why are you making pierogi?” Kakhtiranova continues, “You don’t have to be that nationality to enjoy the food and introduce it to other people. You just have to be a foodie person to know that bacon cheddar might not be Polish, but it’s going to taste so darn good in the pierogi. The dough turns brown, just because of how much bacon I put in them.”

Being a mother, Kakhtiranova learned that creative fillings are one way to get kids to enjoy vegetables. She notes, “If someone wants kids to eat their veggies, my pierogi are filled with veggies. When picky eaters enjoy my pierogi, I know I’m doing something right. Seeing people’s faces happy and bringing their kids to meet me makes me happy, but when that child comes back next week and wants more, it brings me joy.”

Kakhtiranova gets her ingredients from several local farms, including Teddy C. Smiarowski Farm, Red Fire Farm, Clarkdale Fruit Farms, and Randall’s Farm. Farmers have been a source of information and support as P’Frogi continues to grow. The local businesses and restaurants right in Florence and Northampton have been very helpful in sharing experiences and answering questions as they come up for Kakhtiranova.

P’Frogi is a family business. Bryan Johnson is Kakhtiranova’s husband who works alongside her in all aspects of the business, except rolling the dough. Their son who coined the business name is currently at Smith Vocational studying culinary, inspired by his mother.

The family goes to farmers’ markets, offering samples, talking to customers. They have repeat customers who follow P’Frogi on social media and find them. “I enjoy very much what I’m doing. It makes me very happy to learn why they’re enjoying my food,” says Kakhtiranova. “I find it important to connect with my customers. No one will describe my food with as much passion as I do. If someone has questions, I’m right there.”

There is more great food to P’Frogi than pierogi. Kakhtiranova makes golumpki (stuffed cabbage), hand pies and rice dishes. The family does events, and have their sights set on building up their wholesale sales.

Irida Kakhtiranova, owner of P’Frogi, cooks the cabbage used in Golabki’s she makes and sells in various stores and farmers market in the valley.

P’Frogi pierogi and golumpki are available at River Valley Co-op, Pekarski’s Sausage, Clarkdale Fruit Farms, and the winter farmers’ markets in Northampton, Easthampton, Belchertown, Forest Park Springfield, with more sites added frequently. Check the P’Frogi website and social media for holiday catering menus and pre-ordering.

Lisa Goodrich is communications coordinator for Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture, (CISA). Learn where you can buy local food and gifts for the holidays in our online guide at buylocalfood.org.

Image Credits: Carol Lollis, Daily Hampshire Gazette

A New Winter Farmers’ Market Sets Up Shop

With considerable effort from organizers, a new winter farmers market is coming to Hadley this year. Located on the grounds of Wancyzk Nursery at 166 Russell St, it will run every Saturday from 10 – 2. The market will offer local farms and businesses a critical sales point during the colder months and provide shoppers with one more access point for enjoying local food.

The launch comes on the heels of the previous Winter Farmers Market at the Hampshire Mall’s decision not to continue this year. Knowing that, the same team that runs the longstanding Amherst Farmers Market all summer stepped in to fill the void. Their new venture aims to blend vendors and customers from both markets into something new, just in time for the holiday shopping season.

“Farmers markets are very social places,” says market manager David Machowski. “Some people are on a mission to buy and leave, but most people come to loiter. We’re hoping for a decent turnout that generates attention and good sales for the vendors, and for the nursery.”

Machowski has been managing farmers markets for a long time. He led the Amherst summer market from 1986 to 2002, then returned to the helm in 2017. During his tenure, that market has flourished.

“On a good Saturday we can get upwards of 4,200 people shopping at the summer market,” he shares. “Flatteringly, the town has told me we are the third-largest economic driver for town of Amherst.” The hope is to carry some of that momentum over to Hadley this winter.

The choice to hold the market at Wanczyk Nursery emerged from Machowski’s friendship with owner Mike Wanczyk. The location’s large parking lot and central location on route 9 also make it well equipped to handle visitors coming by car or public transportation.

At their first market last week, vendors were set up outside in a clear area that during warmer months is otherwise filled with trees and nursery plants. The familiar Amherst Farmers Market pop up tent marked the entrance to the market, in front of which pre-cut Christmas trees, outdoor holiday decorations, and a fire pit greeted visitors. The nursery’s main sales building and greenhouse of houseplants and poinsettias sits right beside. A similar arrangement is planned for today’s market.

In the coming weeks, they hope to move the market into one of the nursery’s other heated greenhouses. However, that hinges on permitting and approvals from the town of Hadley, followed by work to modify utilities in the space. While those plans are in motion, the outcome is not yet certain.

“Hopefully we’ll have about 30-35 vendors from the summer market following us over to the winter market,” Machowski says. Local produce farms will anchor this agrarian display, including Red Fire Farm from Montague and Granby, Quabbin Hill Farm from Pelham, and Carrot Corner Farm from Amherst. Locally raised meat, eggs and cheese will also be available, along with a variety of baked goods, value-added products, and clothing and household items crafted by local producers.

“Berkshire Mountain Bakery and Bread Euphoria will be there with baked goods,” says Machowski. “Park Hill Orchard from Colrain will be there with all their pies and jams. Chase Hill Farm from Warwick will be there with meats and cheeses along with maple syrup and products from Justamere Tree Farm in Worthington.”

Other producers will offer a range of items from skin care products to herb and tea mixes to clothing made from local alpaca fiber.

For many businesses who attend local farmers markets, selling directly to their customers is how they make ends meet. Selling direct, rather than wholesaling at a lower price to an intermediary retail business, means producers can charge retail prices themselves. That means more of customers’ dollars go straight back to them.

Direct sales also give business owners an opportunity to meet their customers face to face. This helps them understand who they’re reaching, learn what customers want, and gain a clearer sense of market potential. These interactions also build trust and personal connections between the maker and buyer, which can inspire coveted word-of-mouth marketing.

For these reasons and more, the chance to sell at farmers markets can be crucial to the success of a local farms and food business, particularly for smaller and beginning business owners who haven’t developed other sales channels yet or aren’t big enough to do so. For them, the strength and abundance of farmers markets in the Valley has been a real asset, championed by energized community members and organizations like Mass Farmers Markets and Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA). Indeed, there are several winter markets operating this year, up from a low point during the early days of COVID. At the same time, the fate of any market still matters a lot to its hopeful community of vendors, particularly in storied agricultural communities like Amherst and Hadley.

“I hope the community will stand with us as we get this market figured out. I hope they come out to support their neighbors and local producers,” says Machowski.

“This is their livelihood,” he continues. “Giving them a place to showcase themselves during the slower winter months is the biggest reason I took this on. I would have been perfectly happy laying on the couch watching Manchester United every Saturday morning. But this is important. So, we’ll be there with bells on and see what happens.”

Jacob Nelson is communications coordinator for CISA. To see what farmers markets are up and running near you any time of year, visit buylocalfood.org/find-it-locally.

By Jacob Nelson

More than most foods, the popular understanding of mushrooms tends to be shrouded in mystery. How do they grow? How do you cook with them? What medicinal effects might they have?

At Livingstone Mycology, scientists and farmers Hunter Linscott and Nich Livingstone are helping people approach mushrooms and the benefits they bring with more clarity and confidence.

Hunter Linscott holds up a lions mane mushroom growing on upcycled coffee grounds, brewers’ grains, and sawdust (PC Livingstone Mycology)

“We are a small gourmet mushroom business focusing on growing fresh mushrooms and making medicinal extracts using state-of-the-art techniques,” explains Linscott. They also upcycle food waste to grow their mushrooms and sell their wares at farmers markets across western Massachusetts.

Just like their mushrooms, Linscott and Livingstone’s farming careers were born from a lab. This one was at Connecticut Valley Biological, a now-defunct company that grew and sold living biological supplies for science classrooms. There Livingstone served as head of microbiology and Linscott as head of vertebrates and invertebrates, both applying their scientific training to optimizing the growth of tiny plants, animals, fungi and bacteria.

When COVID hit they were laid off and soon channeled energy into foraging, learning more about different mushroom species and their uses. When the lab closed for good, they used their savings to buy discounted lab equipment and repurposed it to begin Livingstone Mycology, pouring themselves into the business full time.

Mushrooms reproduce many different ways in the wild and in a controlled farming environment. Livingstone Mycology’s process starts with a liquid broth culture where tiny fragments of mushroom mycelium are suspended in a solution with the sugars and minerals they need to grow. From there, some strains are transferred to a Petri dish of gelatin to continue growing out. Then either the gelatin or liquid solution is used to inoculate a final growing medium.

Livingstone Mycology photo

“To make that growing medium we use spent coffee grounds and brewers’ grains, mixing them in specific ratios with water and sawdust from a local cabinet maker,” Livingstone explains. “We put that into smaller containers (usually plastic bags or buckets, though because of their shape most mushroom farmers refer to these growing units as blocks) and then pasteurize them.”

Pasteurization ensures no foreign fungi remain to outcompete the farmed mushrooms. Right now, they’re producing over a hundred pounds per week, including different kinds of oyster mushrooms, lion’s mane, shiitakes, reishi and chestnut mushrooms. Most of that is grown in just a ten-foot by ten-foot Mylar tent set up in a converted art studio.

“We have mushroom blocks stacked on shelves to take advantage of vertical space, a humidifier, and waterproof blue LED lights strung up around the shelves,” says Linscott. “Blue light helps mushroom caps grow larger than the stems.”

Livingstone Mycology sells a lot of their mushrooms fresh, doling out ideas for how to unlock their culinary potential.

Livingstone Mycology photo

“I often tell people to start by trying oyster mushrooms,” says Linscott. “I like to shred them and fry them up in butter until they’re crispy. I think a lot of people have issues with mushrooms because of texture, but if you just keep cooking them on low, these become crunchy, chewy and savory, like bacon. Lion’s mane on the other hand is great for making mushroom steaks or as a replacement in seafood dishes like crab cakes. You can also pull it apart like shredded chicken or bread it for a faux fried chicken sandwich.”

Other mushrooms are destined for medicinal tinctures and extracts. The key process here is called vacuum-assisted ultrasonic refluxing. This aims to pull the desired compounds out of mushroom tissue as efficiently as possible.

To start, mushrooms are put in a flask with an alcohol solvent and loaded into the machine. When the machine’s vacuum turns on it renders everything weightless. Then high-powered sound waves are used to cavitate and denature cell walls, releasing various compounds into the alcohol solution with ease.

“As far as we know, we’re the only mushroom company combining these techniques to create extracts,” says Livingstone. “It allows us to use fewer mushrooms to make a more potent tincture and limits needing to heat the solution, which causes as little denaturing as possible.”

Livingstone Mycology photo

From there the solution is filtered and, for tinctures, standardized at 40% alcohol content. Powdered and crystalized extracts have additional steps of evaporating off the alcohol solvent before final formulation into capsules.

“All of these extracts aim to be anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, antioxidant and anti-microbial,” Livingstone continues. “Lion’s mane is our most popular because it helps promote nerve growth factor associated with better memory, cognition, and focus, and has been studied for all sorts of mental illnesses and neurodegenerative diseases. Others like oyster, shiitake, maitake (hen of the woods) and cordyceps also lower blood pressure and cholesterol.” (None of these statements are FDA approved).

Adds Linscott, “We feel it’s helpful to hear not just that mushrooms are good for you, but why they’re good for you. What are the chemicals? How are they affecting neural pathways?”

These conversations are common with curious farmers’ market customers who are drawn to their table’s colorful display. This winter, Livingstone Mycology is selling at farmers markets in Greenfield and Forest Park in Springfield (both running December 9, then every other Saturday from 10 – 2) as well as Holyoke (running December 2, then every other Saturday from 10 – 2), the Center Fresh Market in Chicopee (running December 7, then every other Thursday from 3 – 6), and monthly Saturday markets in Pittsfield.

Nich Livingstone shows off a harvest of lion’s mane mushroom (Livingstone Mycology photo)

Livingstone Mycology mushrooms and supplements are now also for sale at the Urban Food Brood, a collaborative, food manufacturing and retail space in Springfield. Online sales may also begin soon. For updates on their product line and where things are sold, Instagram is the best place to follow them (@livingstonemycology).

Linscott and Livingstone have big ideas for their future. First up is making bigger batches of liquid mycelium culture (their first step mushroom cultivation) in large bioreactors. That would allow them to make tinctures and extracts directly from liquid culture, removing steps and increasing quality, and to expand their mushroom harvest ten-fold. Selling grow-your-own kits to home cooks is another possibility.

They are also excited to keep educating people about mushrooms and mushroom cultivation. In that vein, Linscott will speak on a panel following a public showing of the film “Fantastic Fungi” at Amherst Cinema on Tuesday December 5. Tickets are available here.

Jacob Nelson is communications coordinator for CISA (Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture). To learn more about local farms and where to find local food near you, visit buylocalfood.org.

Growing Christmas Cheer in the Valley

For many local farmers, cool weather means slowing down. Hardy greens are still growing in covered greenhouses, and plenty of things like meat, cheese, apples and storage crops can be kept and sold until the first warm days of spring, but the frantic pace of summer has finally calmed, sedated by the winter chill.

Except for cut-your-own Christmas tree farmers, that is. Their season just kicked off with a bang.

Like other local cut-your-own farms, Chestnut Mountain Tree Farm in Hatfield does more than just sell trees. Says farmer Bob Schrader, “We’re a place to begin the Christmas season, and we have a number of activities that help make it a full family event.”

Bob Schrader, farmer and owner of Chestnut Mountain Tree Farm (their photo)

Schrader was first drawn to farming as a dairy farmhand in his younger years. After a long career with UMass Extension, “I was looking to get back into farming for retirement, and it got out of control,” he chuckles. “I’ve never worked so hard in my life.”

When the 150-acre parcel of preserved farmland in Hatfield came up for sale not far from his Northampton home, Schrader jumped on it. “There were already Christmas trees there,” he continues, “so I said, ‘what the heck – let’s do this.’ They were overgrown at the time, but we cleared things up and went from there.”

Today about a third of that land is actively managed. Twenty-five acres are kept as hayfields and another thirty are home to 30,000 hopeful Christmas trees. Only a fraction of these are sold each year, the rest left to ensure income and Christmas cheer are in good supply for the future.

“We have increased our planting significantly in the past few years,” Schrader says, “but it takes about eight years for a tree to grow from the saplings we plant. So as a tree farmer, when you recognize the opportunity to expand, that reality is still eight years away.”

Planting is an early spring activity, as are fertilizing and knocking back weed growth by mowing and occasional spraying. As the weather warms, the evergreens have their annual growth spurt, putting on most of their new height and girth between late May and early July. After that it’s safe to start pruning.

Chestnut Mountain Tree Farm photo

The purpose of pruning is to train a single leader, or dominant stem, (no forked treetops allowed) and to encourage branches to fill out symmetrically, forming the classic Christmas tree shape. This work continues until opening day in late November, when the last-pruned bottom branches become material for handmade wreaths and swag.

As opening day approaches, Schrader also prepares the property for the throngs of visitors that descend during their short selling season. Like many local farms, Chestnut Mountain Tree Farm leans into agritourism, offering an immersive experience on top of their products in an attempt to bring in more money without expanding their farming operation. This is often a shrewd business move, though managing a retail business and public events on top of farming duties can be complex.

Selling Christmas trees, Schrader believes, “you really have to get the retail dollar to make a living. If you sell a tree wholesale, you only get about 60% of what a retail tree goes for and you still have to cut it, bale it, and ship it. This is better economically, and it’s also a fairly nice retail experience. People are very happy at Christmas.”

Chestnut Mountain Tree Farm photo

A visit to Chestnut Mountain Tree Farm is designed to maximize ease and smiles, Schrader says. “When you arrive, you get a tree cart with a saw, and you go out into the field and find your tree. You can cut the tree yourself, or we have helpers who will cut it for you. You bring it back to the sales area and we’ll trim the bottom and any branches you want, shake it out and bale it. You go into the shop to pay for it and buy anything else you like. Come back outside and your tree will be ready to go.”

Free hot chocolate and cookies provide a spark of warmth. Visitors can also purchase tree stands and other accessories, along with handmade decorations and locally crafted gifts. Among them are Chestnut Mountain’s own maple syrup, produced in small quantities each year and sold until it’s gone.

Chestnut Mountain Tree Farm grows three closely related varieties of fir trees: Fraser, Canaan, and Balsam. “Frasers are what people ask for the most,” says Schrader. “They have the strongest branch structure. Canaans have a lot of the same attributes. All the trees have a nice fragrance, but Balsams especially – a very traditional Christmas smell.”

Chestnut Mountain Tree Farm photo

A tree’s ability to hold its needles is more about freshness than variety. Properly watered, any fresh-cut local tree will probably outlast a pre-cut tree shipped from a wholesale farm out of state. Depending on its origin, that tree might have been cut as far back as late October – an unfortunate necessity given the sheer number of trees the largest farms cut and ship each season in North Carolina, Michigan, and other top Christmas tree-producing states.

All large trees at Chestnut Mountain Tree Farm are $75, while smaller tabletop trees up to 3.5 feet are $40. “We also have a lot of what we call Charlie Brown trees,” explains Schrader. “Imperfect trees that we can sell at a considerable discount. Everyone has a different need, and we try to meet those needs.”

Chestnut Mountain Tree farm is open Wednesday-Sunday, 9am to 4pm, now through December 17^th. Leashed dogs are welcome, and cash and credit are accepted. Horse-drawn or tractor wagon rides are planned for 10am to 3pm on weekends, weather permitting. Rides are $2 per person and free for children under 5.

Jacob Nelson is communications coordinator for CISA (Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture). To learn more about cut-your-own Christmas tree farms and other places to find a locally grown tree, visit buylocalfood.org.

Local Food a perfect pair with Share’s premium coffee

For many of us, coffee is more than a drink. It’s an experience, and often a ritual. And while it’s grown far away, it can elevate the enjoyment of many of our favorite foods grown close to home, and vice versa.

As Ken Majka, owner of Share Coffee Roasters, puts it, “you can’t serve a mediocre breakfast sandwich with the best cup of coffee you’ve ever had.”

Share Coffee Roasters photo

Whether it’s espresso, drip, or cold brew, coffee is queen at Share’s cafes located at 178 N Pleasant St. in Amherst and inside Thorne’s Marketplace in Northampton. A menu loaded of local ingredients helps their food rise to match the quality of what they’re pouring.

Majka’s first foray into the cafe business came as a head roaster and barista in the late 1990s. After a period spent away from that life, entrepreneurial friends encouraged him to get back in the game.

“When the Lady Killigrew Cafe in Montague came up for sale in 2006, I decided to buy that,” says Majka. “Then in 2010, my friend Bob Lowry, who founded Bueno Y Sano restaurants, convinced me to join him in buying Rao’s Cafe in Amherst.”

As part of the sale, they agreed to keep the Rao’s branding and, since the company continued roasting beans, to use their coffee through 2015. As the date approached, Majka founded Share Coffee Roasters, building a roastery in Hadley to sell directly to customers and supply the cafes. In 2016 the coffee switch was made, and both cafes were rebranded with the Share name.

A staff member at Share Coffee Roasters, prepares sandwiches and salads using lettuce mix from Old Friends Farm in Amherst for lunch customers (Paul Shoul photo)

That name actually comes from ‘farm share,’ paying homage to the rich culture of community supported agriculture (CSA) farms in the region and highlighting the similarity in their business models.

“I often have a CSA farm share,” Majka says, “and I love getting to hear what’s good this week and knowing where my food is coming from. At Share, we’ve offered weekly coffee subscriptions from the beginning, wanting to be a similar resource and offer that same feeling for your coffee.”

Share imports about half of their coffee beans directly from independent farmers. The rest they buy through trusted import companies working mainly with farmer cooperatives.

“Establishing relationships with farmers is our favorite way to buy coffee,” Majka says. “For example, this is our fourth year working with a farmer named William Martinez and his family in Columbia. He wanted to grow specialty coffee, and we’ve supported him on that quest.”

Share’s chia pudding topped with local milk, local apples and house made granola (Paul Shoul photo)

In year one, Martinez produced just two bags of coffee – a little over 300 pounds. Share bought it all and gave feedback on techniques to improve flavor.

“We paid him a dollar extra per pound to help build his capacity,” Majka continues. “The next year he installed drying racks, built raised beds, then helped his brother do the same. Now in year four, we just got 14 bags from them and it’s the highest quality yet.”

Majka’s coffee drink of choice is a pure, simple shot of espresso, fueling him as he jumps between cafe locations. On the food side of the menu, it’s those breakfast sandwiches he can’t stop talking about.

“I remember when we first started making them at our Amherst location in 2018 and we were only selling like two a day,” he says. “I was sitting there, eating the steak and egg sandwich with roasted shallots, going, ‘why aren’t these selling? They’re so good.’ Fast forward five years, I’m still eating them every day, and now we’re selling a lot of them.”

Paul Shoul photo

The eggs – fried to order – come from Hall Poultry Farm in Pelham, MA. Those are topped with melty Cabot cheddar and locally grown arugula and held together by a bagel or English muffin.

Share also uses gallons of rich Jersey cow milk from Mapleline Farm in Hadley each day in their espresso-based coffee drinks. Ginger syrup from Old Friends Farm in Amherst is a common addition to iced sparkling Italian sodas, while local honey or maple syrup from Snowshoe Farm add shots of sweetness to other drinks. Some of their bread is also from Rise Above Bakery in Greenfield, made with flour milled at Ground Up Grain in Holyoke using grains grown in New England.

Coffee shops, with their technical terms and various reputations, can feel like intimidating spaces. Staff at Share’s cafes help create a lively and inclusive atmosphere.

“We’re coffee aficionados, but you don’t have to be,” says Majka. “We’re not going to grill you about flavor notes you’re getting when we hand you a cup. We go out of our way to find people who work hard, but really are just genuinely kind, and customers do give us that feedback.”

Ultimately, Majka, and by extension Share, is motivated by a pursuit of quality that aligns with deeper values. From farmer to cafe customer, the aim is to treat everyone and every place with respect and kindness, acknowledging that life is more enjoyable when people support each other in community. It costs a little more to invest in those ideals, but to Majka, the value you get in return is clear.

Paul Shoul photo

“What we make is a little more expensive,” he acknowledges. “But we’re paying coffee farmers three to five times fair-trade rates, using a lot of local ingredients, offering good paying jobs, and there’s so much value in that. You’re investing in community, and you get what you pay for.”

Share Coffee Roasters’ Amherst and Northampton locations are open daily. The Hadley roastery is open 8-12 Monday, Tuesday and Thursday to pick up freshly roasted beans.

Jacob Nelson is communications coordinator for CISA (Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture). To learn more about restaurants near you using food from local farms, visit buylocalfood.org.

Kale harvest at Atlas Farm. IC: Atlas Farm

Farms within the three counties of the Connecticut River Valley feed our local community while supplying food to our Commonwealth and the New England region. With farmland concentrated on the western side of the state and the population densest on the eastern side, food naturally flows from our region to the larger cities. Local farms in western Mass. are uniquely positioned, with a responsive market at home and easy highway access to Boston and New York City for expanded distribution.

Two business owners see the landscape of how the Valley contributes to the regional food system. Gideon Porth is the owner of Atlas Farm, LLC, an organic mixed-vegetable farm in Deerfield that sells wholesale. “I think our region has a long history of being a vegetable basket for the Commonwealth and beyond. We’re one of the best areas in New England for this vegetable farming due to our soils. I think selling to larger markets has existed for a long time, with many of the growers here in western Mass. sending their products to the Boston area and the wider region,” says Porth.

Mike Foti on Myers Produce truck. IC: Elise Gilchrest.

Atlas Farm handles its own deliveries and also Myers Produce delivers some Atlas produce. Myers Produce is a woman-owned regional trucking company, with hubs in New York City, northern Vermont, and in a new warehouse in Hatfield at the former site of The Food Bank of Western Mass. Owner Annie Myers adds, “As far as Myers goes, a significant portion of the food we buy comes from the Pioneer Valley—almost half—and we sell to customers in the greater Boston area. The farmers we work with here demonstrated a need for someone to help them sell to and deliver to customers in eastern Mass.”

Porth got his start farming in eastern Mass. before starting Atlas Farm in 2004. Already connected to Boston farmers’ markets, Porth naturally began selling in familiar spaces. As the wholesale side of the business grew he says, “It was pretty evident that the demand was there. There’s a lot of support for local businesses here in the Valley, but there are more mouths to feed on the other side of the state.”

The Farmers’ Market at Copley Square was a mainstay for Atlas Farm for seventeen years. The markets in the city are run by Massachusetts Farmers’ Markets, who prioritize Mass. farmers, so few vendors were out-of-state. Porth observed that at least half of the vendors at those markets were from west of Worcester.

Annie Myers and son, Abel. PC: Annie Myers

Myers Produce began ten years ago, with Kitchen Garden Farm as their first customer. Word of mouth helped the service grow in the early days, as farms recognized a desire to expand their markets. For Myers, “The vast majority are retail customers. We deliver twice a week, with everything grown and produced in New England. Local is all we carry.”

Myers continues, “Our customers care a lot about where food is grown, the story behind it, and where their money is going. That includes the farm, Myers Produce, and all employees in between. Our customers are values-driven, where quality and ‘buy local’ is highly valued.”

By selling to larger markets, many local farms have thrived. For Atlas Farm, the benefit of selling to a broader population has allowed his farm to expand. Porth notes, “I started as a small market garden, a one-man show with a couple of acres, a pickup truck, and a rototiller. Very quickly, I learned that doing a little more brought us more efficiency. Agriculture has always been an industry of scale. If you can produce on a larger scale with better systems, it pays off.”

The flow of products creates natural efficiencies, such as Myers trucks bringing produce to Boston, and reloading with frozen wild blueberries from Maine or cranberries to deliver to other customers within their network. Myers illustrates the cycle of food succinctly, “We bring tomatoes down to Brooklyn, and they make tomato sauce, then we bring jarred sauce back up to this area for our customers.”

The model Myers Produce uses offers two services: distribution and freight. The distribution service involves buying food from growers and producers, then reselling and delivering to businesses. The freight service involves simply trucking refrigerated products from origins to destinations, leaving buying and selling between the shipper and receiver. Through that service, Myers Produce supports local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms with delivery to drop off points in larger metropolitan areas.

The businesses emphasize relationships as central to their farms and food businesses. Whether collaboration with farmers, restaurant owners and small market owners, or farmers’ markets, people remain central to the equation of food and farming.

Porth explains how farmers work together, “We definitely collaborate with other farms for distribution. My farm might have

Atlas potato harvest. Pictured: Denzil Davies, Gideon Porth, Everald Forbes. PC: Jim Gipe/Pivot Media

baby tomatoes mid-season, while another farm has baby lettuce to bring to market. If my farm can’t serve an opportunity, we work together to ensure another farm takes it.”

Myers explains, “Collaborating with local farmers to get food to the world is what we do. The reason we started our company was to provide a service to farmers that is truly helpful, and it’s exciting to see our business have a positive effect in real time. We get feedback from farms that our operation has allowed farms to grow differently or focus on their farm, and that is satisfying.”

A broader distribution network supports local farms, feeds people, and continues to care for the land. With his foundation in ecology and despite the size of his farm and channels for distribution, the close connection of food coming from the land still inspires Porth, “It still fires me up. Growing food still feels like an important thing to do,” he says.

Lisa Goodrich is communications coordinator for Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture, (CISA). – Try our online guide at buylocalfood.org to help you buy local this season for ingredients, prepared foods, and gifts.

While neither farmer grew up farming, the pair had a clear idea of the farm they wanted to create. Hillard brought experience in vegetable farming to the business. The relationship to the animals is central to Crooked Trail Farm. Goulding says, “We try to take the best care of the animals as possible. A healthy animal in its proper environment is best for them and for us.”

Hillard comments, “Here at Crooked Trail Farm, our main farm sustainability practices are thoughtful livestock rotation and making sure that we don’t try to grow more than our land can sustain. Our goal is to improve the land by growing healthy, happy animals on it.”

According to the U.S. Forest Service, “silvopasture” is the deliberate integration of trees and grazing livestock operations on the same land. Goulding explains that ensuring sufficient space for the pigs to have enough space to root and forage propelled the farmers to seek funding to expand their silvopasture this year. Hillard says, “We received an American Farm Trust grant this year to put up a perimeter fence around our four wooded acres. We have planned out a multi-year pig rotation in this area, using portable electric fence to section off parts for intensive rooting.”

Hillard continues, “Our goal is to decrease invasive species and brushy overgrowth, maintain healthy waterways, and select prime native trees to remain while we develop this land into functional silvopasture.” Goulding adds that they will graze sheep in that area as well.

The animals are free to enjoy the land, with the farmers feeding each species in optimal ways. Hillard explains, “In our open land, we use intensive grazing practices as well as pasture raised broiler chickens to increase our soil fertility.” Throughout the year, sheep feed on the pasture beginning in spring. Year-round, the farmers feed the pigs locally grown feed, and in the winter, they buy locally sourced hay for all the animals.

The weather this year has impacted the hay and feed they buy for their livestock, both for cost and availability. Aside from animal feed, Goulding reflects the pair’s appreciation that the direct impact of weather on their farm has been minimal. “Raising livestock is more resilient than crops in a field. We are fortunate that we have not been directly affected by this year’s flooding.”

Goulding notes that the farm is situated on a hill that drains well. The farm is working with Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture’s (CISA’s) Climate Change Program to plan a rain catchment system to help them use water resources more effectively, both in dry spells and wet years.

Whether managing pastures and water, supply chains for animal feed, or selling high quality meat, Hillard explains that sustainability is the value that connects everything about their farm business. She says, “We feel that farming small and keeping things local as much as possible is a sustainability choice. The world can’t sustain mega farms and long supply chains; it needs people raising food on what they can get close at hand to feed the people nearby. To that end, we are keeping our operation small and sourcing our feed and supplies locally as much as we can.”

The farm has hens for laying eggs and sells them to the Wendell Country Store and Quabbin Harvest in Orange. The pair tried raising beef briefly, before deciding their pasture could not sustain it. A small portion of beef is available in their offerings this year. Quabbin Harvest carries their beef and lamb.

Crooked Trail Farm sells its meat frozen as part of a meat Community Supported Agriculture plan (CSA) that will be available in January. Sign-ups begin in November. Different meat bundles are available as well. To join a meat CSA or purchase a meat bundle from Crooked Trail Farm, see crookedtrailfarm.com or their Facebook page for more announcements and availability, or call 781-252-0058.

The meat shares contain beef, pork, chicken, and lamb and are available as small, for a couple, or large for a family. Pickups are biweekly from January through March. There will be a one-time pickup date for people who live far away, to pick up all six share distributions at once.

The team finds space for creativity, community, and expression within their farm. Community and creativity unite in their animal husbandry classes for other farmers who are getting started. Hillard says, “We have offered workshops in the past on raising and processing one’s own livestock and hope to continue to do so in the future.”

Before farming, Goulding was a corporate trainer and loved teaching. “I love helping people develop skills they want to improve, and I believe it’s important to share the skills we have developed through farming and homesteading. Most of us didn’t grow up on a farm, so having someone support you while you’re getting started is immensely helpful,” she says.

Community remains important to farming. Goulding shares, “As we started, we didn’t know CISA was available, and didn’t expect that level of support. CISA has been a huge help by supplying information and support on things we didn’t know we needed. Through them, we’ve met a large network of capable and wonderful farmers who have been willing to help.”

Living according to their values while caretaking for animals and land fuels the team’s enthusiasm for their farm. Goulding concludes, “Farming is something we wanted to do, and it is a joy. It’s wonderful to see the animals born then thrive. This lifestyle makes me feel happy.”

All photos courtesy of Crooked Trail Farm.

Lisa Goodrich is communications coordinator for Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture, (CISA). Learn more about local farms, local food, and CSAs in our online guide at buylocalfood.org.

For many years until 2009, the property was a full-time dairy farm. Then the family was at a crossroads, with an antiquated dairy barn needing modern equipment and technology to allow the farm to remain competitive. In that year of collapsed milk prices, the family evaluated their place in the dairy industry.

“In our minds, it was more important to remain sound financially to keep the farm and maybe venture out into new things,” explains Karl Norris.  The family returned to maple sugaring in 2018 with a new sugarhouse. Maple sugar season kicks off the year at the farm, from mid-February to mid-March.

All members of the family have jobs off the farm. The Norris family balances the early morning care of animals with attending the fields in the late afternoon, with everyone taking a turn based on their schedules. Karl Norris notes, “we each have our role.”

Today, the farm supports a farm stand with offerings that vary with the seasons. Currently, Runnymede Farm offers pumpkins through Halloween at their self-serve stand at 109 South Road, Westhampton.

In the spring, Runnymede Farm offers composted manure for home gardeners in bags and bulk, with local delivery. During spring planting season, community members interested in buying it can call the farm or contact them using Facebook Messenger.

The farm stand then becomes quiet until early August, when blooming sunflowers adorn their farm stand and property. Lisa Norris adds, “We have been selling to some florists, and people buy them for events. We also sell to other local businesses and farm stands. We continue to grow and change the varieties every year.” 

“The sunflowers came as an experiment,” notes Karl Norris. “We just wanted to try it, partly for looks. They give the farm a “wow” factor. We can’t sell nearly as many as we grow for cut flowers. We have had people ask to use our patch for photography.” Just as the sunflowers finish, pumpkins ripen next through fall. Karl Norris says, “we grow one acre of sunflowers and one acre of pumpkins, all for sale here at the farm.”

The Norrises have a modest herd of Holstein cows. The family sells some cows as breeding stock. They do not currently sell milk or dairy products to the public, although they may pursue that in the future. Karl Norris comments, “The wholesale milk market just doesn’t work for small farms anymore due to the economies of scale. I truly believe that farms need to sell directly to the consumer to make a good return on their investment. With everything we do, we are looking to sell directly to the consumer.”

Alongside cattle, Runnymede Farm grows 24 acres of corn, and produces wrapped, round bales of hay. They sell half to neighboring beef and dairy farms and keep the rest to feed their cows.

The entire family works on the farm. With their kids in their 20s, they are actively planning the next direction for the farm. Lisa Norris comments, “We’re proud that our farm has been in the Norris family since 1919, and that our kids are involved in the farm on a daily basis.”

With the strong foundation that a century of farming experience offers, the Norrises can take the long view, and discern what works now while planning for the future. Restoring the farm to a full-time operation for the younger generation is a long-term goal.

Offering agritourism remains under consideration because “families don’t just want to go somewhere and buy a product. They want to go somewhere and experience something. Families are looking for planned activities, like pick-your-own, breakfast restaurants, or corn and sunflower mazes,” says Karl Norris.

Lisa Norris comments, “We’ve done maple wedding favors that people enjoy. Every year, we try to expand the varieties of our sunflowers and maple products in spring. It has been a lot of fun. We enjoy it. If you didn’t really love farming, you would not do it. We really do love it and are happy to do it with our kids and son-in-law. It’s a lifestyle more than a job.”

As climate change impacts the weather, the Norrises have leaned into adaptations to maintain the land for the future. Karl Norris says, “We do cover crops on the fields to hold soil, fix nitrogen from the air, and prevent erosion. We have begun no-till planting.”

Growing crops or pasture without disturbing the soil through tillage requires a different approach and different equipment. The family purchased a no-till corn planter through a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture. The family has navigated the learning curve offered by excessive rain this season in their hard, gravelly soil. Karl Norris notes, “It saves fuel with fewer passes on the tractor and conserves the soil. I see us sticking with no-till in the future.”

While the family works together to manage the farm, community is essential for Runnymede Farm as well. “It’s always fun to have a network of farmers in the immediate area,” Karl Norris states. He shares anecdotes of farmer neighbors helping each other with broken-down equipment or finishing hay before the rain. “You never know when you’ll meet a time of need on your farm, and so it’s important to reach out and help other farmers.” he says.

Runnymede Farm is a source of joy for the family. Lisa Norris shares, “being able to farm with our kids while working toward a viable farm operation on open land brings us joy every day.”

“What brings me joy is being a steward of the land, being the one to help transition it from my great-grandfather to my grandfather and father, to carry that on as a viable option for my children. I’m just the current caretaker, and my job is to pass it along to my kids, so they can pass it along to the next generation,” concludes Karl Norris.

Lisa Goodrich is communications coordinator for Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture, (CISA). Learn more about local farms, harvest favorites, and seasonal fun in CISA’s online guide at buylocalfood.org.

Photos courtesy of Runnymede Farm

Rooted Flowers in Agawam is a local flower farm fueled by a passion for harmony between nature, land, and family. Since 2019, owner-operator Becky Sadlowski and her family have rejuvenated the property into a blossoming cut flower nursery from fallow farmland.

The vibrant land is a testimony to the renewal of nature, perseverance, and committed vision. Hedgerows border the property and the house with a mixture of native plants and perennials as testing beds for new varieties and evergreens for flower designs, while offering pollinator habitat. On this visit, bees leap among thyme blossoms, “Everything we plant, we have to be able to use,” says Sadlowski.

Despite the cottagecore dream setting, Rooted Flowers is a working flower farm. Sadlowski is committed to a holistic approach that anticipates changeable and disruptive weather patterns. She explains, “Our farm’s inception was rooted in a vision to be resilient and adaptable, especially considering the challenging growing conditions New England often presents.”

While our region suffered heavy losses in food production due to freezes and flooding this year, the weather also impacted flower growers. Sadlowski explains, “The challenges of this year’s flooding took a toll on our crops. We suffered the loss of all our field dahlias, a cornerstone of our offerings. We’ve been fortunate to have some mitigation in place with rows protected in tunnels and a dedicated greenhouse, which shielded part of our crops. Based on this year’s experiences, our future growing plans will lean more heavily into such protective measures to buffer against unpredictable weather events.”

Sadlowski learns by watching both land and crops. This has been an unusually wet year, but the region also faced drought conditions in recent years. She notes, “In previous seasons, we grappled with water shortages to the extent of relying on our household supply to irrigate our crops. To address this, we installed a well last year, ensuring that our plants remained hydrated even in drier conditions. While we can’t control Mother Nature, our approach is rooted in adaptation and learning. We’re committed to evolving with each season, leveraging our experiences to ensure the sustainability and resilience of our farm amidst New England weather.”

Flower growers support plant health to result in rich colors, fragrance, and strong plant structure for use in later designs. Sadlowski sees her farm in an overall “garden” style, “This comes from watching things come together naturally. It starts with the growth habitat. Varieties have to perform well, and that ultimately informs use in flower design.”

Sadlowski sees her farm as a unified, living system. She explains, “Our overarching philosophy is holistic. We believe that by nurturing and maintaining the health of our farming system as a whole, everything else, from plant vitality to final yield, will thrive. I began the journey towards organic certification but found inconsistencies in its practice among some peers. It led me to the realization that the best path for us was not just meeting a standard but exceeding it. While we adhere to many organic principles, our primary focus remains on fostering a thriving, sustainable, and genuine farm ecosystem.”

As any gardener knows, the quality of soil can dramatically impact the quantity and quality of flowers. Sadlowski continues, “Integral to our cultivation strategy is our collaboration with a specialized agronomist. This expert assists us in determining which natural, certified organic ingredients are best suited to enrich our soil, optimizing plant health and yield. We believe in feeding the soil, and it will feed us.”

The offerings at Rooted Flowers celebrate cut flowers, including flower arrangements available at the farm stand, lavish wedding flowers, and heartfelt funeral arrangements. Sadlowski notes, “Our farm transcends traditional flower cultivation. While we passionately grow and sell flowers, we’ve also ventured into diverse avenues to offer a holistic floral experience. Over the years, we’ve provided flowers for weddings and special events, ensuring memorable moments are adorned with nature’s finest blooms.” Flower arrangements for special events can be ordered at www.rootedflowersshop.com.

With a true understanding of the needs of avid cut flower gardeners, Rooted Flowers offers tubers and corms for sale in their online store, www.rootedflowers.com. Rooted Flowers’ Annual Fall Bulb sale opens on October 15th at 10am, with both shipping and farm pick-up options available.

Sadlowski expands on sourcing tubers, “Our farm actively engages in seed saving and the digging and dividing of dahlia tubers. While many of our specialty flower bulbs are sourced from trusted growers, we’re gradually shifting towards using more of our own stock. The recent challenges in Holland–a major bulb supplier that faced harvest issues due to weather disturbances–emphasize the importance of this transition. Although we aspire to be more self-reliant, current infrastructure limits the full realization of this vision with all parts. Nevertheless, we’re committed to adapting and evolving to ensure consistent, quality offerings, and that’s where we lean into our creativity.”

The farm stand is situated at 501 Shoemaker Lane, Agawam, MA 01001, where handcrafted wraps and jar arrangements await visitors. The stand has been seasonal, with Sadlowski innovating to stretch the season and provide fresh, local flowers year-round. This self-service stand runs on the honor system, accepting cash, Venmo, and PayPal.

 With her son nestled in his baby carrier, Sadlowski shares her parting thoughts, “The heart of my farm and its joy lies in the  profound sense of connectedness it nurtures … Working hand in hand with my family, tending to the land, and watching as the seeds of our efforts bloom, I’m reminded of the intricate web of relationships that bind us all. As the farm has grown, it’s clear that our approach to floristry isn’t just about flowers. It’s about weaving a tapestry of memories, moments, feelings, and people.”

Lisa Goodrich is communications coordinator for Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture, (CISA). Learn more about local farms, harvest favorites, and seasonal fun in our online guide at buylocalfood.org.

Photos courtesy of Rooted Flowers by Monika Normand Creative.

The family farm lost their peaches and stone fruits to a freeze in February, then they lost approximately half of their typical apple yield to a late freeze in May. “We’re very lucky to have apples this season,” says Brady Shearer.

For apple aficionados, Matt Shearer confirms, “We’ll have all of our varieties for the fall, including favorites like Honeycrisp, Cortland, Macintosh, and Galas. The frost impacted how long we will have apples to sell into 2024 at our farm store.”

For the couple, the inconsistent weather and its impact on Pine Hill Orchards crops was balanced by the affirmative support of community. “As a group, farmers try to work together,” Brady Shearer notes. “It’s really helpful to have a tight-knit community like ours, because people take care of each other.”

Connection to a broader base of support is important, too – as was well illustrated by the broad response by donors, local organizations, and the state to the freeze and the flooding that impacted other farms throughout the region. CISA (Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture) has been at the center of this response, and Brady Shearer notes, “CISA does a lot to support farmers. They create an environment for farmers to meet each other through workshops and training, which has been very helpful. They’re a sort of glue connecting the farming community.”

The farm was recently part of Congressman James McGovern’s 13th annual farm tour. During this difficult farming year, the impact of climate change on farms was a central theme. Brady Shearer adds, “It’s nice to know that someone in a higher seat in government takes an interest in local farms. It’s important to know that our concerns are being heard.”

For Pine Hill Orchards, the focus remains on apples. A beloved fall crop, pick-your-own apples is a seasonal favorite activity for young and old alike. Matt Shearer assures visitors that the pick-your-own area of trees was minimally impacted by frost. He lists the varieties available, “We have Honeycrisp, Macintosh, Macoun, Jonagold, Cortland, and Pink Lady closer to October.”

The Farm Store is open year-round from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.  Pick-your-own apples is open daily, now through Columbus Day weekend. On weekdays, pick-your-own bags can be purchased at the Farm Store and pickers walk out to the designated section.

On weekends, the farm bursts with fun activities like wagon rides, a fire pit with s’mores, yard games, and a barnyard. Matt Shearer adds, “We’re very hands on, and we love seeing our visitors to the farm. You’ll find family members driving the tractor, pouring cider, and bagging donuts.”

Behind the scenes, the team makes their own apple cider and cider donuts. They start making cider in mid-September. Matt Shearer explains, “If we start too early in the month, the cider is a little tart. We need to give the fruit time to ripen more fully. We make cider a little later in September to enhance sweetness.”

There is a lot to do at Pine Hill Orchards. The farm barnyard offers visitors a chance to visit with mini donkeys, goats, geese, and pot belly pigs. “It’s not just the kids who enjoy the barnyard—it’s fun for everyone,” Brady Shearer says.

“Apple picking is our biggest season, but our farm store is open year-round,” says Matt Shearer. The farm grows pumpkins and fall mums are now ready. Visitors can plan on a quintessential New England day—but skip packing a picnic. “We’ve got plenty of food on site,” she adds.

On weekends, the team runs the Orchard Grill food truck that features American fare and a tent with covered seating. The menu offers loaded baked potatoes or fries, burgers, and sandwiches. Apple cider, cider donuts, and caramel apples round out the offerings.

The farm plans many events this fall, and watching their website and Facebook pages are the best way to stay tuned. This season, Pine Hill Orchard is collaborating with Colrain’s Griswold Memorial Library to offer a story walk in the pick-your-own area, featuring the book “Arlo Rolled” by Susan Pearson.

Overall, Brady and Matt Shearer convey a sense of gratitude for their farm, their team, and their community. Brady Shearer says, “I feel grateful that we get to work together as a family, doing what we love. It’s a blessing.” That sentiment extends to the orchard crew, as well, “Our staff is like family to us. Some of our workers return every year, and we stay in touch all year long,” she says.

For Matt Shearer, everything comes back to their customers, “The fall is a busy time for us, but we really enjoy visiting with our customers. That brings me joy.”

Lisa Goodrich is communications coordinator for Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture, (CISA). Learn more about local farms, harvest favorites, and seasonal fun in our online guide at buylocalfood.org.

At Upinngil Farm, a fruit-filled fall awaits

“At this point, for us, advertising seems like a waste of time,” says Sorrel Hatch of Upinngil Farm in Gill. “If you have a good product, it will sell itself. Our business has succeeded by following the pull of the market, rather than trying to push; by growing and making the things that sell themselves.”

After more than 35 years, Upinngil Farm and their farm store at 411 Main Rd. have evolved into a destination in rural Gill.  As the calendar turns to September, the sweetest treasure beckons from just behind the store – bright red fall raspberries, waiting to be picked.

These raspberries are one of many projects Hatch and the other farmers have dabbled in across 100 acres of farmland.

“When my father Clifford started the farm in the 1980s, the first things he raised were Finnsheep (a hardy breed of sheep raised for both meat and wool), and bees,” she says. “We were Upinngil Finnsheep and Apiary. We’ve come a long way since then.”

Indeed, the sheep are gone and only a few beehives remain. Now it’s grass-fed raw milk and a newly expanded bakery within their farm store that anchor the business. They also make cheese from their milk, raise other livestock for meat and eggs, and grow a variety of produce and even grains for the bakery. That’s nearly a complete diet coaxed from the hills of Gill.

About 15 staff help all these pieces come together. Founder Clifford Hatch oversees the dairy and serves as head cheesemaker. Sarah Porrovecchio is the resident herdswoman, monitoring the health of the cows and pasture. Crop manager Simon Eaton is responsible for most of the produce they grow, and other employees and family members take on the rest of the pieces.

“My job has shifted more to managing the retail side and being the head baker,” says Hatch. “I’ve had to learn to delegate, train, and trust others with growing things.”

Sorrel Hatch (right) and another staff member welcome customers to Upinngil’s farm store, and the Little Red Hen bakery.

Arguably, the Upinngil Farm that people know today began to take shape in 2007, when they found their niche selling raw milk. Raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized, or heated to high temperatures to kill any bacteria, whether harmful or beneficial. Farms that sell raw milk in Massachusetts follow rigorous sanitation guidelines and are required to sell their milk directly from the farm.

“Once you’ve had it and tasted how great it is, you have to come to the farm to get it,” says Hatch.  “That creates a big customer base coming here regularly.”

Their other year-round draw, the Little Red Hen Bakery, was born out of Hatch’s baking experiments with wheat her father began growing on the farm – an experiment of his own. The viability of growing, harvesting and storing their own grains has proven tenuous, but their baked goods are here to stay. What began with simple breads and cookies has expanded to a selection of muffins, scones, cinnamon buns, croissants, granola, and other pastries available daily.

“Three years ago, we renovated the space adjacent to the store into a commercial bakery,” Hatch explains. “Now our baked goods are right up there with our milk, in terms of bringing in reliable customers.”

To supplement their homegrown wheat, Hatch buys whole organic grain from Farmer Ground Flour, a farmer co-op in upstate New York, and mills it fresh in-house. They also buy some lighter bread flour from King Arthur Flour in Vermont.

The focal point of Upinngil Farm is their farm store, stocked with milk, bread and a lot more. This time of year, shelves are filled with produce from their fields, food from other local farms and staples that save rural neighbors a trip to supermarkets further afield. It’s also a jumping off point for pick-your-own crops.

Many customers know Upinngil for pick-your-own strawberries. Unfortunately, this year a late May frost literally nipped that crop in the bud – one of many examples this year where increasingly erratic weather fueled by climate change has impacted local farms. Luckily, they were still able to offer pick-your-own snap peas, cut flowers, and another coveted red berry – fall raspberries.

“Because they’re fall-bearing, these plants didn’t flower until long after the frost,” Hatch explains, “and the rain has helped their growth.”

The raspberry patch is located right behind the farm store and open for picking 8am – 7pm daily. The fruit began to ripen in mid-August, and barring major cold snaps, the harvest could continue throughout September. Any extra berries are frozen and used later in the bakery, adding a hint of summer to things like maple raspberry scones.

Hatch is a big proponent of pick-your-own crops, highlighting the mutual benefits it offers to farmers and pickers. Farmers are spared a bit of labor, and eaters often pay less (at Upinngil, pick-your-own raspberries are half the price of pre-picked). Meanwhile, picking offers a moment of respite and connection with nature that many crave.

“I feel like everyone needs some work with their brain and some work with their hands to live a balanced life,” she says. “This is a perfect chance for many people to rebalance.” Balance and sustainability are often on Hatch’s mind as she contemplates how Upinngil Farm can best serve their land and their community long-term.

“I think the key to sustainability is maintaining a connection and a natural feedback loop between farmers and customers,” she offers. “If the farmer knows who they’re growing food for, it creates an extra level of commitment to the quality of our food and how we grow it. Customers continuing to buy from them demonstrates their support. It’s a two-way street, and a natural feedback loop.

“Our tagline is ‘food you need from the land you love.’” she continues. “We’re not a gift shop, or a place where only people coming from Boston can afford to buy anything. This is food you need, and I want to see my neighbors here shopping. That’s the most important thing.”

Jacob Nelson is communications coordinator for CISA (Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture). To learn more about local farms and farm stores you can visit in your neck of the woods, check out buylocalfood.org/farmguide.

Summer produce stars at Florence taqueria: Masa Mexicano’s fresh tortillas are like nothing you could find in a store

By Jacob Nelson

The abundance of August produce is a chef’s dream, especially in the Valley, where we are surrounded by hundreds of local farms.

Soon after chef Roberto Saravia of Masa Mexicano explains this, he’s interrupted by a delivery of fresh jalapenos from a Westhampton farmer, as if to prove the point.

Roberto Savaria with wife Maria Carolina Arias and their child

Saravia opened Masa Mexicano in Florence on the cusp of the pandemic. Three years later, he and the restaurant are hitting their stride. They offer a short menu of popular tacos, tortas, other entrees, and rotating specials, keeping choices simple, and fresh ingredients cycling through the restaurant quickly. Most items are gluten-free, with several vegetarian and vegan options available as well.

“We make our own tortillas every morning, and when summer is in season, we try to use as many local ingredients as possible,” he says. “Our focus is providing customers high-quality food made from great ingredients, without such a high price tag.”

It should come as no surprise that the foundational ingredient in Masa Mexicano’s kitchen is masa harina, or nixtamalized corn flour, hailing from Mexico. They get theirs from a company who sources organic heirloom corn from family-owned farms in Oaxaca.

Maria Carolina Arias makes fresh tortillas

“As soon as you open a fresh bag, you can tell the difference,” Saravia says. “It smells so rich, and the tortillas it makes … compared to a store-bought tortilla, it’s like night and day.”

Both the small tortillas that grip tacos and the 10-inch rounds that hold together quesadillas are smooth, slightly chewy and pleasantly flavorful. More than a vehicle for toppings, they’re co-stars in any dish. Any that aren’t used fresh become tortilla chips the next day.

While tortillas set the stage, local produce brings bright flavors and creativity to the menu.

“I’ve been using red peppers and red onions from Red Fire Farm (in Montague and Granby), and greens, hot peppers, and other things from Crabapple Farm (in Chesterfield),” Saravia says. “I have a booth selling food at the Northampton Tuesday Farmers Market (1:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the Plaza behind Thornes Marketplace) and we do a little trading with them and other farmers there. I’ll make them food and they’ll give me veggies.”

One local special right now is their take on Mexican street corn, topped with ancho-lime mayo, cotija cheese and chili flakes with a lime wedge on the side.

“We get fresh corn every other day from Four Rex Farm in Hadley,” says Saravia. “It’s our third year buying from them, and their corn is amazing. Pretty soon I’ll start using it to make summer corn soup too.”

The latter is a recipe Saravia learned from Unmi Abkin, a celebrated chef with local ties who most recently owned Coco and the Cellar Bar in Easthampton before closing it and stepping away in 2021.

“My dad worked with Unmi when she ran Cha Cha Cha in Northampton,” he explains. “I was eight at the time, and over the years she became a close mentor and pretty much family. She has helped me a lot (with) learning what goes into owning a restaurant, menu development, things like that.”

Saravia’s biological family also had a big influence on his love of cooking, leading to his start working in restaurants at age 14. Before Masa Mexicano, he worked at Bueno Y Sano, Judie’s Restaurant in Amherst (now closed), Osteria Vespa in Amherst, Esselon Cafe in Hadley, and served as sous chef at Blue Heron Restaurant in Sunderland.

These experiences helped him imagine what his own restaurant might look like. Then, three-and-a-half years ago just as that dream was poised to take off, things came to a screeching halt.

“I signed my lease in February 2020, and my plan was to open in May,” he says.

COVID slammed that door shut until December 2020, when they figured out a way to open while navigating safety requirements. At first it was takeout only, but eventually indoor dining returned, and summer allowed them to add outdoor seating.

“I found these large wooden spools from a construction company, and after work I sanded, repainted and turned them into outdoor tables,” says Saravia. “They’ve been holding up well so far.”

Al pastor tacos with spit-roasted pork, whipped avocado, grilled pineapple, cilantro, white onion, and shaved cabbage

Hard work and creativity are how Masa Mexicano has persevered. This fall they hope to invest in new kitchen equipment while adding seating and enhancing the ambiance of their dining areas. Including, yes, upgrading that handmade outdoor seating.

“We just got approved for a beer and wine license, so we want to add bar seating inside,” Saravia says. “We also want to get new tables with umbrellas for outside, and a new electric griddle.”

To make this happen, they’ve applied for a Biz-M-Power crowdfunded matching grant through the Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation (MGCC), a state-funded organization that invests in small businesses. For every dollar they raise by Aug. 29, up to $20,000, MGCC will contribute 2:1 matching funds, effectively tripling individuals’ donations. Those interested can learn more at bit.ly/masafundraiser.

The thin margins inherent in the restaurant business model are especially challenging to new owners, who may not have much financial cushion to get their ideas off the ground. For them, programs like MGCC’s small business grants offer a small but important leg up towards financial sustainability.

Consistent staffing is another challenge for many restaurants, but one which Masa Mexicano seems to have a handle on. Saravia’s 22 years of experience in kitchens both nurturing and stressful is helping him shape a positive workplace culture.

“You’ve just got to treat people like human beings,” he says. “Here everyone gets a 30-minute paid break, we’re always joking around, and if it’s slow and you’re hungry, you can eat. The two things I’m strict about are food quality – that it’s made and seasoned correctly, and ingredients are fresh – and the cleanliness of the restaurant.”

Now at the peak of harvest season on local farms, the fresh ingredients part is easy.

Jacob Nelson is communications coordinator for CISA (Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture) to learn more about restaurants using fresh ingredients from local farms near you, visit buylocalfood.org/find-it-locally.