Barstow’s Blog

Taking the Longview: Anaerobic Digester Keeps MA Dairy Cost-Effective

April 28, 2017

Emily Gaylord   April 28, 2017 Recycling Works In the face of a changing dairy market, Barstow’s Longview Dairy Farm in Hadley, MA capitalized on another product from their cows: manure. Manure Manager reports that Vanguard Renewables invested in the construction of an anaerobic digester that allows the farm to repurpose … Read more

Shannon’s Dream

April 26, 2017

While the rest of her tow-headed siblings and cousins were following around the farmers, you could find Shannon in the Farmhouse.  And more specifically, you could find her in the kitchen with her Grandmother. Generation 7 know her as Grandma, but you might know her as Marjorie Shipman Barstow.  Grandma … Read more

For dairy farmers, every day is Earth Day

April 20, 2017

Concord Monitor April 20, 2017 Millions of people around the world will soon celebrate Earth Day, but for hundreds of New England’s dairy farmers, every day is Earth Day. We’re talking about farmers like the Erb family. The Erbs own and operate Springvale Farms and Landaff Creamery in Landaff. This … Read more

Holy High-Tech Cow

March 1, 2017

Written by Domenic D. Mercurio, Jr. Photography by Scott Erb, Donna Dufault Foodies of New England Spring 2017 Got milk? Well if you’re planning on visiting Barstow’s Longview Farm in Hadley, Massachusetts in the near future, you’ll surely get your share – and then some. The Barstow family set up … Read more

History of the Summit House

February 10, 2017

Joseph Allen Skinner State Park is a state-owned, public recreation area located in the towns of Hadley and South Hadley.  The state park surrounds Mount Holyoke, the westernmost peak of the Mount Holyoke Range. At the summit is the historic Prospect House, an old hotel first opened in 1851. The … Read more

The Financial Benefits of an APR: Barstow’s Longview Farm

February 10, 2017

Kestrel Land Trust Blog February 10, 2017 After receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars to preserve their seventh generation family farm, the Barstows are using the money to populate it with robots. While negotiating the sale of the Agricultural Preservation Restriction rights on 123 acres of their dairy farm, the … Read more

Local Really Is Better

January 29, 2017

Smith Dining Services Does Agritour of Hadley, Massachusetts January 2017 As a bitterly cold but sunny winter day settled on western Massachusetts the first week in January, the dairy barn at Barstow’s Longview Farm in Hadley, Massachusetts, was buzzing with the sounds of conversation, laughter and a herd of milking … Read more

Got robots?

January 10, 2017

By Linda Enerson, CommonWealth January 10, 2017 Sixth-generation family farmers Dave and Steve Barstow have stretched the limits of what dairy farmers can do to stay afloat. They opened a store and bakery on their dairy farm at the foot of Mt. Holyoke in Hadley. They generate electricity from composted … Read more

American Biogas Council 2016 Agricultural Project of the Year Awarded to Barstow’s Longview Farm, Vanguard Renewables and Eversource Renewable Energy Partnership

November 2, 2016

Eversource Energy November 2, 2016 The renewable energy strategic partnership between Barstow’s Longview Farm, Vanguard Renewables and Eversource was awarded the 2016 American Biogas Council Agricultural Project of the Year. The Farm Powered anaerobic digester at Barstow’s combines farm waste and recycled food waste to produce more than 7,000 MWh … Read more

Signup for Barstow's monthly newsletter