Happy Dairy Month! (and Happy Pride Month! 🏳️🌈) If you know anything about dairy, you already know that dairy farmers celebrate dairy 24/7/365 – farming isn’t just a profession, it’s a lifestyle! Dairy is always on our mind, and for this beautiful month, we hope you’ll take a moment to reflect on this amazing food … Read more
Food waste makes up over 20% of the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) stream in the U.S. This waste can be managed by diverting it to feed people, feed animals, composting it, or using it for anaerobic digestion. Composting diverts food waste from the landfill, reducing methane emissions (a potent greenhouse gas), saving resources, and returning … Read more
I was offered the rewarding experience to write and deliver a talk for the TEDx Amherst stage. COVID may have turned this event into a virtual show, but it was a real pleasure to share my idea with my community. Grateful for the opportunity and for the sustaining foundation I am rooted in.
The 2020 Sustainable Business Awards spotlights the brightest of what’s happening in our local economy. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on small businesses has been tremendous, with the number of small businesses in Massachusetts being down 37% as of November 2020. Small businesses lend a distinct flavor to the communities in which they thrive. … Read more
Barstow’s Longview Farm recently received an email from an entomologist looking to traipse around the cow pasture in search of a rare beetle. “Sure!” we replied back. So he scheduled a time to visit, and ordered four pies from Barstow’s Dairy Store and Bakery for pick up that same day. The subject of the visit? … Read more
Last week I finished up my TerraCorps (AmeriCorps) year of service at Kestrel Land Trust. It was a year full of accomplishments and learning as I worked with underserved populations in the Valley, conducted programming to promote the preservation of open space, and helped with a project that will ultimately protect more farmland and farms … Read more
This article comes from the NOFA/Massachusetts 2020 June Issue Newsletter By Christy Bassett, Northeast Organic Farming Association / Mass Dairy Program Coordinator At Barstow’s Longview Farm in Hadley, MA, Denise Barstow and family have taken a slightly higher tech approach to manure management. With 350 cows and heifers in their dairy herd, they have a … Read more
June is Dairy Month! A great time to learn more about how dairy impacts our economy, planet, diet, land use, and how dairy farming connects us with heritage in the Pioneer Valley. This annual series, usually involving farm tours and experts in the field of dairy, will take a different form this year in the … Read more
The Sustainable Business Network of Massachusetts has selected its Annual Sustainable Business of the Year Award winners. There were many nominations received and it is clear that Massachusetts is blessed with a large number of extraordinary businesses that merit recognition and have earned this honor. The Awards will be given at the annual Sustainable Business … Read more
PBS News Hour November 29, 2019 Watch: How these Massachusetts farmers are turning manure and food waste into power Transcript Judy Woodruff: In the final episode of our special series this week on food waste, we look at some innovative solutions being developed to deal with the growing problem of spoiled and surplus food in … Read more