Agriculture - Research Guide

The Pioneer Valley is a hotbed of sustainable/regenerative agriculture places/projects, ever evolving groups and committed individuals. This selected list (there are others to include!) reflects a potent and growing culture of community resilience building through permaculture design, regenerative agricultural practices, environmental justice, food justice and direct education/training/community engagement. 

Lisa Depiano, Agricultural Learning Center, UMass -- silvopasture/carbon farming project https://www.gazettenet.com/Silvopasture-25233385
Eric Toensmeier, permaculture specialist who created a demonstration site in Hoyoke, also the subject of the book he wrote, Paradise Lot. https://www.chelseagreen.com/product/paradise-lot/
Gardening the Community, Springfield https://www.gardeningthe.org/
Nuestras Raices, Grassroots urban ag in Holyoke https://nuestras-raices.org/
Climate Action Now - Regenerative Farms, Forestry, Food Systems Committee https://climateactionnowma.org/farms-forests-food/
Community Involved in Sustainable Agriculturehttps://w ww.buylocalfood.org/

Farm Education Collaborative http://www.farmandgardencamp.org/
Grow Food Northampton https://www.growfoodnorthampton.com/about/
Seeds of Solidarity - educational, off the grid farm in Orange https://seedsofsolidarity.org/

Farm to Fork radio show https://www.northshoreproductions.com/index.htm
Just Roots, non  profit community farm in Greenfield https://justroots.org/
People's Medicine Project - free herbal clinic for people in recovery, Greenfield https://www.peoplesmedicineproject.com/

Pioneer Valley Workers Center -bought a farm in Hatfield https://pvworkerscenter.org/community-farm/
Wellspring, Greenhouse production in Springfield https://wellspringharvest.com/

Greenfield Community College - Farm and Food Systems Program https://www.gcc.mass.edu/academics/programs/farm-and-food-systems/

Five Colleges:

Hampshire: Farm https://www.hampshire.edu/farm/hampshire-college-farm
Amherst: Book and Plow farm https://www.amherst.edu/about/sustainability/book-plow-farm

UMass: Sustainable Food and Farming https://www.umass.edu/ses/program/sustainable-food-farming-bs; also a student farm in South Deerfield, and the Ag Learning Center mentioned at top
Each of the Five Colleges has a climate change action and strives to source more and more local food

There are also several food coops in the area (Greenfield, Northampton, Amherst, and Easthampton)