This week, I traveled throughout the Second District during my 12th annual district-wide farm tour. I visited 13 farms in 2 days to talk to farmers about the challenges they face and how I can continue to help them succeed. I’m always so impressed by the fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy, flowers, livestock and more that … Read more
By JULIAN MENDOZA Staff Writer Published: 8/16/2022 5:55:24 PM Modified: 8/16/2022 5:51:56 PM U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern toured farms in Franklin and Hampshire counties on Tuesday to gain perspective on their operations in anticipation of the first White House Conference on Food, Nutrition and Health to be held in more than half a century. As … Read more
Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation February 14, 2022 A series of videos showcases the various ways farmers in Massachusetts are supporting soil health and sustainability. The videos feature produce and other crop growers, a dairy farmer and a researcher from the University of Massachusetts who works with the state’s farmers. Along with a 27-minute video, the … Read more
By AIDAN POOLE For the Gazette September 19, 2021 HADLEY — State lawmakers toured four farms in Hampshire and Franklin counties on Friday to better understand the challenges facing farming communities in western Massachusetts. The tour included stops at Simple Gifts Farm in Amherst and Reed Farm in Sunderland, as well as Barstow’s Dairy Store … Read more
MassLive By Jim Kinney | jkinney@repub.com September 17, 2021 HADLEY — Denise Barstow, a seventh-generation farmer, enlivened a tour Friday for state lawmakers, their staff, and advocates for the network of farms and retailers that make up the local food system by answering a question children typically ask. “What does a cow say?” Barstow, the … 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
Meet with your Massachusetts State Representative, Dan Carey, on Saturday, March 7, 9am-10am at Barstow’s Dairy Store and Bakery. Community Office Hours are held every month in each of the four communities in the 2nd Hampshire District. Office hours are intended to create opportunities for constituents to have open conversations with State Representative Dan Carey, … Read more
2020 Pioneer Valley Regional Agricultural Conference on January 18th from 9am to noon at the Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School in Northampton. This is a free event. Doors open at 8:30am. The snow date is on January 25th at the same time and place. Farmers, foresters, landowners, landscapers and others will have the opportunity … Read more
By Jo Comerford Posted June 24, 2019 In The People’s Blog JUNE IS DAIRY MONTH IN MASSACHUSETTS. THAT’S WHY I JOINED CONSTITUENTS AND DENISE BARSTOW FOR A TOUR OF HER FAMILY’S DIARY FARM IN HADLEY. Denise is an 7th generation farmer. That means that her family has cared for the land they’ve farmed for over … Read more
The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) offered a farm business planning course though the winter. I was fortunate to be able to take this course, giving me the skills to make my family’s farm more profitable and sustainable. And I was also fortunate to become acquainted with the Diemand family in my class. Tessa … Read more