UMass Amherst Urban Agriculture and Nutrition Program

06/20/2020

Franco’s Garden, June 19, 2020

06/09/2020

Franco’s Garden , June 7,2020

06/09/2020

Franco’s Garden, June 7, 2020

05/29/2020

Cccc

05/29/2020

Franco in the garden May 25th

Franco in the garden May 25th

05/26/2020

Update on Franco’s vegetable garden May 25,2020

05/20/2020

Using row cover to grow vegetables in Massachusetts.

Frank Mangan talking about the use of floating row cover in vegetable gardens
https://www.facebook.com/frank.mangan.39/videos/2959343450844009/

05/20/2020

Here is Frank Mangan talking about the use of floating row cover for vegetables and herbs in Massachusetts - https://www.facebook.com/frank.mangan.39/videos/2959343450844009/

11/16/2018

Delay, Deny and Deflect: How Facebook’s Leaders Fought Through Crisis

This is my first Facebook post since May 22, 2018. I started this page on June 13, 2014 to promote and educate about our outreach and research activities related to vegetable and herb crops popular among the growing immigrant and ethnic groups living in our region, and can be grown in the Northeastern US, including Massachusetts. I don’t use Facebook personally, but I found the use of this professional page to be very useful – many people learned and benefited from our work due to this page.

I stopped posting on May 22 for various reasons, one of which was due to the accusations that Facebook was being used by Russians to interfere in our elections. Then I read this article in yesterdays New York Times - https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/14/technology/facebook-data-russia-election-racism.html?action=click&module=inline&pgtype=Homepage. Facebook not only knew that this interference was happening, but then hired PR firms to blame others, including George Soros who has become a boogie man of the right. Completely unacceptable!

I had been thinking of starting to post on Facebook again in the spring to promote and inform on new work we’ll be doing….not sure now….

Russian meddling, data sharing, hate speech — the social network faced one scandal after another. This is how Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg responded.

05/22/2018

On Saturday I had the honor of visiting Despensa Familiar in Waltham Mass., 34 Elm Street, https://www.yelp.com/biz/despensa-familiar-waltham and got a tour from the owner, Lilian Rojas, in the pink blouse to my right in the picture taken in the kitchen.

Doña Lilian has been buying Massachusetts-grown chipilín to sell at her market in Waltham and also supply wholesale to many of her accounts in New England and New York. She appreciates the excellent quality of chipilín grown by farmers in Massachusetts.

In the picture taken in the kitchen I am holding frozen chipilín, for sale at this market, both in a package and in a bowl, ready for preparing tamalitos de chipilín, which was my lunch.

04/26/2018

I visited Angelo Bonanno at Pleasant Valley Gardens yesterday to check in on their chipilín transplants. They have been growing this leafy green for several years with great success. Producing the transplants can be tricky on multiple levels, starting with the fact that the germination is extremely variable and can be as low as 3% - this year’s seed topped out at 20% germ, which we see as spectacular!

Chipilín is a staple among Salvadorans, Guatemalans and Mexicans (Southern only). There are hundreds of thousands of these immigrants in Massachusetts and several million in the Northeastern US.

I was talking with Angelo about his Italian heritage and he shared with me that his father was born in Italy and came to Methuen with his father, Angelo’s grandfather, as a child. Angelo’s grandfather was a tenant farmer who did not own the land he farmed in Italy, which is why he and millions of other Italians came to the United States, as did my Italian great-grand parents, in search of a better life.

So, here is a son of an Italian citizen growing a crop popular among newer waves of immigrants also leaving their countries of origin in search of a better life.

Also in the picture is Juliana Larcerda, a worker at Pleasant Valley Gardens, who is from Brazil. We have the largest Brazilian population in Massachusetts, some 250,000, and they buy hundreds of millions of dollars of agricultural products/year, with much grown in Massachusetts. Immigrant populations, starting with the pilgrims and up to Central Americans and Brazilians have always represented new opportunities for farmers in Massachusetts to produce products that are staples among these groups.

This was the case for my grandparents who emigrated from Ireland and my great-grandparents from Italy. And yes, sometimes their immigration status is complicated…my grandmother, born on a farm in Ireland, came to the US on what we now know was a fake passport….

04/13/2018

The Stockbridge School of Agriculture, UMass Amherst

Our work been highlighted at Stockbridge School of Agriculture page!

Ever wonder what kind of work our graduate students are doing? Over the past several years some of our graduate students have been working with professor Frank Mangan from the Urban Agriculture Program to grow and research crops popular in latino communities to help provide resources about culturally relevant crops to latino farmers and communities in Massachusetts. Check out this web page on Ají Dulce, a sweet pepper native to Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba where you can get specific information about growing this crop and about the marketing and production of Ají Dulce!

04/04/2018

The Health Incentives Program will continue! Great news for our community!

I am very pleased to announce that the House Ways and Means Committee just released a supplemental budget that includes $2.15 million for the Healthy Incentives Program!

Because funding for HIP had run out, the program was going to be suspended this month. This additional funding will allow the Healthy Incentives Program to continue for the rest of the year until the FY19 budget is released.

HIP has generated a whole new customer base at farmers markets, specifically SNAP customers who now have the ability to purchase fresh, local produce and be reimbursed for their purchases through this program. Because it is the first supplemental nutrition program of this kind in the country, farmers markets and government agencies alike teamed up to educate families throughout the state about how to use HIP- and it has been a resounding success. That is why it is crucial that this program not be suspended.

Thank you to all of the constituents, farmers, and advocates who contacted me and worked to support funding for this remarkable program. Your advocacy is paying off, and I am hopeful that the Senate will concur with this recommendation and the program will be funded for the foreseeable future.

03/14/2018

This morning at Bomba FM. Contact Jharikem Borrero to enroll on the 2018 one hundred farmers at Nuestras Raices.

Zoraia Barros, teacher of the 100 Farmers Program! She came today to BOMBA 104.5FM to speak more about the program and how sustainable agriculture works. Don't miss the chance, if you are interested in agriculture full your application now. Below is the link.

ESPAÑOL

¡Zoraia Barros, maestra del Programa de 100 granjeros! Ella vino hoy a BOMBA 104.5FM para hablar más sobre el programa y cómo funciona la agricultura sostenible. No se pierda la oportunidad, si está interesado en la agricultura, complete su solicitud ahora. A continuación está el enlace.

https://goo.gl/forms/JgEhUvkYpJ1WHh213

01/15/2018

El Stockbridge School of Agriculture de UMass (https://stockbridge.cns.umass.edu/), Casa Latina, Inc. en Northampton (http://www.casalatinainc.org/) y the Community Involved in Sustainable Agriculture (CISA) (http://www.buylocalfood.org/) están trabajando juntos para promover el Northampton Winter Farmers Market (http://northamptonwintermarket.com/), para aquellos latinos en el área, incluidos aquellos que son elegibles para el Healthy Incentive Program (Programa de Incentivos Saludables!) (HIP) (http://www.mass.gov/agr/massgrown/hip.htm; http://www.mass.gov/.../mas.../docs/hip-snap-dollars-spanish.pdf)

Este “farmers’ market” (mercado de agricultores) está abierto desde las 9 AM hasta las 2 PM todos los sábados hasta el 21 de abril de 2018, y está ubicado en el Northampton Senior Center, 67 Conz Street.

Estamos organizando transporte para latinos hacia y desde este mercado el sábado 20 de enero. Habrá hispanohablantes en el mercado para ayudar a gente como a usar HIP.

A continuación se puede ver algunas imágenes tomadas en este mercado el sábado 13 de enero de algunos de los cultivos locales que se venden todos los sábados. Hay muchos cultivos disponibles que son populares entre diferentes grupos de latinos, como cebolla, ajo, papas, batatas, repollo, zanahorias, entre otros.

Póngase en contacto con Zoraia Barros con UMass Amherst para obtener más información: [email protected]; celular: 413 658-4278

01/15/2018

The Stockbridge School of Agriculture at UMass Amherst (https://stockbridge.cns.umass.edu/), Casa Latina, Inc. in Northampton (http://www.casalatinainc.org/) and the Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) (http://www.buylocalfood.org/) are working together to promote the Northampton Winter Farmers Market (http://northamptonwintermarket.com/), to Latinos living in the area, including those who are eligible for the Healthy Incentives Program HIP, (http://www.mass.gov/agr/massgrown/hip.htm, http://www.mass.gov/agr/massgrown/docs/hip-snap-dollars-spanish.pdf)

This farmers’ market is open from 9 AM until 2 PM every Saturday until April 21, 2018, and is located at the Northampton Senior Center, 67 Conz Street.

We are organizing rides for Latinos to go to and from this winter farmers’ market on Saturday January 20th. There will be Spanish speakers at the market to assist on how to use HIP.

Below are some pictures taken at the farmers’ market on Saturday, January 13th of some of the locally-grown crops that are for sale at this market every Saturday. There are many crops available popular among different Latino groups, such as onions, garlic, potatoes, sweet potatoes, cabbage, carrots among others.

Contact Zoraia Barros with UMass Amherst for more information: [email protected]; cell: 413 658-4278

01/11/2018

John CISA at the Northampton Winter's Farmers Market this Saturday, January 13 for a special Winter Fare Day! A full day of free demos, activities for kids, music, and more, plus the amazing range of great local food and crafts that await you weekly at this market. Come on in and bring family and friends.
Activities
10am: Storytime with Ronnie!
Kids’ story time with Ronnie
10am: Windowsill Microgreen Gardening
with Bryce Comprone of Wild for Greens
11am: Easy Homemade Cheese
with Peter Dixon & Rachel Fritz Schaal of Parish Hill Creamery
12pm: Making Tortillas
with Jorge Sosa of Mi Tierra Tortillas
1pm: Make-it! Upcycling Craft Workshop
with Ed Rutledge of the Center for EcoTechnology
@
Noho Senior Center
67 Conz ST. Northampton Ma

01/11/2018

John CISA at the Northampton Winter's Farmers Market this Saturday, January 13 for a special Winter Fare Day! A full day of free demos, activities for kids, music, and more, plus the amazing range of great local food and crafts that await you weekly at this market. Come on in and bring family and friends.
Activities

10am: Storytime with Ronnie!
Kids’ story time with Ronnie

10am: Windowsill Microgreen Gardening
with Bryce Comprone of Wild for Greens

11am: Easy Homemade Cheese
with Peter Dixon & Rachel Fritz Schaal of Parish Hill Creamery

12pm: Making Tortillas
with Jorge Sosa of Mi Tierra Tortillas

1pm: Make-it! Upcycling Craft Workshop
with Ed Rutledge of the Center for EcoTechnology
@
Noho Senior Center
67 Conz ST. Northampton Ma

12/04/2017

Ya está abierto en Amherst Mass. Farmers’ Market (mercado de agricultores) de invierno! Se han movido a otro sitio este año – por años estuvo en una escuela en Amherst, pero ya están en el Hampshire Mall, 367 Russell St. Los agricultores están ubicados al lado de Target, dentro del Mall.

Hay vendedores que aceptan HIP! Este programa hace doble el valor del EBT cuando se compra productos frescos cultivados en Massachusetts. - http://www.mass.gov/agr/massgrown/docs/hip-snap-dollars-spanish.pdf. Todos los productos a la venta en este mercado son cultivados en Massachusetts.

Se encuentran muchos productos a la venta que son populares entre latinos – aquí son fotos que tomé en el mercado el primero de diciembre: calabaza, zahoriaría, repollo, manzana, cebolla, ajo, entre otros.

Vengan y disfruten!

11/20/2017

Nothing like hot atole at 6 AM at the central market in Pinotepa Oaxaca. Market for this hot beverage for people looking for non-caffeinated drinks? https://www.curiouscuisiniere.com/mexican-atole/

11/20/2017

Saw lot's of hierba mora and chipilin in a fresh market in Pinotepa Oaxaca Mexico while attending the First International Symposium of Agro-Industry in Latin America. These are two very popular leafy greens among several ethnicities in Massachusetts and region. We'll work collaboratively with the Universdad de La Costa, located in Pintepa, to send viable seed to Massachusetts to provide to farmers to grow and market.

11/20/2017

Great to be invited to speak at the First International Symposium of Agro-Industry in Latin America held at the Universidad de la Costa in Pinotepa Oaxaca Mexico. I especially want to thank my great friend and colleague Ing. Leidy Laura Cruz the organizer of this international conference, for the invitation.

They had several cultural events at the conference, including older Mixteca children teaching younger ones how to make tortillas, in the Mixteca language, while their parents danced in the background. Padrísimo!

10/04/2017

Yesterday at Farmers' Market at Forest Park we sold pigeon pea for the first time. It is well known among Puerto Ricans, Dominicans and Cubans as gandules, Haitians as pwa Congo and Cape Verdeans as feijão figueira.
We had this vegetable at Rainbow Harvest Farm stand as part of the implementation of the Health Incentives Program - HIP in Massachusetts.
#pigeonpeas
#pwaCongo
#feijaofigueira
#SpringfieldMA

09/23/2017

09/22/2017

We want to thank Beth Kazimer for all her work with us during this summer. Beth was one of the University of Massachusetts Amherst Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment’s (CAFE) Summer Scholars Program. Beth assisted on many projects, including maintaining our trials at the UMass Research Farm in Deerfield, which included pigeon peas, a staple among Puerto Ricans and Dominicans, and what she is working on in this picture.

Beth also got the opportunity to learn some Spanish - gracias Beth por todo tu trabajo!

09/21/2017

UMass Amherst Urban Agriculture and Nutrition Program

09/03/2017

Beto Gody Hernández, a PhD student with the #stockbridgeschoolofagriculture, doing surveys with Latino customers at C-Town market in Holyoke on September 2. The goal of the survey is to establish the most popular type of ají dulce for farmers in Massachusetts to plant in the future. Beto will be doing some 250 individual surveys with ají dulce varieties grown at the UMass Research Farm in Deerfield before frost.
Beto used fresh pigeon peas, called #gandules in Spanish, gown at our research farm as an incentive to take the survey. Gandules are a staple in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic and the preference is for fresh, which are very rare in markets in Massachusetts. The survey takes about 10 minutes, and many are willing to do it IF they can get gandules!

08/30/2017

#StockbridgeSchoolofAgriculture, #CISA and the #ForestParkspringfieldMa farmers' market organized a tour of this farmers' market for #Bhutanese refugees living in #SpringfieldMa.

There are more than 6,000 Bhutanese referees living in the Springfield area. They are documented and many are eligible for SNAP and thus HIP at retail markets selling only local produce.

08/25/2017

UMass graduate student Beto Godoy-Hernandez interviewing two Puerto Rican women at Nuestras Raices about their preference for fresh gandules (pigeon peas in English) (video is in Spanish)

08/25/2017

Fresh pigeon pea harvest is beginning at the UMass Research Farm. Pigeon peas, called gandules in Spanish, are a staple in Puerto Rican and Dominican cuisine, the two largest Latino ethnicities in Massachusetts. Gandules are readily available in Latino and traditional markets where there are Puerto Rican and Dominicans, but never fresh - only frozen and canned. Puerto Ricans prefer them fresh. Look for them at participating HIP markets.
#gandules
#guandules
#HIP