Agriculture

01/21/2012

A healthy 2012: practicing what we preach

 

Signing

On January 1st, 2012, the Departments of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), Public Health (DPH), and Agricultural Resources (DAR) signed a joint resolution with the mutual goal of encouraging people to maintain a healthy lifestyle through year-round outdoor recreation and quiet enjoyment in our state parks and eating locally grown and produced agricultural products. The event was celebrated statewide at over nine locations from the Blue Hills Reservation in Milton to western Massachusetts' Mount Greylock State Reservation, where more than 1,700 visitors came out to enjoy nature and get some exercise on a beautiful winter day.

In 2012, our agencies will be promoting the physical, emotional, and nutritional health of our residents, visitors, and of course our own employees!  And one of those employees is DAR Commissioner Scott Soares. Commissioner Soares has committed to losing two pounds per month via a friendly inter-agency “Choose Two for You” challenge that will culminate with a celebration of our collective achievements at a 2K-thon challenge at a featured farm location and/or DCR state park in the fall of 2012. We look forward to seeing many of our colleagues -- including DPH Commissioner John Auerbach -- at the event!

In the meantime, we thought we’d share some of the great “Two for You” challenges we’ve sent out across the agencies:

  • Visit at least two Massachusetts state parks each season and engage in a recreational activity such as hiking, biking or walking.
  • Eat fruits and vegetables (preferably locally-grown) at least two times a day to reach the five or more daily recommended servings and include 2-3 servings of whole-grains (any food made from wheat, rice, barley, oats, or another cereal grain) each day. Go to www.choosemyplate.gov for more information.
    First Day Hike
  • For those who exceed their healthy weight (Body Mass Index [BMI] greater than 25), lose at least two pounds a month until your healthy ideal weight is reached (Please consult your physician first). Calculate your BMI at www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi
  • Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator at least two times a week or check out other tips offered at www.mass.gov/massinmotion
  • Integrate movement into your workday at least twice every two hours e.g. a walk to the water cooler, take a lap around the office, do some stretches at your work area.  Take a longer walk in a park, along a greenway or a sidewalk during lunch.
  • Include muscle-strengthening activities two times per week.
  • Exercise for at least two days a week for 30 minutes (e.g. a brisk two-mile walk) towards achieving the recommended 2 hours and 20 minutes per week. Check out DCR’s Healthy Heart Trails in over 70 state parks across the state!
  • Add at least two new exercise routines to your current workout.
  • Try two new recreational activities this year such as canoeing, kayaking, snowshoeing, mountain biking or camping.

Comments (0)

12/13/2011

Ringing up the 12 Days of Christmas

The holiday season is upon us with just 12 days to go before Christmas Day! It’s the perfect time to  to reflect on the classic Twelve Days of Christmas carol. In the spirit of the season, each year we calculate how much it would cost to make those purchases today in Massachusetts. 

Thanks to DAR staff and our friends at the Department of Fish and Game we had some fun estimating the prices of the agricultural and wildlife products and services mentioned in the song. 

MA Dairy FarmEight maids a-milking? At $8 to $10 an hour, eight maids (or lads) a’ milking would cost around $50. It takes less than half an hour to milk a cow. But of course that doesn't account for the total cost of producing the milk. 

Seven swans a-swimming could cost you in fines up to $375 to $20 to $50 per bird plus an additional $25 for illegal possession of mute swans. Illegal possession of the birds also carries the possible penalty of 30 days in jail. If you hold a grandfathered permit for mute swans, it will cost you $30 for the lot, no new permits are issued.

Six geese a-laying? Goslings cost about $8 a piece, but, if you sought the instant gratification of laying geese, you'd need a mating pair at $40 to $100 each or $240 to $600 for the lot. 

As to five golden rings, this does not actually refer to jewelry but rather golden-ringed pheasants at a cost of $60 for five. Or, you could hunt the birds at a cost of $325 plus $10 for a hunting license. 

Grackle

Buyer beware on the four calling birds part (a.k.a. Colly birds or blackbirds). There are 65 species of blackbirds and most, like the red-winged blackbird or the common grackle, are protected by both federal and state laws. Any romantic ideas of procuring these birds will carry stiff fines and possible jail time (up to six months). It is illegal to hunt blackbirds in Massachusetts – taking these birds would cost between $50 and $300 in state fines – at $10 to $50 per bird plus an additional fine up to $100, with up to 30 days in jail and a revoked hunting license for three years. 

Door-to-door delivery of three hens from France could cost as much as $2,800 in airfare and paperwork. The cost rises to $4,000 for the additional cost of quarantining the birds for 30 days (a state requirement for livestock imported to Massachusetts) and incidental veterinary fees. Don't forget to check if your intended recipient lives in a community that allows back-yard poultry!

Two turtle doves cost about $40 a piece from a pet store licensed by DAR. A partridge (a.k.a. a ruffed grouse) is a native game bird which can be hunted in Massachusetts only in October and November.

A Massachusetts resident adult hunting license is $27.50 –other costs include shotgun ammunition, shotgun, and a ($100) Massachusetts gun license.Finally, a 9-foot, fruit-bearing pear tree costs about $100 (not including installation)!

Sound too expensive and complicated? May we suggest a Massachusetts Grown & Fresher and MassWildlife holiday buying season guides with lots of affordable, scrumptious and fun ideas. 

Happy holidays!

Comments (0)

11/22/2011

High Above the Bogs

High above the bogsOn a beautiful autumn day in late October, we set out to learn more about Massachusetts’ largest commodity crop and Thanksgiving must-have side dish, the cranberry!

The cranberry is a native plant to North America – a small tart berry which has long established its versatility as a food, drink, fabric dye, and healing agent.

Having finally outfoxed our errant GPS, we arrived just in time to the helicopter launch area at a cranberry bog in Rochester to be transported high above expansive bright red swirls of cranberries floating in the bogs below. We could also see tucked between bogs the cranberry processing plants of Ocean Spray, Inc. and Decas Cranberry Products, Inc.

To harvest the fruit, the bogs are flooded with water.  Water reels (nicknamed egg beaters) then gently dislodge the berries from the vines. The floating berries are corralled and air-pumped into a truck and taken to nearby processing facilities.

Harvesting Cranberries

Massachusetts is home to about 400 cranberry growers who grow cranberries on approximately 14,000 acres of land located primarily in Southeastern Massachusetts. The harvest and processing of cranberries is a waste not, want not enterprise. In recent years many farmers have invested in bog renovations to improve water efficiency. In the processing facilities themselves the seeds, skin, and pulp are all processed to make different products such as juice, cranberry oil, and dried cranberries.

Cranberry BogIn touring the cranberry facility, we especially loved the bounce test.  Premium berries will bounce along specially-constructed conveyers and get tagged for the market. But even they still have to jump another hurdle as they pass through color detectors that distinguish ripe from unripe berries. The less bouncy berries go the juice processing route whereas the no-bounce berries are used for composting.

Many cranberry farms are open for visitors to purchase fresh cranberries or other products at their farm stands. Many allow visitors to watch the harvest operation up close, while a few offer tours and even the chance to get into the cranberry bog.

Touring bogsWe’d definitely recommend this great outdoor adventure. Visit the MassGrown & Fresher website to find cranberry bogs you might like to visit.  Before you make plans to visit a farm, be sure to contact the grower directly. In the meantime, get your hands on some local cranberries and try out some delicious cranberry recipes from the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association Recipes page!

Comments (0)

11/09/2011

Seafood Throwdown: All About Lobster

Mary Griffin & Scott SoaresThis October we celebrated locally-caught, fresh seafood that supports Massachusetts fishing communities by participating in the Boston Local Food Festival’s Annual Seafood Throwdown. 

We served as judges, rating the seafood cooking skills of celebrity chefs, Christian Collins and Derrick Prince during a “Seafood Throwdown” and lobster fisherman Captain Steve Holler provided the “mystery fresh catch of the day” for the contest – which was lobster! 

Contest rules were simple: chefs were given $25 and 15 minutes to shop the festival’s farmers markets and stalls for fresh ingredients and prepare the lobster. It certainly wasn’t our worst job assignment to taste test the two delicious dishes prepared by the chefs – a grilled lobster salad and a lobster dish served on top of pureed potatoes with other vegetables. Congratulations to Derrick Prince for coming out on top!

During the event we announced the first commercial lobstermen to become certified under the Commonwealth Quality Program (CQP), an exclusive state label program that identifies Massachusetts agricultural and seafood products that are produced, harvested and processed responsibly. Consumers who purchase products from a CQP-certified lobsterman can be sure that they are getting a high-quality product, fished from Massachusetts waters, using approved practices for harvesting and handling.

Commonwealth Quality allDave Casoni, secretary of the Massachusetts Lobstermen's Association and Beth Casoni, the Association’s associate director, helped kick off the launch. Captain Holler, who is captain of the November Gale and a CQP-certified lobsterman, brought his boat and fresh, live lobsters for sale to the event.

The event highlighted the work by the Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance and the Gloucester Fishermen’s Wives Association to support small-scale fishermen and fishing communities and the development of local seafood markets. 

Lobster landings continue to be plentiful this time of year, and consumers should know the fall is an excellent time to get a quality lobster at a reasonable price.  Bon appétit!   

Information about lobster fishing.

Comments (0)

11/04/2011

Gleaning to fight hunger

Loading apples into truck2Never heard of “gleaning”? Not to worry – you’re not alone! When I tell folks about our new pilot Massachusetts Gleaning Network it’s not uncommon for people to ask, “What’s that?”

Gleaning is the act of harvesting leftover crops from farm fields and orchards that would otherwise not be harvested. Considering that these crops are quite literally the fruits of a farmer's labor, farmers are of course interested in finding opportunities for this food not to go to waste. Solution: Helping solve hunger!

The volunteers that help glean these crops provide an opportunity to move these crops from field-to- fork by harvesting and then delivering them to food pantries, food banks and other hunger relief organizations. USDA estimates about 96 billion pounds of pre-consumer food are wasted each year. With approximately 600,000 Massachusetts residents struggling to feed themselves, this is a wonderful way to recover some of this safe and nutritious food that would otherwise get thrown away.

Even though these crops are left behind, they are still fresh and good quality. There are all kinds of reasons why produce might not be marketable. Often it’s for cosmetic reasons, a blemish on an apple or a bruised squash. Sometimes the market price due has dropped below the harvest cost due to a high volume of a particular crop.

4H Club gleaners

On October 24, I joined Governor Patrick, EEA Secretary Sullivan and Congressman Jim McGovern and many enthusiastic volunteers from 4H, the Boston Area Gleaners, Project Bread and the Food Project at The Food Project Community Farm in Lincoln and the Tougas Family Farm in Northboro. Together we gleaned well over five bushels of carrots and 2,040 pounds of apples!

The Massachusetts Gleaning Network includes farms, volunteers, service agencies, food banks and other organizations – our role is to help them partner with one another in gleaning projects across our Commonwealth.

Gleaning is one of the most rewarding activities I’ve ever participated in and I hope you’ll join the effort.

For more information about the Massachusetts Gleaning Network contact Rose Arruda at 617.626.1849 or Rose.Arruda@state.ma.us.

Comments (0)

10/07/2011

Celebrating the cranberry harvest

CranberryBog When I think fall in Massachusetts, my mind conjures up images of the vast network of cranberry bogs that stretch across the south shore. 

The harvest itself is reason to celebrate because cranberries are so indigenous, colorful and traditional; they are a constant source of pride. With the unique wet harvesting methods employed, water floods into the bogs creating quite a spectacle. As the harvest wheel knocks the cranberries off the vines they float to the surface where they’re herded into land for picking. It makes for a stunning portrait of the New England countryside.

Cranberry scoops BCO

Nothing illustrates this unique process better than the Cranberry Harvest Festival in Wareham on October 8 - 9. It’s a wonderful year to celebrate this Massachusetts tradition, especially since the cranberry yield here is forecasted at 2.10 million barrels – up 11 percent from 2010. If production live up to estimates, it would be tied for the second largest crop on record. Favorable weather conditions during June and the first half of July aided pollination and led to a robust yield this year.

Some 14,000 acres make up the wetlands of South Eastern Massachusetts, including the cranberry bogs harvested by nearly 400 cranberry growing families. Bogs also serve as a protectorate for wetland plant and animal species. Cranberries flavor our drinks and muffins daily, and are a Thanksgiving favorite. If you have a chance, try to visit one of these bogs during harvest to see where the flavor originates. 

Use the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers Association website to find bogs that host visitors as well as our Mass Grown and Fresher site.

 Cranberry Photos from CD 017 

Comments (0)

09/27/2011

Weekly outdoor events

The Big E continues this week, running until October 2! Also known as the Eastern States Exposition, The Big E is the Northeast’s largest agricultural fair that features crafts, cooking demonstrations, concerts, and traditional fair events including a giant pumpkin and squash weigh off for kids, cheese and pie competitions and livestock competitions!

On Thursday, September 29, MassWildlife hosts another Wildlife Habitat Site Walk at 6p.m. in Chesterfield at the Hiram Fox Wildlife Management Area. Meeting at the intersection of Ireland Street and Ireland Street Extension, MassWildlife biologists and foresters will discuss both planned and completed habitat management activities for the area. This site walk is a great opportunity for interested conservation-minded citizens and landowners to learn more about management operations that benefit an array of wildlife and flora in special need of conservation.

For more Massachusetts Outdoor Events, visit The Great Outdoors interactive Google Calendar.

Comments (0)

09/22/2011

Weekly outdoor events

With fall officially underway, there are a lot of great events to get you outside this season and connected with the environment!

Tonight, from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. in Athol, biologists from MassWildlife will host a Wildlife Habitat Site Walk at Millers River at the Cass Meadow parcel of the Millers River Wildlife Management Area. Site walks are designed to provide an opportunity for interested conservation-minded citizens and landowners to observe habitat management operations that benefit different kinds of wildlife in special need of conservation.

This week kicked off the Eastern States Exposition, also known as The Big E, in West Springfield. Running through October 2, the Big E, the largest agricultural fair in the Northeast, features crafts, cooking demonstrations, concerts, and traditional fair events including a giant pumpkin and squash weigh off for kids, cheese and pie competitions and livestock competitions!

National Public Lands Day is this Saturday, September 24! National Public Lands Day is the largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve public lands in the nation. From 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., join the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and the Waltham Land Trust at the Lyman Estate at 185 Lyman Street in Waltham to lend a hand on trail work on the Massachusetts Central Rail. Gloves, tools and refreshments will be provided.

Also on Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., The Friends of Myles Standish State Forest, the DCR and MassWildlife present the 5th Annual Take Me Fishin' family event. Bring the whole family down to Myles Standish State Forest’s Fearing Pond for a fun day of fishing contests and nature activities. Fishing poles and bait will be provided, but feel free to bring your own. A Massachusetts fishing license is not required.

For more Massachusetts Outdoor Events, visit The Great Outdoors interactive Google Calendar.

Comments (0)

09/02/2011

Take your Food Shopping Outside!

Gloucester Farmers' Market 032 With the local harvest season well underway, now is the perfect time to take your shopping to the great outdoors and enjoy the bounty of Massachusetts farmers’ hard work.

A recent trip to Gloucester revealed a large and festive farmers’ market in Stage Fort Park overlooking Gloucester Harbor. 

With lots of room and over two dozen vendors or more setting up each week, the market offers a wide variety of farm and food products, including produce, fresh fish (right off the boat), two wineries, baked goods, honey, maple products, and mushrooms. Market vendors also include a wide variety of locally made specialty foods including pasta, soups, tarts, dips, prepared foods and more. Several artists from the Gloucester art community show their wares as well.

With weekly music, children’s activities, and community booths, one could easily spend an hour or more to take it all in. Bring a blanket and take your goodies down to the beach for an impromptu picnic after you shop. The park even has a small beach! The Cape Ann Farmers’ Market is located in Gloucester’s State Fort Park every Thursday, from 3:00 pm – 6:30 pm through October 13th.

The Cape Ann Farmers’ Market is one of 245 markets up and running across the state this summer and fall.  Find a local market near you!

Gloucester Farmers' Market 022

Gloucester Farmers' Market 017


Comments (0)

07/29/2011

Local wood for good

CQP stamped wood You don’t have to live in the country to be a farmer - you can grow crops outside in the city too.

Launched in 2007, Build-a-Garden teaches city residents square-foot growing methods so that urban gardeners can maximize space, create ideal growing conditions, and have a simple and structured forum for learning the basics. The Food Project provides participants with everything they need to get started – including multiple raised garden beds, soil, seeds, transplants, a growing guide, on-site workshops, and assistance throughout the planning and implementation stages of the project. Through this volunteer-fueled initiative, the organization hopes to create a thoughtful and productive community of people from diverse backgrounds who work together to build a sustainable food system.

In this instance, two local businesses came together to support each other and the community, and the positive effects promise to be long-lasting. Heyes provided product made from a natural, renewable resource that will be used to help residents of Boston and Lynn grow a variety of wholesome, fresh produce at a fraction of the cost. Likewise, The Food Project’s patronage of Heyes helps sustain local forest-based businesses that maintain healthy, working forests to create products that are important to us in everyday life. The end result is a mutually beneficial collaboration involving local products that will have a positive impact on local business, our community and the environment.

Fred Heyes, owner of Heyes Forest Products in Orange and DAR  Commonwealth Quality Program (CQP) ambassador, recently teamed up with Boston-based The Food Project to demonstrate how local wood products can be used to help build a stronger community.

In what has become an annual tradition, Heyes supplied  CQP-certified Massachusetts white pine lumber for The Food Project’s “Build-a-Garden” program, which provides Boston-area residents the opportunity to grow their own food successfully and safely in urban neighborhoods through raised bed and container gardening. The locally sourced and manufactured lumber will be used to construct garden beds for the community support program.

Heyes BAnsfield Botelho

The Food Project is currently accepting Build-a-Garden volunteer applications for the fall 2011 growing season. To learn more about this and other Food Project volunteer opportunities, please visit: http://thefoodproject.org/volunteer. 

Those interested in applying for Build-a-Garden support can contact the program coordinator, Kathleen Banfield, by calling (617) 442-1322 x12 or by sending an email to buildagarden@thefoodproject.org.

To learn more about DAR’s Commonwealth Quality Program, which promotes high-quality Massachusetts agricultural products that are responsibly produced, harvested and processed, or to locate a CQP business near you, please visit  http://www.mass.gov/cqp. 

Comments (1)

Next »

Categories

Featured Content

Meet the Bloggers

Photo Gallery


  • View out Flickr Gallery

Related Sites

Archives