Agriculture

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)

06/01/2011

Asparagus Festival spearheads the harvest season

Festival activities_LeBlanc family Recently, our colleague Rick LeBlanc staffed the MassGrown tent at West Brookfield’s 9th Annual Asparagus and Flower Heritage Festival on the town common. Asparagus is one of the first harvests of spring and is much enjoyed for its delicate flavor. Studies have also shown that the stalks are high in antioxidants and a good source for folic acid and potassium. 
 
What started out as a small event with a dozen or so vendors in 2003 has now expanded to more than 100 local growers and artisans participating this year. Festivities included performances by local musicians Dick Chase and Samantha Gillogly, a frog jumping contest, children dancing around a May pole, and most importantly – lots of asparagus along Asparagus Alley including asparagus chowder, asparagus wrapped in prosciutto, and asparagus chicken wraps.
 
Many people in the know associate asparagus with the Pioneer Valley, but when you look at the history, its roots are in West Brookfield. It’s said that a Dutch Consul, Diederik Leertouwer, came to Massachusetts and New England in 1790 to promote trade. After making his home in West Brookfield, Mr. Leertouwer purportedly had asparagus roots shipped from Europe so he could grow and enjoy one of his favorite vegetables. Every year since, asparagus patches crop up each spring around the Foster Hill area of West Brookfield. Rick-n-tent-
 
This festival is among many of its kind that have an agricultural theme and which are popping up across the state.
 
June 4: Dairy Day at Drumlin Farm
 
June 4-5:  9th Annual Apple Blossom Bash

June 18: Strawberry Soiree at Red Fire Farm

Calendar of MassGrown events

Day at the Asparagus Festival


Comments (0)

05/24/2011

Growing native?

When I think of spring, images of brightly colored tulips and buttercups instantly come to mind. I love looking out my window every day and watching color return to the landscape. It seems as if spring never comes fast enough to relieve my winter gloom.

Luckily, those of us living on the coast have a distinct advantage—a longer growing season! According to the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management, Coastal residents have a 40-day head start on the growing season compared to their inland counterparts.

A great way to enhance curb appeal, a garden provides a welcome burst of color, texture, and interest to the home. Gardening is also an activity suitable for everyone in the family..

If you live in a coastal region, such as the Cape, the Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) has some tips on growing native—a sustainable and environmentally friendly way to bring color and life to your home. Selecting native plants for your garden has the added advantage of providing erosion control and habitats for native wildlife - not to mention that once these trees, s shrubs, and flowers are established, they require less maintenance and care.

First, look for plants that are well adapted to strong winds, salt spray, and a low diversity of nutrients in the soil. 

CZM's list of compatible flowers, trees, and shrubs

One of my favorites is the lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) which thrives in full sun, and has the added benefit of attracting wildlife and producing delicious fruit for harvest in mid-late summer. Another is the Virginia Rose (Rosa virginiana), the plant’s fragrant blossoms are 2-3 inches in diameter and bloom from June through August.

Why not plant some Seaside Goldenrod (Solidago sempervirens)? The vibrant golden-yellow flowers add a burst of color, while the plant’s fleshy, waxy leaves retain water, making the plant ideal for coastal landscaping. Contrary to popular belief, goldenrod is not the culprit for seasonal allergy sufferers - the real bad guy is ragweed, which is part of the sunflower family.

Lowbush Blueberry
Lowbush Blueberry
Photo: University of Connecticut Plant Database

Rosvir00
Virginia Rose
Photo: University of Connecticut Plant Database

Nerr0245
Seaside Golendrod
Photo: NOAA Estuarine Research Reserve Collection, NOAA Photo Library

Comments (0)

« Previous | Next »

Categories

Featured Content

Meet the Bloggers

Photo Gallery


  • View out Flickr Gallery

Related Sites

Archives