On The Issues | Agriculture

Supporting Local Agriculture

My father grew up on a farm in southern Vermont. Our family home in Franklin County reflected his rural roots with big, bountiful gardens to feed our large family of nine kids, a well-stocked root cellar and canning cupboard for the long winters, and a small menagerie of cows, chickens, and other in-town "family pets." As a teen, I worked several summers on the Stacy Farm in Colrain, growing vegetables for sale at the Greenfield Farmer's Market.

Those experiences make it easy for me to connect with Northampton's rich history of agriculture. The city seal includes a rake and hoe, reminders of our proud agricultural past - and present. The city is home to the oldest continuously running agricultural fair in the United States, held each September at the Three County Fairground.

The last decade has seen a surge of interest in locally produced agriculture. Local markets showcase locally grown food, and Northampton now has three weekly farmers' markets during the growing season. With the development of the new community gardens in Florence, Northampton will now have 800 garden plots for residents to use.

Northampton is well-positioned to be the center of a local food economy in the valley. We need to support our farmers, to encourage opportunities to add value to locally produced products, to build an infrastructure to support local agricultural production, and to extend markets for local products. The Agricultural Commission is already supporting research upon which to build this economy, and as Mayor I will work to support those efforts.

Good nutrition helps children in school, something I know first-hand as the parent of two middle schoolers. We should make every effort to include more fresh, healthy and locally produced food into our school lunch programs. At the same time we should reduce the availability of foods that lead to obesity and diabetes in children. As Mayor, I will support the ongoing work of the Board of Health in this effort.

Back to main