Spring Has Sprung
Say Goodbye to Winter Farmer's Market
Berkshire Grown's Winter Farmers Market
Berkshire Grown's Winter Farmers Market features the freshest locally grown and produced foods and gifts, including vegetables, cheeses, meats, breads, preserved foods, plus the yummiest grilled sausages, egg sandwiches, and lamb kebabs. These tremendously popular events take place on the 3rd Saturday of the month - November through April.

Shoppers can find their favorite farmers and vendors from 10 am to 2 pm at Monument Valley Middle School in Great Barrington. The markets feature fun activities for kids, food for lunch, and live music. Admission is always free and SNAP/EBT is accepted at all markets.

For more information about this and upcoming markets, visit BerkshireGrown.org/FarmersMarket.

The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center

Get your tickets now for the Great Barrington Farmers Market's first ever fundraiser! 

Join your friends and neighbor farmers on April 27, for a night of storytelling at The Mahaiwe. Tickets are on sale now and all proceeds go towards the summer Market's Nutrition Assistance Programs - doubling SNAP, WIC, and Senior Farmers Market checks.

This is a chance to help support this important effort to bring nutritious local food to your neighbors' tables while also supporting local farms and small businesses.

Visit  GreatBarringtonFarmersMarket.org  for more information about the market and upcoming events.

Gould Farm's Harvest Barn
Modern Farmer ran a great story about Gould Farm last month. 

Many of us in the Berkshires are familiar with this Monterey farm's delicious farm stand and beautiful location, but this article is a wonderful way to learn more about the history of the place and the wonderful work that happens there.

Berkshire Grown appreciates all that Gould Farm does for their guests and for promoting healthy farm practices.

Read the whole article here.  

Mill River Greenhouse
Keeping the greens and other fresh produce growing year-round is tricky business in the Berkshires. 

Check out this great article by Hannah Van Sickle for The Berkshire Edge and learn how some Berkshire farmers keep producing food throughout the winter months. Come meet Jan and her farm crew at Berkshire Grown's last Winter Farmers Market on this Saturday, 

Read Hannah's article here.  

ACTION NEEDED ON HIP:  Ask your state representative to co-sponsor an amendment to support HIP! The House Ways and Means budget was released Wednesday with $4 million for HIP - not enough funding for the program to offer support to low income families through the whole year.

Issues of food security and access to healthy food are at the forefront of the work we do at Berkshire Grown. The Healthy Incentives Program (HIP) provides a dollar-for-dollar match for SNAP money spent on fruits and vegetables purchased at participating farmers markets, farm stands, mobile markets, and community supported agriculture (CSA) programs statewide. HIP increased local farmers' sales of fruits and vegetables by nearly $3 million last year and that funding needs to be renewed for this year.

State Representatives Hannah Kane  and  Daniel Donahue  are submitting an amendment to increase the currently-budgeted amount to $8.5 million in FY20. Please call or email your state representative today and share what HIP means to you! You can find your state representative's contact information at  malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator , or click here to visit our Action Center:  act.voicesactioncenter.org/5PIGJS1 .

Read more about HIP  here . 

Check out  Find Food and Farms  for the list of CSAs in the region. Some farms fill up early, so sign up now! 

CSA = Community Supported Agriculture 

If you join a CSA Farm now, you provide the farmer with funds to buy seeds and supplies. During the growing season you receive a share of the crops.  Some CSAs continue into the winter; check it out: Find Food and Farms. 

A sobering and honest look at the realities of farming.

While we all do our part to mitigate climate change and correct government policies that make it harder to be a farmer in today's society, it is important to remember that the act of buying local food directly from the producer can have a remarkable impact on that farmer's bottom line. 

Read the entire post here. 

Save the Date:
2019 Harvest Supper
Monday, September 23, 2019
Ski Butternut
Mark your calendar and be on the lookout for information this summer. We'll see you there!

Thank You!
This year's Spring Supper was a stand-out success!

Thank you to everyone who joined us in this celebration of Spring, local food, and our local farmers. Thank you especially to those who donated to Berkshire Grown and its program, Share the Bounty.

Special thank you to Host Chef Alex Hammond from the Mezze Restaurant Group, Chef Jim Lowe from the Country Club of Pittsfield, Chef Daire Rooney from Morgan's at the Interlaken Inn, Chef Peter Platt from The Old Inn on the Green, and Chocolatier Doria Polinger from H.R. Zeppelin Fine Handmade Chocolates.

Thank you for your support of local food and farms!

Support Berkshire Grown, local food, and our farmers.

Stay in Touch
Berkshire Grown's e-newsletter comes out monthly. 
Please send information to  [email protected] .

Margaret Moulton, Executive Director
Megan Faller, Program Manager
Alicia Rossie, Communications Director
Join Berkshire Grown here .