Farmer Harrison Bardwell, right, speaks to U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, front left, other state officials, and members from the United States Department of Agriculture and Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources during a visit to Bardwell Farm, Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025, in Hatfield. Staff Photo/Daniel Jacobi II

McGovern’s Annual Tour Highlights Need for Support
This week, Bardwell Farm had the honor of hosting Congressman Jim McGovern during his 15th annual farm tour through the region. He was joined by state officials from USDA and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, and together we walked the fields, stepped inside the high tunnels, and talked about the challenges and opportunities that farms like ours face every single day.

A Look Inside the High Tunnels
We showed Congressman McGovern our two 200-foot high tunnels where bell peppers and tomatoes were growing strong - a full month ahead of the outdoor field season. These tunnels help us achieve our dream of becoming a “365 farm,” with fresh greens available even through the winter.

But as we explained during the tour, this year hasn’t been easy. Weather extremes, market swings, and political uncertainty have made 2025 one of our most challenging seasons since we started in 2016. To keep moving forward, we need three more high tunnels to help stabilize production and meet the growing demand for local produce year-round.

Concerns About Federal Program Cuts
The conversation turned serious when we talked about losing federal funding in programs like LFPA (Local Food Purchase Assistance) and Farm to School. These initiatives are critical for connecting local farms to schools, hospitals, and food pantries - and when the funding goes away, so does a reliable market for what we grow.

We also discussed cuts to SNAP and the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP), which make it more difficult for families to afford fresh food. These programs don’t just help farms - they strengthen entire communities by making sure everyone can put healthy meals on the table.

Stanley Zalewski picks a ripe bundle of romaine lettuce at the Wellspring Harvest greenhouse in Springfield, Massachusetts | Alexi Cohan  GBH News

Massachusetts farmers scrambling to sell crops after USDA funding cuts leave them without a buyer
Alexi Cohan | GBH News

May 01, 2025 On a humid April afternoon at Wellspring Harvest in Springfield, Stanley Zalewski is in the midst of a rapid search for a backup plan to sell countless heads of lettuce and basil plants.

He doesn’t have a buyer for much of the upcoming summer harvest, as he was expecting.

This season, the U.S. Department of Agriculture cut $1 billion in two federal grant programs that had helped schools and food hubs pay for locally produced food. That’s left Massachusetts farmers scrambling in an already difficult-to-sustain industry — while the schools, food hubs, food pantries and food banks who got those grants grapple with an unifiable gap in fresh, local food.... read more

Protesters stood outside of Hadley's Town Hall on March 23 to speak out against federal funding cuts impacting local farms. JOHN GOVE

John Gove is a family farmer and environmental journalist in Leominster.

No federal grants spells bad news for the Mass. local food ecosystem
Funding cuts are taking money out of farmers’ pockets and food out
of hungry mouths.
By John Gove Updated April 23, 2025, 3:00 a.m.

Sunny afternoons in the spring mean New England farmers are tending to their
greenhouses, working with livestock, or pruning their fruit trees in preparation for the upcoming growing season. Protesting usually doesn’t make the list of chores.

In late March, several hundred farmers, their supporters, and legislators gathered at
the Town Hall in Hadley to voice their frustration with cuts made by the Department
of Government Efficiency to federal programs that provide grants to farmers...

​Read full article

Harvest Cash Cash Open Enrollment Link:
www.bardwellfarm.com/hcc.html

​About Bardwell Farm:

Bardwell Farm is a 50 acre diversified vegetable farm settled in Hatfield, Massachusetts growing over 50 varieties of crops in some of the richest silt loams along the Connecticut River. Established in 1685, we are proud to cultivate the finest produce and serve the Pioneer Valley through our roadside farm stand and wholesale distribution services.

Contact:

Rick Labrecque | Sales & Marketing Manager
[email protected]
(413) 800-5583

Social Media:

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Threads > www.threads.net/@bardwellfarm
Bluesky > https://bsky.app/profile/bardwellfarm.bsky.social

Photo Bardwell Farm | Katie Degnan 

I want to extend my deepest gratitude for the opportunity to speak at the Hadley Farm Rally. It was truly inspiring to stand alongside so many passionate advocates for our local food system, especially in light of the devastating federal funding cuts.

The USDA's decision to cancel the Local Food for Schools and the LFPA (Local Food Purchase Assistance Program) is a direct assault on the resilience of our communities. It will have a profound impact on our children, our farmers, and our local economy for a very long time.

A big thank you to Kerry Taylor, your leadership is truly remarkable. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to this cause.

Kristen Wilmer, Stephen Taranto, and Claire Morenon of CISA, thank you for your guidance, support, and dedication to our farming community.

It was an honor to share the stage with all of you. Each of your stories resonated deeply and highlighted the urgent need to address these cuts. The impact extends far beyond spreadsheets; they affect real people, real families, and real communities.

For the folks who weren't there, the rally was an attempt to communicate the tangible losses our local farms, schools, food pantrys will be facing. The $12.2 million in Massachusetts alone, is not just a number; it represents lost opportunities for our children to access healthy, locally sourced food, and a severe blow to the livelihoods of farmers.

The impact will ripple through our communities. Schools will struggle to afford healthy food, local food hubs will face financial strain, and farmers will be left with unsold produce and unfinished projects. The domino effect is undeniable, and the consequences will be felt by us all.

Thank you again for providing a platform to address these critical issues. I am committed to continuing this fight alongside all of you.

Remember, our unity is our strength.

Harrison Bardwell
​

Video Bardwell Farm | Katie Degnan

Related:

• Local farmers lose USDA resources as federal cuts continue - Concord Bridge
  
• Valley farmers sound off over ag cuts at ‘Attack on Small Farms’ rally - Gazette
• ‘Cut hay, not USDA’: Mass. farmers rally in Hadley - Commonwealth Beacon
• Death by a thousand cuts - The Boston Globe​

​

Harrison talks about the Trump Administration cutting 1 billion dollars in federal funding, including LFPA and the Farm to School program.

USDA cancels 1 billion in local food | Politico
https://www.bardwellfarm.com/blog/usda-cancels-1b-in-local-food#
​
Death by a thousand cuts | Boston Globe
https://www.bardwellfarm.com/blog/death-by-a-thousand-cuts#

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Seedlings grow in starter trays at Urban Edge Farm in Cranston, R.I. The incubator farm, operated by Southside Community Land Trust, provides small farmers with access to land, greenhouses, and equipment. While farmers can continue growing, recent USDA cuts eliminating nearly $3 million from local food programs will significantly reduce market opportunities
ERIN CLARK/GLOBE STAFF

The smash-and-grabbers who now run the country will destroy it with
their indiscriminate federal funding cuts. Here’s the damage one cut,
among the thousands, can do.
By Yvonne Abraham Globe Columnist, Updated March 15, 2025, 2:00 p.m.
​
The federal government was doing something smart, wonderful, and cost-effective for kids, small farmers, and the wider economy in Massachusetts...

USDA ended the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program and the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program. | Rogelio V. Solis/AP

USDA cancels $1B in local food purchasing for schools, food banks
States have been notified that they will not receive 2025 funding for schools to buy food from nearby farms.
Marcia Brown | Politco

The Agriculture Department has axed two programs that gave schools and food banks money to buy food from local farms and ranchers, halting more than $1 billion in federal spending. read more...

CSA Farm Share
The relationship between a CSA member and a farmer is a very unique one. Both benefit from the experience in many different ways and we’ve learned a lot over the last few years. Some of these things include the share sizes we sell, the quantity of produce needed for 7 solid meals, and the quality it takes to give you an enjoyable experience from week to week. Although, we want to emphasize the risk vs. reward is still very real from season to season, we should always be focused on this.

With that said, we will be offering subscribers a “small share” only. This is our most popular size and will be a beefed-up version of the small share we provided in 2021. It will feed up to 2 people and you will receive 7 to 9 vegetables each week. 

If you have more than 2 people in your family you will have the option to purchase an additional share or two at a discounted rate to double or triple the amount of food you receive.

This new system will…

• improve the quality of vegetables and customer service you receive
• help streamline the weekly harvest and portion sizes
• simplify the weekly pickup system
• help push our CSA to people outside of the Hatfield area who haven’t tried it before

Farmers' Markets
In early 2021 we were invited to participate in a brand new farmers’ market in the city of Chicopee to help bring fresh local food to its townspeople. This would be our first farmers’ market ever! After a short time, word got out and we were asked to attend multiple markets in the area to do the same, 3 markets in total. We learned, if done correctly, this was very lucrative for our farm.

Some of the planning process this winter is to expand this part of our business with its own manager and crew. These new markets will give us the opportunity to build the Bardwell Farm name, sell our product in multiple areas, and reach more people who are lacking the availability of access to fresh food. 

Farm Layout & Management 
2021 has taught us so many lessons. We have taken these winter months to regroup and focus on what it takes to run all the different parts of Bardwell Farm. As we all know, labor is the most crucial part of any business. This season we will be shifting our workforce to where we find it most important; in the fields, packhouse, and retail spaces where true production happens. We work to fulfill a strong crew this season that is verse in all areas of our business to bring the best service to your table. 

Wholesale has also become an important part of our business as well. As we continue to expand our customer base, just like the retail side, we see this as an essential part to keep our farm viable. Streamlining growing practices, harvesting, and logistics to a larger scale of operation will help with rising labor costs and sustain our business for years to come. 

Our farm will continue to adjust to the adverse climate but new challenges will also come this season. Our business is growing and there will always be ups, downs, and struggles. We will do our best to meet all of these goals. But, it is our ultimate goal to present you with the best possible product and service we can 365 days a year. 

We are here for you.

If you have any questions or concerns please call (413) 800-5583 or message us at [email protected].

Thank you for your support!

Owner Harrison Bardwell