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This week, U.S. Representative Jim McGovern hosted the 7th Annual Agricultural Tour to meet with farmers, agricultural producers, non-profit farming organizations and community development corporations in Central and Western Massachusetts to highlight the success of our region’s agricultural industry, its role in growing the local economy and addressing issues in farming. I am so thankful Bardwell Farm was chosen as one of the stops on the tour. It was amazing really, the congressman spoke directly to me, listened to my story and the battles that beginner farmers go through on a daily basis. Even though I was blessed with land and equipment, farmers who are just starting out struggle to purchase and maintain those things. Also, if you take into consideration how young farmers have to somehow break into wholesale and retail markets, it's really-really tough. My hope was to bring some kind of awareness to all of this. We farmers have to stick together, we are a dying breed. The tour started with a brief introduction and a surprise. What I thought was going to be the congressman and a couple of staff turned into 20, including folks from the USDA, CISA, NRCS, support staff, local businesses and farmers, and several media organizations. I talked about the history of Bardwell Farm, what inspired me to go into farming and why I love it so much. After we walked one of our fields and I explained why we like to grow smaller settings of a variety of fruits and vegetables instead of just one really large crop. I also talked about the importance of timing settings so our farmstand stays stocked all season with plenty of product. We moved onto education and farming, collaboration between farmers, farmers helping farmers, and marketing with social media and competing in the digital marketplace. I expressed the desire to expand my operation and the congressman and his staff brought many ideas to the table including grants to help with solar energy, greenhouses and the possibility of opening a farm store. The tour ended at the farmstand so we could show our finished product and hard work. We took a group photo and almost everyone purchased something. It was kind of funny, our regular customers were there too and wondered what was going on, it was awesome and I enjoyed every minute of it! I want to thank U.S. Representative Jim McGovern for including Bardwell Farm in the tour. I also want to thank the congressman, his staff, the agencies and all the other folks who genuinely listened to everything I had to say and providing new ideas that would improve my operation. All-in-all it was such an amazing experience and I am very thankful and proud. A heartfelt thank you to my grandfather and mentor Cory Bardwell for teaching me to farm. I wish you were here today to see all of this.
A huge thank you to all the farms who help me everyday, especially you Tony, your guidance and friendship is important to me. Thanks to Rick at Rocket Strategies for pushing me, creating a solid marketing plan and making me look good on the interwebs everyday... you're crazy. A special thank you to farmhand Kaitlyn for your friendship, support, hard work and always making everything just so. The stand looked beautiful today (all the while battling a bee sting). Farmers til' the end! Related:
For more Homegrown News subscribe to my newsletter! Like or Tweet this article to a friend by clicking the badges below. Thank you for your support. You know the phrase, "grows like a weed?", enough said.
For the last two weeks Kaitlyn and I have been in the fields weeding. I really don’t stress about it because it takes your mind to another place and it's kind of relaxing…if you can imagine that. It’s not without its hazards though. You are on your hands and knees, in the baking sun, pulling everything but the very plant your are trying to protect. The rows go on for as far as the eyes can see and six hours goes by in a blink. You really don’t know land and the soil until you’ve done this simple task. It’s so necessary. Today we head back out to fight the good fight! For more Homegrown News subscribe to my newsletter! Like or Tweet this article to a friend by clicking the badges below. Thank you for your support. The timing of the solstice is not based on a specific calendar date and time. It really depends on when the sun reaches its northernmost point from the equator. The word solstice is from the Latin solstitium, from sol (sun) and stitium (to stop), reflecting the fact that the sun appears to stop at this time (and again at the winter solstice). "Deep snow in winter, tall grain in summer." - Estonian proverb In temperate regions, we notice that the sun is higher in the sky throughout the day, and its rays strike Earth at a more direct angle, causing the efficient warming we call summer.
This summer solstice is the day with the most hours of sunlight during the whole year. At the winter solstice, just the opposite occurs, the sun is at its southernmost point and is low in the sky. Its rays hit the Northern Hemisphere at an oblique angle, creating the feeble winter sunlight. For more Homegrown News subscribe to my newsletter! Reference: The Farmer's Almanac Like or Tweet this article to a friend by clicking the badges below. Thank you for your support. Today, on this Memorial Day, I want to recognize a very dear person to my heart that is no longer with us, my grandfather Cory Bardwell. He was a proud U.S. Veteran and my mentor.
Cory was the last generation of Bardwell Farm, he was also my teacher, my mentor, and best friend in farming. On days like this my grandfather was a man who took a moment out of his day to stop and thank someone for their service. From 1944 to 1946 he served in the Navy on the Seventh Amphibious Fleet of the USS Cleburne APA-73 Attack Transport Ship in the Pacific Theater. My Grandfather was a leader with a great heart and soul. He’s done so much good in this world and inspired me to pursue agriculture. He taught me how to plant seeds in the soil and nurture them to maturity. He gives me strength to never give up and always keep trying in everything I do. I love him and miss him dearly. From all of us here at Bardwell farm, thank you to those who are serving this great country and those who have passed. For more Homegrown News subscribe to my newsletter! Like or Tweet this article to a friend by clicking the badges below. Thank you for your support. BREAKING HOMEGROWN NEWS! We just received our official Bardwell Farm t-shirt and hoodie order hot off the press and they came out awesome! If you are interested in purchasing Bardwell Farm gear we setup an order page at the button link below! Note: We have to reach a minimum quantity before we can order the next batch. So go ahead, place your order and we'll be in touch when the minimum is reached. Thank you for your support! For more Homegrown News subscribe to my newsletter!
Like or Tweet this article to a friend by clicking the badges below. Thank you for your support. Every spring you drive by our farmstand with bunches of perfectly bound asparagus soaking in a tub of water and maybe you've wondered how it got there. Well, wonder no more :) Here's a little behind the scenes of how we pick the grass! For more Homegrown News subscribe to my newsletter!
Like or Tweet this article to a friend by clicking the badges below. Thank you for your support. Bardwell Farm is a proud member of CISA! So many people have asked me what CISA is and actually does. Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) strengthens farms and engages the community to build the local food economy. CISA is a non-profit organization. They began their work more than 20 years ago, and thousands of people in our region have contributed to their success and impact. More than 250 farms participate in their programs, and the number of residents who are committed to supporting local agriculture grows every day. Their Be a Local Hero, Buy Locally Grown® program, the longest-running agricultural buy-local campaign in the country, connects farmers and the community, improving farm business viability and enhancing the quality of life for residents across the region. Additional programs include Senior FarmShare, technical assistance for farms and food businesses, and research and support for local food and farm businesses of all kinds, including processors, distributors, and producers of value-added products like jams, cheeses, and pickles. Recent initiatives include CISA’s Emergency Farm Fund, significant expansion of their work in Hampden County, and support for the creation of the PVGrows Community Investment Fund, a project of the collaborative PVGrows Network.
Guided by a new Strategic Plan, in 2015-2017 CISA will strengthen it's work by...
CISA is successful only because of the people they have inspired and those who have inspired them. Please join us as we deepen our connections to each other and create a community that is economically and environmentally healthy for our children and our children’s children. Related: For more Homegrown News subscribe to my newsletter! Like or Tweet this article to a friend by clicking the badges below. Thank you for your support. It's time to up your salad game! The farmstand will be overflowing with a variety of leafy greens for you to choose from like spinach, kale, chard, romaine, red leaf, green leaf and bibb, just to name a few.
If you love iceberg lettuce and you're still on the fence about adding a different kind of leafy green to your shopping list, May is the month to try something new! Why eat leafy greens? One, because they are so good for you! Greens contain almost no calories. You can eat these in volume, so there is lots to munch on. Their sodium content is almost nil. They contain about a gram of carbs, maybe two, barely a gram of protein and about a gram of fiber per cup. The darker greens, like spinach, romaine, and leaf lettuce, contain more of certain nutrients, including vitamin A and other carotenoids, vitamin C and potassium, over the iceberg variety. Greens like arugula, collard greens, kale, mustard greens and turnip greens, also contain these nutrients, along with other potentially cancer-preventing compounds, called isothiocyanates and indoles, unique to these types of vegetables. Iceberg vs Leafy Greens For many years "iceberg" was the most popular lettuce at the family dinner table. Romaine and leaf lettuces (green leaf, red leaf, butter and bibb), are now the most consumed, followed by spinach. Collard greens, escarole, kale, mustard greens, chard, and turnip greens, are consumed much less, but people now are realizing the health benefits and the potential in the kitchen. Tips:
Related: For more Homegrown News subscribe to my newsletter! Like or Tweet this article to a friend by clicking the badges below. Thank you for your support. Many thanks to everyone who entered our first-ever Earth Day Giveaway! We feel thankful for our local following and we are super excited to announce the winners!
Congratulations Christine Roberts and Catherine Englehardt! You've won a selection of farm fresh vegetables and one of our new Bardwell Farm t-shirts! We will be contacting you sometime during mid-May to arrange your prize pick-up or delivery, stay tuned! |
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