What’s Happening

UMass Permaculture Initiative

A bumble bee pollinating flowers in the UMass Permaculture garden.  The UMass Permaculture Initiative is a cutting-edge sustainability program managed by Xochiquetzal Salazar that provides empowering hands-on education for students to learn about local, sustainable food systems. Now in its sixth growing season, UMass Permaculture has five gardens on campus that are home to nearly […]

UMass Permaculture Initiative Read More »

Fungi Ally

Fresh Fungi Ally Oyster mushrooms.  Fungi Ally grows fresh, organic mushrooms year round in Hadley, MA and provides a sustainable, medicinal, and nutrient dense protein source for our local community. Fungi Ally is owned and operated by Willie Crosby, an alum of the Stockbridge School of Agriculture at UMass Amherst. Fungi Ally grows Oyster, Lion’s

Fungi Ally Read More »

On the Ground-Poultry Gathering

On July 26, 2017 UMass Dining hosted a Poultry Gathering to facilitate a conversation with our community about how the local poultry industry can be supported, improved, and expanded. More than 45 people from sectors across the poultry industry attended,  including local poultry producers, State and Federal agricultural agencies, Nonprofit organizations, and institutional food service

On the Ground-Poultry Gathering Read More »

On the Ground- Tastes of the World Chef Culinary Conference 2017

Chef Ron DeSantis, Director of Culinary Excellence and Quality Assurance for Yale Dining, presenting about jackfruit and other underutilized edible plants.  This week, the 23rd annual Tastes of the World Chef Culinary Conference hosted by UMass Dining has returned! The theme of this year’s conference is The Power of Food, which encompass all aspects of

On the Ground- Tastes of the World Chef Culinary Conference 2017 Read More »

Coursework Collaborations

Natural Resources Conservation (NRC) 185: Sustainable Living in the 21st Century, instructed by Professor Lena Fletcher, is one of the most popular introductory sustainability classes on campus. NRC 185 is an interdisciplinary, team-based learning class that explores many of the most critical social, environmental, and economic issues our society is facing today.  Every semester, NRC

Coursework Collaborations Read More »

High Lawn Farm

Roberto Laurens petting a High Lawn Farm Jersey cow. [Image by Keith Toffling]  High Lawn Farm is a family-owned dairy farm located in Lee, MA in their 97th year of operation that produces all natural milk free of artificial hormones. High Lawn Farm is owned by the Wilde family, who have lived on the farm

High Lawn Farm Read More »

Warm Colors Apiary

Dan and Bonita Conlon, owners of Warm Colors Apiary, in front of their pollinator plants. [Image by Keith Toffling]  Warm Colors Apiary, owned by Dan and Bonita Conlon, is located on eighty acres of woodland, open fields and wetlands, in South Deerfield, MA. Dan and Bonita manage about 1,200 colonies of bees, which can provide

Warm Colors Apiary Read More »

Maple Valley Creamery

Silver, one of Maple Valley Creamery’s cows grazing in the pasture.  Maple Valley Creamery, located in Hadley, MA is a dairy farm that produces premium ice cream using their own fresh milk and cream. They are dedicated to sustainability, supporting local economies, and treating their dairy cows with the utmost love and respect. Maple Valley

Maple Valley Creamery Read More »

On the Ground Update- Regional Protein Forum

UMass Student Farm chickens.  On February 16, 2017 several UMass Auxiliary staff attended a poultry forum in Grafton, MA hosted by the Massachusetts Food System Collaborative. In attendance were several Massachusetts poultry farmers and representatives from a variety of organizations such as MDAR, the USDA, Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA), and Massachusetts Farm to

On the Ground Update- Regional Protein Forum Read More »