🌱 Help farmers grow

Hi Friend,

Have you heard the story of Ras Farm? (Maybe you received our letter in the mail recently?...)

If you've purchased a plump acorn squash at River Valley Coop in Northampton or a shiny purple eggplant at Maple Farms Grocery in Hadley, then you may have eaten the labor of love of Ras Farm owned by Courtney Whitley (pictured top right.)

Courtney immigrated to the U.S. from Jamaica in 1987, worked on farms, and eventually decided to start his own farm to sell produce directly to local markets. Now his vegetables travel less than 10 miles to market, the essence of what a strong and resilient local food system looks like.

Like Ras Farm, Straw Hat Farm focuses on providing fresh local food to our community. Andrea Dustin (pictured bottom right driving the Community Farm tractor) originally joined GFN as a Community Food Distribution Project Assistant during the pandemic, helping deliver local produce to people's doors when they could not get out to get food.

Andrea then founded Straw Hat in 2022, motivated by a love for home gardening and a passion for food access. In the beginning, she sold food at a farm stand in her Florence front yard, but now also offers CSA shares of fresh affordable produce.

These are just 2 of 10 small farms that make up GFN’s 121-acre Community Farm...and running the largest Community Farm in Massachusetts is no small task.

Will you make a gift now to ensure a successful farm year and continue GFN’s work for a just local food system?

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From stewarding the land, to installing and maintaining farm infrastructure, to ensuring access to land for people from communities marginalized by the industrial food system, it’s a massive undertaking for a small nonprofit, and an essential component of GFN’s work to create a just local food system.

This would not be possible without the community of GFN supporters who donate generously each year. Thank you!

And with costs to steward the land and run the farm increasing this year, we urgently need your help this season. Please donate now to fund the busy season ahead!

Thank you for helping to build a just local food system and a stronger community!

With gratitude,

Alisa Klein
Executive Director

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