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Extension in Western Massachusetts

About Western Massachusetts

The western region of Massachusetts is composed of Berkshire, Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin Counties. The largest city in the region is Springfield, located in Hampden County, along the Interstate 91 corridor on the Connecticut River.

Hadley Farm Has New Resident

June 11, 2019

Students, staff, and faculty welcomed a new resident early on the morning of Tuesday, June 11. The newest addition at the 131-acre UMass  Equine and Livestock Research and Education Farm in Hadley is a Hanoverian foal named "Stockbridge Sonnet UM" (lovingly nicknamed "Levi" as the barn name).

Forest Park Arboretum Projects Embarks on ID Program

May 28, 2019

ReGreen President David V. Bloniarz, who is also project director for the USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, said the Forest Park Arboretum project in Springfield is well under way. “By October 2019, we will have labeled the first 300 trees,” Bloniarz said, adding that the project’s goal is to have 500 trees labeled by August 2020. (Republican, 5/28/19)

Food Science Ice Cream Competition Produces a Winner!

May 2, 2019

Six teams of UMass Amherst food science students, most of them seniors and food science majors, had their newly developed ice cream flavors tasted and judged by Maple Valley Creamery representatives and a panel of culinary professionals on May 1 at the Integrated Learning Center. The winning flavor, Vanilla Chai, will be produced by Maple Valley Creamery in Hadley and sold in local markets, branded with a UMass Amherst logo. The product development course is taught this year by Matthew Steffens, a UMass Amherst food science alumnus.

Senator Eric Lesser Links Tour of UMass Farm to an Economic Engine

February 16, 2019

Massachusetts Senator Eric Lesser discusses his experiences when touring the UMass Farm at Cold Spring Orchard in Belchertown. He is tackling myraid food security issues in the next legislative term including closing food deserts and expanding innovative programs. He said, "At the heart of each of these efforts is our state's own homegrown economic engine: our farms." (Republican 2/16/19)

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