News from the Media

Rice is growing in Franklin County
October 7, 2014

It may not sound entirely astounding, since Franklin County agriculture yields everything from hops and barley and wheat to barramundi, but rice, a crop that’s believed to have little historical precedent in Massachusetts, has been alive and well as a crop here for decades.

Sue Bridge, who created an edible permaculture garden surrounding a home she built in Conway about seven years ago to demonstrate sustainable living practices, has about 450 square feet of rice ready for harvest probably sometime this week. (Recorder 10/7/14)

For the DeMoranvilles, cranberries run in the family
October 5, 2014

WAREHAM — UMass Amherst's Cranberry Station in Wareham is full of DeMoranvilles. That's the name of a variety of cranberry grown there and named after the station's former director, Irving DeMoranville.

Though Irving died in 1998, his daughters are keeping the cranberries in the family, working at the station on One State Bog Road. His eldest daughter, Carolyn, has directed the station since 2002. Nancy, his younger daughter, currently works as a technician combatting predatory weeds at the bog.

"He was pretty happy when I decided to work here," Carolyn said. "He liked having us close to home." (SouthCoastTODAY.com 10/5/14)

100th anniversary of UMass Extension Celebrated
September 26, 2014

The University of Massachusetts celebrated the 100 year anniversary of the creation of the extension service Friday. More than 125 extension workers, area farmers and descendants of those original Polish farming families attended. Food, speeches and music, marked the event along with a sharing of history, exhibits and the collection of memorabilia for a time capsule. (MassLive, Septeember 26, 2014)

UMass celebrating Cooperative Extension Service founding Friday
September 24, 2014

AMHERST - Richard Sullivan, Gov. Deval Patrick's chief of staff, will speak Friday at the ceremonies marking the 100th anniversary of the University of Massachusetts' Cooperative Extension
 Service.

Sullivan, the former 
secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, will speak at 2 p.m. with the program beginning at 1:30 on the Student Union north lawn. Many academic and community leaders, farmers
 and business people keeping the service moving
 forward plus staff and faculty will participate.(MassLive 9/24/14)

 

Western Mass tomatoes stricken with blight
September 5, 2014

Many tomato growers are finding it impossible to catch up with the harvest after a blight ruined their crops. “It has been very serious, particularly for organic farmers,” said Ruth V. Hazzard, vegetable specialist for the UMass Extension, explaining that the fungicide they can use for late blight is more limited and not as effective in controlling the spread of the disease as those that can be used more broadly by non-organic farmers. The blight is affecting farmers and home gardeners in Massachusetts. (MassLive, September 5, 2014)

Recent cooler, rainier weather in Valley creates problems for some crops
August 22, 2014

Area farmers are once again on the front lines of weather patterns that in recent weeks have brought cooler, rainier weather to the region. That’s translated into problems for some growers of potatoes and tomatoes as well as for those growing vine crops such as pumpkins and squash, says University of Massachusetts Amherst Extension vegetable specialist Ruth Hazzard. (Daily Hampshire Gazette, 8/22/14)

Youth do all the leg work for 74th annual Berkshire County 4-H Youth Fair
August 17, 2014

It's not every day you see a whole fair run by young people. But that's exactly what the attendees of Saturday's 74th annual Berkshire County 4-H Youth Fair experienced. The whole event was organized by a group of less than a dozen young people who raised funds, booked entertainment and set up pens and tents.

"This is by the kids and for the kids," Angelica Paredes, UMass Extension Educator and local 4-H adviser, said. "They do it all."  (Berkshire Eagle 8/17/14)
 

Senate bill includes $5 million for UMass Cranberry Station in East Wareham
August 6, 2014

The Senate unanimously passed a bill last week providing for the preservation and improvement of land, parks and clean energy that includes $5 million for the University of Massachusetts Cranberry Research Station at East Wareham. The money would go toward the design, construction, retrofitting and outfitting of enhanced laboratory space to include associated equipment and support to improve research performed by the station, Senate President Therese Murray, D-Plymouth, said.(Wareham Wicked Local 7/17/14)

UMass farm showcases field rotation, solar innovations, bee research
July 30, 2014

Pigs and bumblebees were there, as were biochar, solar collectors and energy-saving coolers.

Agricultural field day at the University of Massachusetts Crop and Animal Research Farm is an annual chance for farmers to see the latest innovations in crop research, and Tuesday’s event drew more than 60 people to view 18 ongoing trials, including one that integrated pig and vegetable production. (Recorder 7/30/14)

UMass Professor: Farmland, Solar Arrays Can Co-exist
July 16, 2014

What if you could use open space to generate solar electricity and farm it at the same time?

Stephen Herbert, a professor of agronomy at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, says this is more than a pipedream. A demonstration plot at a research station in South Deerfield is doing just that.  "We have shown that we can get 90 percent of the yield of a pasture with solar panels compared with not having them as long as we leave enough space between clusters of panels,” he said.  (Hampshire Gazette 7/16/14, Recorder 7/17/14)

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