BY KENDRA MURRAY
If you’re plugged into the local agriculture scene, you’ve probably heard talk about a meat processing facility being built in Southeastern Massachusetts. It’s no secret that livestock production in the area is down, mainly because there isn’t anywhere local for farmers to take their animals to be processed. With many folks traveling out of state and up to 3 or 4 hours to get to a USDA inspected facility, it is clear barrier to raising animals for meat. A couple of years ago a group of producers put their heads together to try to find a solution to this problem and the Southeastern Massachusetts Livestock Association (SEMALA) was born.

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Strawberries are an earthly delight and the first fruits of the season have ripened to delectable sweetness.  Their flavor is tantalizing after a drab winter and this chilly spring but the long, cool season has given plenty of time for the fruits to ripen to peak flavor.  Knowing that anticipation Spring Rain Farm, in East Taunton, aims for an early start to the pick-your-own season.  Strawberry picking starts early here:  Memorial Day/Early June is their traditional start for the three-to-four-week period.

Strawberry Flowers

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BY KAREN SCHWALBE
On a chilly March morning, the smell of fresh-baked muffins and even fresher coffee wafted out the door of Reed’s farm stand – the home of Under the Sun Farm.  It was a welcoming first impression to a new business in North Dighton. Milton Teixeira, along with his wife, Caitlin, have recently opened in the location of the former Reed Brothers Produce and Garden Center, a fixture in the Dighton/Rehoboth area.  The farm stand is open and stocked with the basics, including the all-important coffee and on-site bakery, to accommodate longstanding regular customers.  Under the Sun Farm sells both its own produce as well as more traditional merchandise making it a destination market for the neighborhood.  This past weekend the greenhouses officially opened with flowers, seedlings, baskets and bedding plants. I was able to catch up with Milton and Caitlin as they were preparing for the upcoming season.

Milton has been farming since the age of eight and his passion for it hasn’t diminished.  A graduate of the Stockbridge School of Agriculture at the University of Massachusetts – Amherst, Milton is obviously very good at what he does. Read more →

BY KENDRA MURRAY
If there’s one thing  I’d love to see flourishing in my garden, I’d have to say coffee plants. However, with our coldest days sometimes dipping below zero, I think I’m out of luck. Despite the fact that I’ll never have a coffee plantation in my yard (as long as I’m living in Massachusetts, anyhow), I can still pick up some locally roasted beans from Jim’s Organic Coffee (and that’s just as good)!

Coffee Beans

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BY KENDRA MURRAY
If you’re looking for a nice dinner full of fresh, local ingredients, then I suggest you make your way down to Little Moss. Located in picturesque Padanaram, Little Moss is a cozy restaurant that truly embodies local. The decor is reminiscent of a seaside cottage, which suits the restaurant nicely given its location. Even the name Little Moss pays homage to the area’s whaling roots. The Moss is the name of the ship that takes Moby Dick’s main character, Ishmael, from New Bedford to Nantucket.

The Ryerson

Prior to going out to eat at Little Moss, I had spoken with Chris Cronin, Little Moss’s former head chef. Right now Cronin is focused on the marketplace project across the street, which will be filled with local, produce, meats, charcuterie and hopefully open by June. Despite being very busy with that project, Cronin was kind enough to give a bit of background on the restaurant, menu, and local sourcing. Read more →