Keep an eye out for the 2019 Local Food Guide coming out next month. In case you don’t know, the Guide is the Southeastern Massachusetts compilation of all things to do with local fruits & veggies, dairy, meat, and seafood as well as local fiber. SEMAP member farms are highlighted in the Guide so you can easily find them and support them. We also have some brand-new advertisers we think you will find useful. Your last chance to get an advertisement in the Guide is this week. Reach out to us if you are interested in placing an ad! And if you would like a stack or case of the 2019 Guides for your business or farmers’ market, please contact us and we will drop them off.
May is Beef Month – just in time for Memorial Day weekend and graduation parties. The best beef can be found in Southeastern Massachusetts pastures. Our farmers are using regenerative methods to pasture-raise their animals, which is good for you and for our environment. There are several ways to buy beef from local farms including through some new venues: Meatworks has opened their retail store, Copicut Farms is offering Jordan Farm beef, and Weatherlow Farm’s new farmstand is open. For more locations in the region check out the MassGrown map.
Asparagus, rhubarb, and salad greens are all available at farmstands and farmers markets near you. We have a spell of cooler weather predicted so these should be available for a few weeks to come. This is a big opening weekend for farmers markets and farmstands – check out SEMAP’s webpage and Facebook page for updated information.
SEMAP is wrapping up its current grant with USDA that provides technical assistance for business planning, marketing, financial analysis, diversification or value-added. We are working hard for a grant renewal but take advantage of the assistance while it’s available. You will meet our new hire, Dawn Dufault, elsewhere in the newsletter. She’ll be the first point of contact for any assistance you need.
Farm to Tapas is on hiatus this summer. We will miss the big shindig but look for us next year! SEMAP and The Livestock Institute have been so lucky to have four years of marvelous Farm to Tapas events on the Southcoast. We are grateful to our lovely hostesses – Lyn Keith in Westport and Kissy Russell in South Dartmouth and for the support of the entire SEMAP community Keep an eye out for some more casual and intimate events in the coming months.
With thanks,
Karen Schwalbe
Executive Director