Food Justice Newsletter
Welcome to the NOFA/Mass newsletter series
Each week we publish original articles on the topics we care about most.
Read about the latest policy issues affecting Massachusetts farmers and consumers in our “Policy and Advocacy” newsletter, get insider farming and gardening tips from expert growers in our “Be a Better Grower” newsletter, learn to do it yourself, from food preservation to building fences, in our “Practical Self-Sufficiency” newsletter and see how our community is working to improve the food system in our “Food Justice” newsletter.
Herbal Strategies for Common Farm Work-Related Ailments
Liz Hamm2025-06-09T18:55:26-04:00June 9th, 2025|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: April 2025, Food Access, Food Justice|
Food Justice Newsletter Readers will learn about the common injuries farmers face—like muscle aches, tractor mishaps, and tick bites—and practical, farm-grown herbal remedies to heal them naturally. You will discover how herbs like [...]
Tapley Youth Growers @ Our Winter Conference
Liz Hamm2025-04-23T19:37:47-04:00April 23rd, 2025|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Food Access, Food Justice, gardening, March 2025, Tapley, Urban Growing, Vegetables|
Food Justice Newsletter The Youth Agricultural Scientists share heartwarming stories and lessons from the Tapley Garden, reflecting on community, growth, and the joy of gardening at the NOFA/Mass Winter Conference in February. By [...]
Honoring Black Farmers: A Black History Month Celebration 👨🏿🌾
Liz Hamm2025-03-17T16:53:13-04:00March 17th, 2025|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Farmers, February 2025, Food Access, Food Justice|
Food Justice Newsletter This month, we celebrate the rich history, resilience, and stories of excellence amongst Black farmers. By Najee Quashie Reporting from Massachusetts Slavery As the Driver of Agricultural & Economic [...]
Winter Treats with Local Ingredients
NOFA Mass2025-03-11T21:54:37-04:00January 3rd, 2025|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: December 2024, Food Access, Food Justice, Health and Nutrition|
Food Justice Newsletter Happy Holidays from the NOFA/Mass family! Reflecting on 2024, we celebrate the resilience and dedication of organic farmers and the agricultural community. This year, we’ve seen growth in sustainable farming [...]
How the America First Agenda Undermines DEI Initiatives
NOFA Mass2025-03-11T21:51:15-04:00February 4th, 2025|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Food Access, Food Justice, January 2025|
Food Justice Newsletter The America First agenda under President Trump has reignited debate over diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, with critics arguing they undermine meritocracy and supporters emphasizing their importance in addressing [...]
Meet Max: BIPOC Farm Owner
NOFA Mass2024-12-02T19:22:35-05:00December 2nd, 2024|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Farming, Food Access, Food Justice, Health and Nutrition, November 2024, Vegetables|
Food Justice Newsletter Najee Quashie, Project Manager at NOFA/Mass, interviews Max Traunstein, co-owner of Kitchen Garden Farm. Max shares his journey from entry-level worker to co-owner, discussing the challenges and triumphs of farming as a [...]
Tapley Youth Cultivate Food Security Through Soil
NOFA Mass2024-11-18T19:56:50-05:00September 9th, 2024|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: August 2024, Food Access, Food Justice, microBIOMETER, Soil Health, Tapley Garden|
By: Shanyah Taylor & Anna Gilbert-Muhammed For the Tapley Garden Youth Agricultural Scientists, this summer was filled with learning, growing (both in knowledge and pounds of food), and working with the community. In [...]
Sofrito & Family: Coming Together at Christina’s House 👩🏾🍳
NOFA Mass2024-11-18T19:49:24-05:00October 3rd, 2024|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Farming, Food Access, Food Justice, gardening, Health and Nutrition, September 2024|
Food Justice Newsletter In this edition of the Food Justice newsletter, we unite through sofrito-making and storytelling. Fall is here, the leaves are changing, and students are back in school. Meanwhile, community members [...]
Central High’s Young Scientists Learn Soil Health 🧑🏽🌾
NOFA Mass2024-11-18T19:47:17-05:00November 4th, 2024|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Food Access, Food Justice, October 2024, Soil Health, Urban Gardening, Urban Growing|
Food Justice Newsletter In this edition of the Food Justice newsletter, we look at the collaboration between the NOFA/Mass Food Access team and the students attending Central High School's 9th and 10th-grade science [...]
Youth Teaching Youth: Tapley Youth Agricultural Scientists Work with Sullivan
Liz Hamm2024-06-28T12:28:48-04:00June 28th, 2024|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Food Access, Food Justice, gardening, June 2024, Tapley Garden, Urban Gardening|
By: Anna Gilbert-Muhammed, Food Access Director As the summer approaches and school comes to an end, the youth from Tapley Garden found time in the last few weeks to bond with the Garden [...]
Food Justice News
Liz Hamm2024-05-24T22:01:53-04:00May 24th, 2024|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: AgriOrganics, CSA, Farmshare Program, Food Access, Food Justice, May 2024|
By: Anna Gilbert-Muhammed, Food Access Director Information & events for a more just food system in Massachusetts & beyond. In this edition of the Food Justice newsletter, we profile one of the farms [...]
Food Access in Action: What’s new at the Tapley Gardens in 2024
Liz Hamm2024-05-11T17:24:43-04:00May 11th, 2024|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: April 2024, CSA, Farming, Food Access, Food Justice, gardening, Soil Health, Tapley Garden, Urban Gardening|
by Sister Anna Gilbert-Muhammed The first few weeks of spring bring some showers, changes in temperatures (going upward, thankfully!) and activity in the gardens. For NOFA/Mass’s Food Access Team, that means community gardens are [...]
Revisiting the History of Agricultural Education
Liz Hamm2024-04-05T20:56:23-04:00April 5th, 2024|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Agricultural Education, Cooperative, Farming, Food Access, Food Justice, March 2024|
By: Sister Anna Gilbert-Muhammed, NOFA/Mass Food Equity Director Thomas Monroe Campbell: Cooperative Extension Innovator The Cooperative Extension System, as we know it today, had its beginnings at Tuskegee University in Alabama. The Cooperative [...]
See How Youth are Leading the Way for Food Justice in MA
Liz Hamm2024-02-14T21:09:10-05:00February 14th, 2024|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: February 2024, Food Access, Food Justice, Winter Conference|
Youth Leadership on Display at the 2024 NOFA/Mass Winter Conference By: Sister Anna Gilbert-Muhammed, NOFA/Mass Food Equity Director The 2024 NOFA/Mass Winter Conference, held earlier in January, was organized around the theme of Building Community [...]
Farm Share Events and Family Gatherings: Highlights of the First Year of the Farm Share Program
Liz Hamm2023-10-20T12:55:08-04:00October 20th, 2023|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Beth Ward, Finca Luna Buho, Food Access, Food Justice, Health and Nutrition, Homesteading, October 2023, Sister Anna Gilbert-Muhammed, Urban Growing, Vegetables, Woven Roots|
By: Sister Anna Gilbert-Muhammed, NOFA/Mass Food Equity Director As Fall approaches, gardens begin to slow down. NOFA/Mass’s Farm Share Program is reflecting on the community building efforts and work of the Farm Share [...]
Soil Health, Food Security and Youth Empowerment: A Different Way of Conservation
Liz Hamm2023-09-29T10:01:06-04:00September 29th, 2023|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Farmers, Farming, Food Access, Food Justice, Landcare, September 2023, Sister Anna Gilbert-Muhammed, Soil Health, Tapley Garden|
By: Sister Anna Gilbert-Muhammed, NOFA/Mass Food Equity Director The end of July going into August always brings the excitement of the garden harvest. For the youth of Tapley Garden, the harvest is larger [...]
News from the NOFA/Mass Policy Department
Liz Hamm2023-09-11T22:50:12-04:00September 7th, 2023|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Advocacy, Dago Driggs, Farming, Food Justice, Jim McGovern, Laura Davis, Long Life Farm, Mike Rice, Policy, Policy & Advocacy, September 2023, Soil Health, The Farm Bill|
By Mike Rice, NOFA/Mass Interim Policy Director & Dago Driggs, NOFA/Mass Senior Policy Advisor Hi friends. You might have seen the job posting for a new Policy Director and have questions about what I'm [...]
Food Access Minute – Update from The Farm Share Program
Liz Hamm2023-08-29T15:29:36-04:00August 2nd, 2023|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: August 2023, farm share, Food Access, Food Justice, Health and Nutrition|
By: Sister Anna Gilbert-Muhammed, NOFA/Mass Food Equity Director NOFA/Mass’s Farm Share program, going into its fourth week, is reaching families across the state. From the Berkshires (Finca Luna Buho) to Boston (The Dorchester Coop, the [...]
Farm Share Program Highlight: Working Cheerfully with the Indian Orchard Citizen’s Council
Liz Hamm2023-08-29T15:20:53-04:00August 29th, 2023|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: August 2023, Food Access, Food Justice, Sister Anna|
By : Sister Anna Gilbert-Muhammed, NOFA/Mass Food Equity Director Orchard Citizen’s Council sets up the multi-purpose room at the Indian Orchard Citizen’s Council. The setup is to receive farm fresh produce delivered every week [...]
Action Continues, Climate Farmer Rally and Soil Symposium
NOFA Mass2023-02-27T18:24:19-05:00February 3rd, 2023|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: February 2023, Food Justice, Policy, Policy & Advocacy|
Action Continues, Climate Farmer Rally and Soil Symposium By: Marty Dagoberto, NOFA/Mass Policy Director In this issue: Keep emailing legislators for pesticide reform bills Are you on the bus?... Rally for Resilience in [...]
A Brief History of the CSA
NOFA Mass2023-01-31T11:48:21-05:00January 31st, 2023|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Food Justice, January 2023|
Where Did the CSA Start? A Brief History of the CSA By: Sister Anna Gilbert-Muhammad, NOFA/Mass Food Access Director Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has drastically increased over the last few years, with the [...]
Kwanzaa – First Fruits
NOFA Mass2022-12-30T06:47:37-05:00December 30th, 2022|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: December 2022, Food Justice|
By Anna Gilbert-Muhammad, NOFA/Mass Equity Co-Director Kwanzaa, a Swahili term derived from the phrase "matunda ya kwanza", is a week-long celebration that takes place during the last week of December each year (December 26th [...]
Open Pantry and Tapley Garden Seasonal Wrap up and Updates
NOFA Mass2022-11-29T14:42:14-05:00November 30th, 2022|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Food Justice, November 2022|
By Sister Anna Gilbert-Muhammad, NOFA/Mass Food Access Director Marc, a youth leader from Roca, shows off a large head of bok choy harvested from the Open Pantry Garden The 2022 growing season for [...]
Bringing Together Farming Knowledge From Around the World with All Farmers
NOFA Mass2022-10-27T16:35:27-04:00October 27th, 2022|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Food Justice, October 2022|
By Anna Gilbert-Muhammad, NOFA/Mass Food Access Director Farmers learn to assess the health of their soil using a variety of observation techniques. All Farmers, an organization that supports refugee and immigrant farmers [...]
Soil Health and Herbal Medicine at Tapley Garden
NOFA Mass2022-09-22T14:42:26-04:00September 22nd, 2022|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Food Access, Food Justice, September 2022|
By Sis. Anna Muhammad, NOFA/Mass Food Access Director Left to right: Ruben Parrilla, Agnes Frias, Sis. Dora Miller, Sis. Anna Gilbert-Muhammad at Soil Health Day at Tapley Garden, August 30, 2022. In August [...]
Microbes, Microscopes, Soil Health and Food Access
NOFA Mass2022-07-29T14:58:02-04:00July 29th, 2022|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Food Access, Food Justice, July 2022|
Youth Agricultural Scientists Bridge Soil Science with Food Security John Duke speaks to a crowd of youth agricultural scientists in Springfield, MA in July, 2022. By Anna Gilbert-Muhammad, NOFA/Mass Food Access Director [...]
Cooking With Mari: Making Sofrito with Tapley Court Apartments Resident Chef
NOFA Mass2022-06-30T17:57:35-04:00June 30th, 2022|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Food Justice, June 2022|
By Sister Anna Gilbert-Muhammad, NOFA/Mass Food Access Director The Summer season for the Youth Agricultural Scientists at Tapley Garden started with a cooking demonstration from local chef Marylis. Marylis is a resident of the [...]
Reflections on the Recent Tragedy in Buffalo, NY
NOFA Mass2022-05-27T14:50:52-04:00May 27th, 2022|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Food Justice, May 2022|
NOFA/Mass stands in solidarity with the families of the people affected by the recent hate crimes. We also recognize and support the work of the front line organizers holding their communities and experiencing the [...]
Working with Stinging Nettles and Wild Violets
NOFA Mass2022-04-29T14:36:41-04:00April 29th, 2022|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: April 2022, Food Justice|
Kitchen Medicine with the Youth Leaders of Home City Housing, Part 2 By Anna Gilbert-Muhammad, NOFA/Mass Food Access Director Youth wild harvesting nettle and wild violets in Springfield, MA, April 2022. Nathalie [...]
The Misnomer of the Commons (Part 2)
NOFA Mass2022-04-29T14:18:13-04:00April 29th, 2022|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: April 2022, Food Justice|
The History of Common Land in the Commonwealth By Grayce Rose, recent graduate of the Farm and Food Systems program at Greenfield Community College and NOFA/Mass Intern. Land that had been seized for use as [...]
Your Pantry as Your Medicine Cabinet
NOFA Mass2022-03-30T16:26:03-04:00March 30th, 2022|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Food Justice, March 2022|
Kitchen medicine with the youth and residents of the Bay Street Neighborhood Council By Anna Gilbert-Muhammad, NOFA/Mass Food Access Director Nathalie Fischer-Rodríguez of the People’s Medicine Project speaks to the youth leaders of [...]
Book Review: Urban Ecosystem Justice by Scott Kellogg
NOFA Mass2022-02-24T13:09:14-05:00February 24th, 2022|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: February 2022, Food Justice|
By Mike Rice, NOFA/Mass Development Director. A decade ago Mike interned with the Radix Center, where he first met Scott Kellogg and spent many mornings hauling food scraps for Radix’s Community Compost Initiative in [...]
How Your Community can Benefit from the Bulk Order
NOFA Mass2022-01-27T19:27:03-05:00December 22nd, 2021|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Bulk Order, December 2021, Food Justice|
By Anna Gilbert-Muhammad and Christine Manuck The NOFA Tri-State Bulk Order can help you plan ahead for the upcoming growing season and save you money on supplies, while on a community level it can [...]
The Misnomer of the Commons: The History of Common Land in the Commonwealth
NOFA Mass2022-01-27T08:09:08-05:00January 27th, 2022|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Food Justice, January 2022|
By Grayce Rose, recent graduate of the Farm and Food Systems program at Greenfield Community College and NOFA/Mass Intern. Amidst the modern functions of life in present day Massachusetts, there are symbolic structural and [...]
NOFA/Mass Food Access Program– 2021 in Review
NOFA Mass2021-12-22T13:58:04-05:00December 22nd, 2021|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: December 2021, Food Access, Food Justice|
The Home City Housing Youth Agricultural Program and Open Pantry Garden By Anna Gilbert-Muhammad, NOFA/Mass Food Access Director Anna Gilbert-Muhammad (center) gives planting instructions to youth participants in the Tapley Court Garden, Springfield, [...]
Oasis on Ballou
NOFA Mass2021-10-27T21:52:43-04:00October 27th, 2021|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Food Justice, October 2021|
A Real Oasis of Healthy Food and Beautiful Gardens Oasis on Ballou's raised bed gardens in September 2021. Photo credit: Anna Muhammad by Anna Muhammad, NOFA/Mass Food Access Coordinator In the early part [...]
Dealing with Soil Contaminants in the City
NOFA Mass2021-10-27T21:00:46-04:00October 27th, 2021|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Food Justice, October 2021|
By Andrew Laurion, NOFA/Mass Bioremediation Project Coordinator Behind the site of the Walnut Street community garden in Springfield Massachusetts, there’s a 25’ x 25’ section that hasn’t been developed or incorporated, due to a concern [...]
Introducing the Western Massachusetts Regenerative Food System
NOFA Mass2021-09-24T14:55:44-04:00September 24th, 2021|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Food Justice, September 2021|
By Hannah McDonald, NOFA/Mass Western MA Regenerative Food System Coordinator One of NOFA/Mass’s new endeavors for 2021 has been to develop the “Western Massachusetts Regenerative Food System” (or “WMRFS”). This intent for this program [...]
Youth Agricultural Scientists Visit The African Alliance, Bami Farms (Part 2)
NOFA Mass2021-08-26T13:59:09-04:00August 26th, 2021|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: August 2021, Food Justice|
By Ivanyliz Rodriguez and Anna Gilbert-Muhammad This article is the second part of our feature on the visit by Springfield Youth Agricultural Scientists from NOFA/Mass’s Food Access project to Bami Farms in Johnston, Rhode Island. Read part one here. The stevia plant grows well in well-drained beds [...]
Youth Agricultural Scientists Visit The African Alliance, Bami Farms (Part 1)
NOFA Mass2021-07-23T15:34:31-04:00July 23rd, 2021|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Food Access, Food Justice, July 2021|
By Ivanyliz Rodriguez and Anna Gilbert-Muhammad Youth Agricultural Scientist Ivanyliz Rodriguez (right) interviews Julius Kolawole (left), Executive Director of The African Alliance On July 16th, 2021, the Youth Agricultural Scientists from Home City Housing visited with Julius Kolawole, Executive Director of The African [...]
NOFA/Mass Food Access Project Community Gardens Open for the Season
NOFA Mass2021-06-23T12:32:17-04:00June 23rd, 2021|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: Food Access, Food Justice, June 2021|
By Anna Gilbert-Muhammad, NOFA/Mass Food Access Coordinator NOFA/Mass Food Access Coordinator, Anna Gilbert-Muhammad, plants vegetable starts in the Tapley Court Apartments Community Garden with one of the area youths. Preparations at the community gardens that we [...]
Arise for Social Justice Links Up with the Open Pantry Community Garden
NOFA Mass2021-06-07T12:16:33-04:00April 28th, 2021|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: April 2021, Food Access, Food Justice|
By Anna Gilbert-Muhammad, NOFA/Mass Food Access Coordinator Everyone is looking forward to spring and the fresh air that the season brings. The smell of compost and soil is in the air seems to bring [...]
Introduction to the NOFA/Mass Bioremediation Project
NOFA Mass2021-06-07T12:16:03-04:00April 28th, 2021|Categories: Newsletters|Tags: April 2021, Food Access, Food Justice, Soil Health|
Healing the Soil ~ Healing the Community ~ Feeding the Community by Anna Gilbert-Muhammad, NOFA/Mass Food Access Coordinator Growing food in urban areas like Boston, Newark or Springfield where soils are depleted and contaminated with lead and/or other heavy metals can be [...]