WITH SPRING AROUND THE CORNER, THAT MEANS THE SPROUTING OF MANY
FOODS GROWN HERE IN THE PIONEER VALLEY.
AND IT'S LOCAL CHEFS WHO OFTEN HELP BRING THOSE FOODS FROM THE
FARM TO THE TABLE.
DEVON WHITNEY-DEAL FROM COMMUNITY INVOLVED IN SUSTAINING
AGRICULTURE, OR CISA, SHOWS HOW THE CHEF AND FARMER WORK
TOGETHER.
>> TO SHOWCASE HOW VIBRANT LOCAL AGRICULTURE IS IN THE PIONEER
VALLEY, WE ARE GOING TO VISIT RESTAURANT AND DANCING BEAR
FARM.
WE ARE FORTUNATE TO LIVE WHERE FARMERS DO BECAUSE WE EAT THE
FRESHEST CREATIVE DISHES FROM SOME OF THE GREATEST CHEFS IN
THE VALLEY.
>> HAVE AN ABILITY TO CONTINUE SOME THINGS THAT I HAD SEEN IN
THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS, WHICH IS UTILIZING LOCAL FOODS, MEATS,
DAIRY, VEGETABLES, AND OTHER PRODUCTS THAT ARE NOW BEING MADE
BY LOCAL PRODUCERS.
THAT'S KIND OF BEEN THE GOAL TO DO AS CLOSE TO 100% AS POSSIBLE
WITH THE THINGS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO BE GROWN IN THIS
AREA.
SOME THINGS WON'T WORK HERE.
GREAT FALLS HARVEST IS LOCATED ON 53RD STREET TURNERS FALLS
MASS JUST OVER THE BRIDGE OFF OF ROUTE 2.
STARTED IN '92 WORKING IN A STEAK HOUSE.
FROM THERE, MOVED ON TO MANY DIFFERENT PLACES.
WITHIN THE LAST 15 YEARS, STARTING TO SEE A LOCAL CONCEPT
AND SEEING HOW ROUGH IT'S GOT NO ONE FOOD PRODUCTION ON THE
NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL SCALE.
SO THE MORE YOU SEE, THE MORE YOU THINK IT MAKES MORE SENSE TO
DO THINGS CLOSER TO HOME AND WITH BETTER PRACTICES.
THE WORD SUSTAINABLE IS NOT A TRENDY WORD.
IT'S SOMETHING SERIOUS NOW.
>> I'M TOM ASHLEY FROM DANCING BEAR FARM IN MASSACHUSETTS.
WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 36 YEARS NOW.
WE GROW -- WE PROBABLY DID AT MOST ABOUT FIVE ACRES IN
VEGETABLES OUTSIDE.
AND NOW MAYBE THREE ACRES UNDER CULTIVATION.
IT'S BASICALLY ME AND TONY.
BETWEEN THE TWO OF US, WE MANAGE TO PLANT EVERYTHING AND GO OUT
AND PICK IT AND KEEP IT WEEDED THAT'S BEEN GOOD.
CHEFS ARE GREAT BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHAT THEY WANT.
THEY KNOW QUALITY WHEN THEY SEE IT.
THINGS DON'T HAVE TO BE PERFECT THE WAY THEY DO FOR RETAIL
CUSTOMERS VISUALLY.
AND THEY -- YOU GENERALLY GET A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN A WHOLESALE
PRICE AND A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN A RETAIL PRICE.
>> I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS AND THE MONTHS GOING FORWARD AND
BASICALLY PACKING UP FOR WINTER AND GETTING ROOT VEGETABLES AND
SQUASHES AND THINGS YOU'LL SELL AND HAVE THROUGH THE WINTER.
THAT'S THE SUSTAINABILITY PART, IS TRYING TO NOT HAVE TO UTILIZE
THINGS THAT ARE GROWN IN A LARGER SCALE OUTSIDE THIS AREA.
>> YOU GROW GARLIC, SHALLOTS, ONIONS, CHERRY TOMATOES, SWEET
PEPPERS, HOT PEPPERS, PUMPKINS.
WE STARTED ABOUT EIGHT YEARS AGO GROWING FIGS IN THE GREENHOUSE.
AFTER 36 YEARS, I'M STILL AMAZED AT REALLY ALL OF THE STAGES FROM
THE SEEDS SPROUTING IN THE EARLY SPRING TO SEEING THEM GROW LIKE
THIS, PICKING YOUR FIRST TOMATO, PULLING OUT A BEAUTIFUL ONION OR
GARLIC.
IT'S JUST -- IT'S STILL SATISFYING.
THAT'S WHAT KEEPS ME GOING.