Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture names local hero

Date: 7/5/2011

July 4, 2011

By Lori Szepelak

Correspondent

WEST SPRINGFIELD — The temperatures were soaring into the 80’s for the lunch time crowd on June 21 who stopped by to see what local vendors were selling at Hampden Bank’s farmers’ market on Westfield Street.

Bank teller Liz Landers of East Longmeadow is a weekly visitor and always stops by to chat with Glenroy Buchanan, who founded the Pioneer Valley/New England Growers Co-op more than 20 years ago.

“I love the farmers’ market,” Landers said, noting she enjoys sharing stories of her garden with Buchanan.

Buchanan was recently named a 2011 Local Hero recipient from Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA). He shares the spotlight this summer with Franklin County’s Cider Days Volunteer Committee and the Hatch Crosby Family of Upinngil Farm. The awardees share CISA’s commitment to strengthening the connection between farms and communities in Western Massachusetts.

CISA noted that Buchanan was chosen for the Local Hero award for his success in increasing access to fresh food for underserved communities.

“Our Local Hero awardees can serve as role models for all of us, inspiring us to create and nourish economically vibrant and healthy farms and communities,” said Philip Korman, executive director of CISA.

While Buchanan can be found at Hampden Bank’s farmers’ market on Tuesdays in West Springfield, he also circulates to farmers’ markets in six urban communities every week. He was instrumental in launching Springfield’s Mason Square farmers’ market, and has worked with Hampden Bank to add markets in Wilbraham and Indian Orchard, where he serves as market manager.

“In all these places, people appreciate food that is well grown, fresh, and reasonably priced,” said Buchanan.

Buchanan grew up in a Jamaican community with a strong tradition of food self-sufficiency and cooperation. Fresh fruit grew on backyard trees, and neighbors were always willing to share what they had.

“Where I grew up, every day was a market day,” he added.

Another weekly customer of Buchanan’s is Ransford Doyle of West Springfield, who noted both he and Buchanan came from the same parish in Jamaica.

“We met more than 20 years ago here,” Doyle said of his friend. “We know what to grow in this climate.”

Buchanan noted that as he travels from one community to the next, the one recurring theme he hears most is area residents want more control over the food they purchase.

“I have to give a lot of credit to the farmers who have been a big help to me over time,” Buchanan said, noting the co-op members grow food for their own consumption and for sale at local farmers’ markets.

As Landers and Doyle were looking over the freshly picked herbs, beets, onions and lettuce that Buchanan was selling, other market vendors were selling a variety of wares including: farm fresh milk from Shadow Valley Farms, Somers, Conn.; breads, cookies and whoopie pies from Route 32 Bakery, Monson; raw local honey by Jim Wachala, West Springfield; knitted and crocheted items by D & D Crafts of West Springfield and Palmer, and 100% certified OrGanic Ganoderma, Coffee Fusion, Springfield.

For more information on where to buy food locally, visit CISA at www.buylocalfood.org or call 665-7100.