Building Resilience, Together.
The world is changing very quickly nowadays and it’s hard to keep track of all of the challenges facing us. New technologies, climate change, and the consolidation of power in our society have highlighted a need for resilience in our communities.
At the Hilltown CDC, we want to contribute to the resilience of our food system and the workers within it. We believe that food is a right to all people and that farmers deserve a dignified income for feeding their communities. We believe that the health of the environment and the health of our food system are intensely intertwined, and we reject the notion that sustainability in agriculture doesn’t scale. Most importantly, we know that a strong food system is a connected one.
Interconnectedness across the food system has the potential to increase food access to those in need, improve both farmer’s and our larger community’s standard of living, adapt our growing systems to changing climactic realities, and evolve our cultural understanding of the food we eat and how it gets to our tables. Building an agricultural economy that shares information, resources, and infrastructure is critical to this goal, and we are changing our programs to be amicable to this kind of growth. Thank you for your support so far, and we are looking forward to building resilience, together.
-Jake Russell, Director of Community Food Resilience
The Agriculturalist Repository
Below you will find folders with PDFs containing information about agricultural systems. This information is meant to be utilized by any interested party looking to expand knowledge of best growing practices, resource conservation systems, independent energy systems, and much more. All PDFs are free to view and download.
Didn’t find the information you were looking for? Fill out the form below to request it to be added to the repository.
If you are having an issue accessing the repository, email Jake Russell at jaker@hilltowncdc.org
Want to build a Food Access Program?
In partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, we’ve developed a comprehensive toolkit to empower organizations and individuals to establish food access programs. We believe everyone deserves access to healthy, locally sourced food and that the farmers who make this possible should be fairly compensated for their hard work.
If you have any questions or would like feedback as you explore the toolkit, please feel free to reach out. We support your efforts to create a more equitable and accessible food system for your community.
Check out the Hilltown Food Access Map
We collaborated with the Hilltown Food Policy Council to create a comprehensive map of all farms, grocery stores, and meal services in the Hilltowns. If you would like your business to be included, please reach out.
office hours
Jake will be hosting open office hours to the public on Mondays from 3PM to 4:45PM. If you have any questions about our programs, collaboration opportunities, food access, or just want to say hello, the floor is yours (on Mondays from 3 to 4:45).
History of Our Programs
Launched in 2014 with support from a federal Local Food Promotion Program grant, Keep Farming in the Hilltowns is a collaborative initiative with Healthy Hampshire and CISA focused on strengthening the region’s local food system by supporting farmers, improving food access, and building a resilient rural economy. A cornerstone of this work is the Hilltown Market, which began as a mobile market serving isolated and low-income residents and has since evolved into a year-round brick-and-mortar store in Worthington, while maintaining delivery services to reach all communities. Together, these efforts reflect an ongoing commitment to expanding market opportunities for farmers, increasing access to fresh local food, and fostering a connected, sustainable food system across the Hilltowns.
For more information about our business assistance program, opportunities for Hilltown Farmers, or questions about food access, please contact Jake Russell at jaker@hilltowncdc.org or 413-296-4536 x116
The Hilltown Market is In Season!
Visit us at our store at 19 Sawyer Road, Worthington, MA, 01098
Get the freshest seasonal produce and highest quality animal products from your neighbors in the Hilltowns! It grows our local economy and makes our farmers more resilient!
Click here to go to our online store and place an order for delivery or pickup.
Want to sell with us? Email market@hilltowncdc.org so we can talk shop!
Call for Partnership!
Our food and farming programs are preparing for a transition into a larger role in the Food System with the ongoing construction of the Hilltown Community Food Hub in Cummington!!!
Strong partnerships with food system stakeholders across the entire supply chain will be critical to the success of this project. If you want to be in the loop on this project and the opportunities that it will bring, please fill out the forms below.
(Other Stakeholder Intake forms are on the way!)
