Deep Roots, New Growth in Farm and Food Systems

Senior Special Programs Coordinator for Natural Resources Anthony “Tony” Reiber has advanced several initiatives in GCC’s Farm and Food Systems program. Launched in 2011, the program blends academic study with hands-on training in plant and soil science, sustainable agriculture, permaculture and food production.

Much of this learning takes place in GCC’s Outdoor Learning Lab, a working landscape of fruit trees, raised beds, ornamental crops and beekeeping areas. This living classroom helps students gain experience in crop production, land stewardship and ecological growing practices, the essential skills needed for agricultural careers.

To help address student food insecurity, Reiber and GCC’s student-led permaculture club has also established a free on-campus farmers market. During the growing season, the market distributes hundreds of pounds of produce gleaned from nearby farms, providing food to students while giving participants experience in food recovery and community organizing.

Reiber and his students also engage in policy advocacy and civic engagement. In February, Reiber traveled with students Paige Marquez and Mike Hannigan to the USDA’s 102nd Agricultural Outlook Forum in Washington, D.C. At the event, Hannigan delivered a testimonial describing how gleaning can provide relief to the 12.1% of residents across Western Massachusetts who experience food insecurity.

A new collaboration with GCC’s Workforce Development division is launching workshops for local farms on topics such as equipment maintenance and farm safety, and establishing a Farm Advisory Council to strengthen the regional farming community. The council includes farmers from across the region and organizations like CISA (Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture), Greenfield Farmers Cooperative Exchange, and American Farmland Trust. The collaboration aims to support shared knowledge and build resilience across the agricultural sector, drawing on the experience of vegetable and flower growers, livestock producers, and makers of value-added products.