There doesn’t seem to be much excitement or urgency surrounding the race for Massachusetts governor as we look toward the Sept. 4 primary … at least, that is, since Setti Warren left the field in April. That leaves us with two Republicans: Governor Charlie Baker and Scott Lively; two Democrats: Bob Massie and Jay Gonzalez; and a long, languid August in which to consider the choices.
Most interesting for rural western Massachusetts, perhaps, is where the candidates stand, or don’t stand, on farms, farming, land, water, hunger, food and food systems. To that end, the Massachusetts Food System Collaborative prompted the candidates to reflect on policy issues raised in the Massachusetts Local Food Action Plan, which lays out goals and recommendations toward a sustainable and equitable food system for Massachusetts.
In soliciting responses, the collaborative noted that one in 10 workers in the state is employed in 41,000 food system businesses, accounting for 4.5 percent of the total gross state product. Farmers steward more than 500,000 acres of farmland. The state is a national leader in direct-to-consumer sales of local foods. One in 10 Massachusetts residents — and one in eight children — struggle with hunger, resulting in preventable dietary-related illnesses that cost the state an estimated $2.4 billion each year.
The candidate responses are telling, and it’s well worth spending some time with them at mafoodsystem.org. Here, however, are some things that stand out.
Of the four, only Lively declined to respond in detail to specific questions posed by the collaborative regarding the role of the state in promoting agriculture, protecting farmland, supporting the food system and ending hunger.
The remaining three candidates professed strong aspirational support for a local food agenda, including (variously) CSAs, Agricultural Preservation Restrictions, farmers markets, farm stands and saving the family dairy farm. Lively wrote that he supports “natural foods, locally grown and integrated with the markets and restaurants, including fish and animal food products harvested through humane processes.” And Baker repeatedly invoked not his aspirations, but his record in matters such as the Massachusetts Food Ventures Program which “has provided over $1.5 million to increase and sustain capacity for local food producers.”
It’s hard to fault that earnest support. But aside from a general lack of specificity, two omissions stand out for me.
None of the candidates addressed what many growers will tell you is among the biggest long-term challenges facing us: the multi-year drought. It’s impact waxes and wanes, while long-term water management stagnates. It remains dry out there, and a coordinated approach to water management is critical.
Secondly, when asked what role the University of Massachusetts might play is supporting the food system, not one of the candidates mentioned the interdisciplinary research and outreach capacity of the UMass Extension — the former cooperative extension service established 150 years ago, specifically to provide that support.
I doubt any of this would be a problem if any of the candidates had dirt under his nails or a muddy boot-print in western Massachusetts. Our politicians tend to have a connection to the land that others don’t. I recall Jay Healy, state legislator and later agriculture secretary, showing up for an interview in a flannel shirt and boots on-route between his Charlemont farm and Boston. And, certainly, Steve Kulik has maintained his strong commitment to area dairy farmers through this long tenure in the Legislature, most recently as chair of the Ways and Means Committee.
All this talk about politics makes me especially grateful that Diane Grybko of South Deerfield has given us an excuse to talk about something far more pleasant — in this case a really terrific strawberry bread.
“Thirty years ago, a co-worker, Vanna Ruggles, brought in a loaf of warm strawberry bread and I’ve been hooked ever since,” Grybko said.
So are we.
Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1½ cups granulated sugar
3 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
Dash of salt
4 eggs, beaten
3 cups sliced strawberries
½ cups coconut oil, melted
½ cup applesauce
Mix dry ingredients. Combine beaten eggs, oil, applesauce and strawberries. Add to dry ingredients and mix.
Grease and flour 3 to 4 small loaf pans and fill half way or make muffins.
Bake at 350 degrees until a knife comes out clean (about 27 minutes for muffins and 35 to 45 minutes for loaf pans).
Whether in bread or muffin form, the finished product is delicious with cream cheese and freezes very well.
Wesley Blixt lives in Greenfield. He is a longtime reporter and is the author of “SKATERS: A Novel.” Send him recipes, stories and suggestions at wesleyblixt@me.com.