Nuestras Raices Farmstand

Nuestras Raíces was born in 1992 by a group of community members in South Holyoke who aimed to develop a greenhouse in downtown Holyoke. The founding members, all migrating farmers from Puerto Rico, transformed an abandoned lot into the city’s first community garden, sparking the growth of urban agriculture in Holyoke. Today, Nuestras Raíces coordinates 14 community gardens and operates a 30-acre urban farm, focusing on urban agriculture, economic development, and food systems change.

Nuestras Raíces supports urban agriculture through a network of community gardens and a 30-acre urban farm. They focus on cultivating cultural crops favored by the community, supporting food entrepreneurs with a commercial kitchen and restaurant facility, and operating a mobile market serving Hampden County with fresh produce. They also provide technical assistance and financial literacy classes to Latino entrepreneurs and collaborate with area public schools to develop a strong Latino youth labor pool.

Nuestras Raíces encompasses over 600 members, including community gardeners, tenant farmers, small businesses, and volunteers. Members hold voting power to control the Board of Directors and approve changes to the mission and outreach. They have launched Energia, LLC, a clean-energy business generating over $4M in annual revenues, and operate a Puerto Rican Lechonera take-out facility. The organization is deeply rooted in the Latino community, advocating for racial equality, food, and social justice.