Franklin County CDC

06/05/2026

What a night! 🎉

Thank you for attending our Block Party celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Western MA Food Processing Center!

From inspiring remarks by Liz Buxton, Kristin Howard of Real Pickles and Abby Ferla of Foxtrot Farm, to great food, music, art, and conversation, the evening was a powerful reminder of what’s possible when we invest in local food and local entrepreneurs.

We’re grateful to our partners from the Commonwealth, including Senator Jo Comerford, MDAR Commissioner Ashley Randle, Congressman Jim McGovern’s Regional Manager Koby Gardner-Levine, and USDA Rural Development State Director Chris Lyons, as well as our sponsors, vendors, volunteers, and supporters who made the celebration possible.

For 25 years, the Food Processing Center has helped turn tomatoes into salsa, cucumbers into pickles, and ideas into thriving businesses—and we’re excited for what’s next.

If you’d like to support the next generation of food entrepreneurs, we welcome your partnership.

Thank you for celebrating with us ❤️

06/05/2026

Congratulations to Small Oven Pastries, a 2025 FCCDC Wholesale Readiness Program Graduate, whose Vermont Maple Meringues just won a 2026 Good Food Award!
"The Good Food Awards recognize products that pair exceptional taste with conscious craftsmanship—food that’s delicious, thoughtfully sourced, and made with care. Out of more than 1,200 entries from across the country, these little maple meringues took home a top prize in the wildly diverse Snacks category."
Click here to learn more about the program: https://fccdc.org/food_process_center/wholesale-readiness-program/
https://www.smallovenpastries.com/

We look good in blue. 💙

Apparently, winning a national food award looks good on us, too—our Vermont Maple Meringues just won a 2026 Good Food Award!

The Good Food Awards recognize products that pair exceptional taste with conscious craftsmanship—food that’s delicious, thoughtfully sourced, and made with care. Out of more than 1,200 entries from across the country, these little maple meringues took home a top prize in the wildly diverse Snacks category.

Some of our favorite comments from the judges:
✨ “Flavorful, innovative and such a delight. Wow!!!!”
✨ “Super innovative and creative. I've never had anything like it.”
✨ “Loved the vibrant maple flavor from mid-melt to finish.”
Reading those comments was incredibly validating because they capture exactly what we’re trying to do.

As a small Vermont bakery, this award means a lot—not just because we won, but because it recognizes the values that guide everything we make: great ingredients, thoughtful sourcing, craftsmanship, and the belief that food should bring people joy.

These meringues wouldn’t exist without the incredible maple producers behind them. A special thank you to and for producing maple sugar we’re proud to bake with every day. 🍁

And thank you to everyone who has bought a bag, stocked a shelf, shared a post, offered advice, collaborated on a wild idea, or cheered from the sidelines. Small Oven Pastries exists because of people like you, and you’re part of this, too.

And yes, I’m still staring at that little blue sticker. 💙

06/04/2026

☔️The rain is over.
☀️The sun is shining.
🤖AI did not write this post inviting you to come on out and celebrate with us humans on this beautiful day!

2️⃣5️⃣years of transforming
🍅tomatoes into salsa,
🥒cukes into pickles,
🌱basil into pesto,
🌈ideas into real world businesses!

🎂Give it up for the Western MA Food Processing Center and come raise a glass to a quarter century!

Today! June 4, 4-6 p.m., in our parking lot, 324 Wells Street, Greenfield.

🍗BBQ by Emma's Market, a new joint in Belchertown, so new they don't have their socials yet!
🍻Beer by
☕Coffee and blended beverages by
🎂Cake by Franklin Community Co-op
👕Commemorative T-Shirts by Taproot Threads
🔥Hot oven cookies by
🎨Art project by
📻Vibes by

Fun by our supporters at and
No worries if you didn't RSVP, just come on by! 💚

06/02/2026

Come on out Thursday afternoon for a Block Party celebrating 25 years of 🍅 crushin' it 🍅 at the Western MA Food Processing Center! When you tour the food center, you'll have a better understanding of how our commercial kitchen helps farmers and food businesses succeed!

Join us for barbecue, cookies, coffee, beer! Hear from inspiring speakers! Do a fun art project!

RSVP: https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/FranklinCountyCommunityDevelo/2026-TTF-Final.html

06/01/2026

With a $1M total prize pool, the SBA Patriot Pitch Competition awards American innovation!

Key details:
✅ Judging categories: strengthening American competitiveness, small business “punching above its weight,” economic impact, and business fundamentals and ex*****on readiness
✅ Deadline: Submit your pitch by June 10
✅ The finals: September 2026 in D.C.

Learn more and submit your pitch: https://www.sba.gov/freedom250

05/27/2026

Get inspired! 🌟
Join us June 25 for Take the Floor at Hawks and Reed Performing Arts Center to hear bold, engaging pitches from the entrepreneurs that power our local economy! The winning business gets a $10,000 investment, generously donated by Franklin First Federal Credit Union

Register here: https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/FranklinCountyCommunityDevelo/2026-TTF-Final.html

Walk-ins welcome!

📸: 2026 Take the Floor finalist Tristan Evans from Tristan Evans Construction

05/27/2026

Friends, it's almost time for our Block Party, celebrating 25 years of 🍅crushin' it🍅 at the Western MA Food Processing Center.

Please join us under the big tent on June 4, 4 to 6 p.m., in our parking lot, 324 Wells Street, Greenfield. There will be delicious bites to eat, luscious drinks to drink, fun art projects to explore, cool people to listen to, and a sweet food processing center to tour.

RSVP: https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/FranklinCountyCommunityDevelo/BlockParty25thWMFPC.html

Greenfield Business Association
Franklin County Chamber of Commerce
Looky Here
Stout Pigeon Coffee Company
Four Phantoms Brewing Company
Hot Oven Cookies
Greenfield Savings Bank
Greenfield Northampton Cooperative Bank
WRSI - 93.9 The River
The Greenfield Recorder

05/20/2026

🔥 Take the Floor was on fire last night!
Franklin County showed up in a big way, with 13 incredible entrepreneurs taking the stage in the Qualifying Round—each bringing passion, innovation, and bold plans for growth.

👏 Huge congratulations to everyone who pitched—you’re what makes this region thrive!

Meet the entrepreneurs:

• Justin Bardwell — Shop Talk Pro
• Rich Calhoun — Outer Limits Cycle & Ski
• Emily Coderre — Pursuit Pilates Club
• Finn Cross — Fox Hollow Dog Training
• Allie Dercoli — FinAllie Ferments LLC
• Tristan Evans — Tristan Evans Construction
• Niclas Jansson — Lilla Swedish Candy
• Rachael Kashner — Happy Tails Dog Day Camp LLC
• Elijah Lagreze — New Edibles DBA Vibesman’s Food
• Riana Pizzi — Giovanni’s Red Rose Motel
• Ang Roell — They Keep Bees LLC
• Baldo Salinas — River Valley Flooring 413
• Crystal Santos — Perspective Learning

🌟 And now, onto the finals! Join us June 25 as these five standout entrepreneurs compete:

• Riana Pizzi — Giovanni’s Red Rose Motel
• Ang Roell — They Keep Bees
• Tristan Evans — Tristan Evans Construction
• Rich Calhoun — Outer Limits Cycle & Ski
• Crystal Santos — Perspective Learning

We can’t wait to see what’s next—good luck to our finalists! 🚀

05/18/2026

Tomorrow night at Greenspace CoWork, join us for the Qualifying Round of Take the Floor! Walk ins welcome but if you are planning to come, please register here:

https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/FranklinCountyCommunityDevelo/2026-TTF-Qualifying-Round-1.html

📸: 2024 Take the Floor participant Dylan Sheldon and Anna Morin (not pictured) of
the Sweeter Thingz

05/18/2026

🌱Spring is here, but farmers know, harvest season is right around the corner! 🍎🥦🍅🫑🥒🌶️

At the Western Massachusetts Food Processing Center, we're gearing up for another busy season of value-added production with local farms!

We help farms turn fresh produce into products like pesto, pickles, tomato sauces, salsa, jams, and more. Frozen produce options are available as well!

If your farm is interested in creating value-added products with us this season, now is the time to get on the schedule! Contact Kate at the Food Processing Center to learn more and reserve your processing dates.

https://fccdc.org/food_process_center/