at E. Cecchi Farms
FAMILIAR FACES ON THE FARM. BOBBY (LEFT) AND MICHAEL (RIGHT) WITH THIER FATHER, ROBERT CECCHI. ! AMBER WAKLEY
J ACQUELINE M. SIDOR, JMS ART & PHOTO
Amongst the sprawling acres of fields and greenhouses at E. Cecchi Farms, there’s more than just produce and plants rooting in, but also a long-standing family tradition of agriculture. Here, embedded in the soil is a rich tradition of timeless work and diligent farming practices, one that has been passed down through five generations. It began in 1946, when Erminio Cecchi left his father’s farm in Agawam, purchasing a forty acre plot to start his own business in Feeding Hills. Under the shade of a large maple tree, Erminio sold his yield and thus began a legacy of providing the community with fresh, local produce. “My grandfather started farming this land over fifty years ago, my father and mother worked here, as do I and my two brothers,” says Michael Cecchi who oversees the fields. “As business grew our stand was built in the 1950s and then a glass greenhouse, where our retail display is now.” GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 17