Nuestras Raices

Master Planning & Agricultural Planning

Holyoke, MA

In 2005, Nuestras Raices, a nationally recognized grassroots organization dedicated to promoting economic, human, and community development in Holyoke, Massachusetts, selected Keith Zaltzberg and Sebastian Gutwein to work with their diverse stakeholders to prepare a master plan for the Tierra de Oportunidades Community Farm.

The ambitious program of this urban farm features beginning farmer training, new business incubator, environmental conservation and stewardship project, a youth development initiative, and a cultural development center. These elements and programs provide opportunities for the city’s residents including significant Puerto Rican, Dominican, and Moldovan communities to reconnect with their agricultural roots and celebrate their cultural heritage.

Guided by the master plan, Nuestras Raices staff and volunteers have protected and transformed this 25-acre property, representing the largest undeveloped parcel for miles along the Connecticut River, into a vibrant, thriving farm.

With weekly pig roasts and over 15 new farms, nature trails, an outdoor stage, horse stables, a farmstand, and greenhouses, Tierra de Oportunidades connects economics, ecology and culture to create a dynamic hub of community activity and pride grounded in urban agriculture.