麻州第30屆番茄比賽

Massachusetts Tomato Contest Draws 135 Entries

Farmers from North Easton, Concord, Hardwick, Sharon and Pepperell take top honors at 30^th annual event

BOSTON – Monday, August 18, 2014 – Massachusetts environmental officials joined tomato farmers from across the state at the Boston Public Market today for the 30^th Annual Tomato Contest. A highlight of the summer harvest season, this year's contest drew 135 entries in categories including field tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, heirloom varieties and heaviest tomato.

“The Patrick Administration has helped the agriculture industry grow by investing millions into preserving farmland and teaching valuable business and technical skills to our farmers,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Undersecretary for Environment Martin Suuberg. “Today we celebrate the fresh produce that millions across the Commonwealth can enjoy, while at the same time support the farmers in their communities.”

Entries were judged by a panel of food writers, chefs, produce experts and state officials on flavor, firmness, exterior color and shape. Top prizes went to farmers from North Easton, Concord, Hardwick, Sharon and Pepperell. A full list of contest winters is attached.

“Today is a celebration of the harvest season and our dedicated farmers here in the Commonwealth," said Department of Agricultural Resources (DAR) Commissioner Gregory Watson. “The tomatoes brought to Boston were the result of months of our growers’ hard work and care.”

Of the more than 7,700 farms in Massachusetts, 759 annually produce more than 8.5 million pounds of tomatoes on 685 acres with a value of approximately $17 million.  The Patrick Administration is committed to growing the agriculture economy.  More than $55 million has been invested in the APR program, resulting in the permanent protection of more than 180 farms and more than 10,000 acres. In addition, $7 million has been put towards farmer training, business development, on-farm energy efficiency and more. The Commonwealth has also launched one of the nation’s first state-funded urban farming initiatives, ranks fifth in the nation for direct market sales, hosts 134 farmers’ markets that accept SNAP and since 2007 has seen a 95 percent increase in Community Supported Agriculture and growth in agri-tourism sales of 127 percent.

In addition to the presentation of awards, today's event included tomato tasting and recipe demonstrations, as well as information on nutrition and local farms. The contest was hosted by the Boston Public Market Association and is sponsored by DAR, the New England Vegetable and Berry Growers Association and Mass Farmers' Markets.

2014 Massachusetts Tomato Contest Winners

Slicing Category
Farm Name	Town		Variety			Place
Langwater Farm	N. Easton		BHN 589			1
Macone Farm	Concord		Belgium			2
Langwater Farm	N. Easton		BHN 1021			3
Brox Farm	Dracut		Applause			4
MacArthur Farm	Holliston		Tomomaro Muchu			5
Ward's Berry Farm	Sharon		Scarlet Red			6
MacArthur Farm	Holliston		Geronimo			7
Macone Farm	Concord		Mountain Magesty			8
Kimball Fruit Farm	Pepperell		Sunbrite			9
East Street Farm	Tewksbury		BHN 961			10
Cherry Category
Farm Name	Town		Variety			Place
Still Life Farm	Hardwick		Orange Sun Sugar			1
Langwater Farm	N. Easton		Sungold			2
Macone Farm	Concord		Sunpeach			3
Frietas Farm	Middleboro		Sungold			4
Macone Farm	Concord		Sungold			5
Verrill Farm	Concord		Sungold			6
Idlywilde Farm	Acton		Strawberry Husk			7
Frietas Farm	Middleboro		BHN 968			8
Farmer Daves	Dracut		Sungold			9
Ward's Berry Farm	Sharon		Sweet 100			10
Heirloom Category
Farm Name	Town		Variety			Place
Langwater Farm	N. Easton		Striped German			1
Verrill Farm	Concord		Brandywine			2
Macone Farm	Concord		Mr. Stripey			3
Macone Farm	Concord		Pondarosa Pink			4
Farmer Dave's	Dracut		Cherokee Purple			5
Kimball Fruit Farm	Pepperell		Aussie			6
Macone Farm	Concord		Macone Farm			7
Red Fire Farm	Granby		Granny Cantrell's German Pink			8
MacArthur Farm	Holliston		Arkansas Traveler			9
Farmer Dave's	Dracut		Striped German			10
Heaviest Category
Farm Name		Town		Variety	Weight			Place
Verrill Farm		Concord		Aussie	2.785			1
Ward's Berry Farm		Sharon		Church	2.635			2
Kimball Fruit Farm		Pepperell		Virginia Sweet	2.460			3
Red Fire Farm		Montague		Striped German	2.450			4
Macone Farm		Concord		Mr. Stripey	2.425			5
Langwater Farm		N. Easton		Mortgage Lifter	2.365			6
Silverbrook Farm		Dartmouth		Pineapple	2.340			7
E. Cecchi Farms		Feeding Hills		Hillbilly	2.180			8
Clark Farm		Danvers		Striped German	2.045			9
Farmer Dave's		Dracut		BHN 961	1.905			10

8/17 免費小巴昆市觀光遊

免費小巴遊﹕ 觀光“新”昆士 (明天 - 8/17/2014)
正午12 時在昆士市府出發, 之後每半小時開車至下午 2:30
"Sightseeing on Wheels - Tour of the New Quincy" - tomorrow, Sun., 8/17. First come, First Served.
(Tours begin at 12pm at Quincy City Hall and every half hour until 2:30pm.)
Over 50 slides will be on display at the City Hall plaza. 
COME ONE, COME ALL. Slide preview - "Tour of the NEW Quincy" (Pls. see attachment)

八月十七日第二十七屆昆士市中秋聯歡會

亞協服務中心(QARI)主辦的第二十七屆昆士市中秋聯歡會，將於八月十七日（週日）早上十一點至下午五點，在昆士市中心的興國街 1400 至 1600 號舉行。

亞協服務中心表示，昆市中秋節聯歡會是南岸地區一年一度的最大型戶外文化活動，估計當天會有超過一萬兩千人參加。

聯歡會當天將有各種唱歌，舞蹈，吟詩，誦詞等文化表演，也闢有美食區，流動餐車，讓出席者大快朵頤。

南岸青少年中心(YMCA) 將負責兒童手工藝及遊戲活動，並提供適合各種年齡的健康推廣活動。

會中也將有攤位提供選民登記信息，並為民眾提供如何尊重和處理美國國旗等相關知識。

在 Ross Parkingway 和興國街，以及 Hannon Parkway 之間的場地，將設為第二個中秋節聯歡會場區，安排有吃西瓜比賽，機動遊戲，擲球人落水等有趣遊戲。籌得的款項，將由亞協服務中心用於辦理各類項目和服務。

查詢詳情可上網www.quincyasianresources.org。

六名麻州長候選人談移民議題各有所見

麻州難民移民援助處（MIRA）等約七個機構合作，十三日晚在邦克丘（Bunker Hill）社區學院舉辦不分黨派州長候選人論壇。六名出席候選人都贊成整合，認為應把移民融進大社會中，應協助移民獲取政府提供的服務，要保障道路安全，應發駕照給通過資格要求者，但談及具體政策措施，意見頗為分歧。

        論壇主題為“影響移民社區的議題”，由WGBH-FM資深調查記者菲利浦馬丁（Phillip Martin）主持，共有葛羅斯曼（Steve Grossman)，柯克莉（Martha Coakley），貝里克（Don Berwick）等三名民主黨，費卻克（Evan Falchuck），麥可米（Jeff McCormic）等二名獨立無黨派，以及馬克費雪（Mark Fisher）這一名共和黨的共六名候選人出席。為因應各候選人的時間，論壇採取一對一，輪流上台方式進行。會場來來去去，將近有兩百人出席。

            主辦單位事先安排，請各候選人就四個議題發表政見，一為執法，種族刻板印象，家庭分隔；二為包括語言的包容性獲取州政府服務；三為新美國人議程；四為安全駕駛。

            四名邦克丘社區學院學生在論壇結束後表示，他們認為，候選人中的葛羅斯曼最有想法，提及的經濟發展措施，對移民最有利。這四名學生，兩人為在美出生的移民第二代，兩人為分別從日本，中國來美半年及二年的國際學生。

            葛羅斯曼在會中重申他家的移民歷史，以及移民創業的重要，他強調自己支持信任法，容許移民不論身份都可申請駕照，

            部分出席者表示，候選人中，貝里克，費卻克都對議題有深入了解。

            貝里克是當晚首名發言者。他指出，西班牙裔高中生輟學率高達25%，大都是因為語言障礙，麻州新創企業中，有60%是由第一代移民創辦，可見重視移民對麻州會有多大的好處。他的支持州內居民學費，信任法案，即使是非法移民也給駕照法案等，固然獲得場內好評，但最打動當晚大多數出席者的是他強調自己參選的使命，是要抒緩，終結貧困。

            本身是委內瑞拉（Venezuelan）白人移民之子的費卻克指出，警察在路上截停有色人種的比率，遠比截停白人，也就長得像他那樣的人高這情況本身就是一個社會問題。他認為無論是在改善生活，或改善經濟上，政府都可以發揮很大的作用，關鍵是要制定好的做法。

        柯克莉是當晚最後一個到會發言者。她認為社會要包容，無論是醫療保險，教育，社會服務，每個合法居民都有權獲得政府提供的服務。她還強調自己在打擊人口走私上所做的努力，指出早前，全美只有三州沒有反對人口走司法，麻州就是其中之一，經過該辦公室的努力，現在麻州也跟上了時代。

            當晚唯一的共和黨籍候選人馬克費雪，發言內容也最不同。費雪認為應該幫助移民學好英文，以融入美國這個社會。一旦移民的英文流暢了，所有的因語言障礙等所造成的獲取社會服務不公平狀況，應該會自然消滅。談及費奇堡市的Josue可能被遣返，他家的五個小孩出現經濟窘況，費雪只說，遣返必須要有理由，非法進入美國，應該是其中之一。

        邦克丘（Bunker Hill）社區學院院長余慕潔在論壇結束後表示，該校有很多學生來自移民家庭，在該校舉辦以移民為主題的候選人論壇，再適合不過。她很高興該校師生及社區人是有機會親耳聽到各候選人對移民相關議題的看法。

圖片說明：

            右起，麻州難民移民援助處（MIRA）主任米樂娜（Eva A. Millona），共同主席Jeff Gorss，WGBH-FM資深調查記者菲利浦馬丁（Phillip Martin），邦克丘（Bunker Hill）社區學院院長余慕潔在論壇結束後合影。（菊子攝）

            柯克莉是麻州州長候選人中的唯一女性。（菊子攝）

        右起，日裔的Ryoko Yamaguchi，住在劍橋市的Drina Doley，來自上海的馮澄，祖籍薩爾瓦多的Isaac Cavballo等人都欣賞葛羅斯曼（中）的想法，意見。（菊子攝）

            麥可米(Jeff McComic)表示，要讓移民都能實現美國夢。（菊子攝）