HADLEY — Back in the 1950s and ’60s, almost all of the asparagus grown in Massachusetts came from fields in Hadley, making the town, through unofficial acclamation, the asparagus capital of the world.
With other areas of the United States attempting to claim this designation in recent years, third graders at Hadley Elementary School Monday made the case directly to Sen. Jo Comerford and Rep. Homar Gomez, Hadley’s representatives in the state Legislature, for why asparagus should be named Massachusetts’ official state vegetable.
The idea of restoring the green spears, sometimes known as “Hadley grass,” to a place of prominence was brought forward by 8-year-old Cora Fill.
“It originated from a paper for why we should get the state title back,” Cora said. “Hadley grows most of the asparagus, 80% of the asparagus, in Massachusetts.”
After speaking to their teacher, Charlene Desjardins, and learning the state has already made cranberry the official fruit, but not an official vegetable, Cora said her classmates quickly got on board with promoting asparagus as the official vegetable.
“We all wrote notes and letters to Governor (Maura) Healey to make asparagus the state vegetable,” Cora said.
The students modeled their advocacy after what New Hampshire students did several years ago to make the pumpkin the state fruit for the Granite State.
“It kind of started by us asking what our state vegetable was, and we really didn’t have one,” said James Rathbun, 8. “We thought that was interesting, and it would be cool to invite the senator and representative to class, and ask them to make a bill.”
Desjardins said the project is part of the guided reading lessons focused on being an elementary school lawmaker. The work began on Oct. 27 and since then the students have sent advocacy letters and asparagus illustrations, and done work on the project in their STEAM and art specials, such as making asparagus pastels. A hallway leading to the classroom has much of this work displayed.
“It’s a pleasure to inspire kids, who themselves are inspiration,” Desjardins said. “I couldn’t have dreamed of this experience.”
During their presentation, the 22 students, standing in a semi-circle and each wearing a Grown in Hadley T-shirt with an image of an asparagus, provided by the Edward Hopkins Educational Foundation, gave an overview of their work.
This was followed by a more detailed slide deck, in which a few students included information about the dietary value of asparagus, the growing seasons for the vegetable, New England Public Media’s annual Asparagus Festival, and fun facts, such as Queen Elizabeth II being a fan of asparagus.
At the end, the legislators offered their thoughts.
“I can’t wait to file this bill, on your behalf, with Rep. Gomez,” Comerford said. “As young people, I am accountable to you.”
It could be a two-year process to get the legislation signed into law.
“We will work with the people in the Hadley community and all of you to move this along as quickly as we can,” Comerford said.
Comerford reflected on how area students have done similar projects in the past, such as for the recent naming of the Podokesaurus holyokensis as the state dinosaur, and the late 1980s appeals from Amherst elementary school students to change the Massachusetts Turnpike logo, which at the time depicted a Pilgrim’s hat with a Native American arrow through it.
“That’s the power you have, as young people, calling us to do better,” Comerford said. “It feels like this would be a great tribute to this town and to the farmers who have grown it for generations.”
Gomez joked that his familiarity with asparagus mostly comes from it accompanying a good steak dinner, adding that symbols and language are important to his constituents.
“It’s time something from western Massachusetts is recognized at the state level. It’s time for Boston to recognize we’re part of Massachusetts, too,” Gomez said.
In addition to the legislators and several parents, others in the audience included members of the School Committee and Select Board, Principal Jennifer Dowd and Superintendent Anne McKenzie.
McKenzie said the project could influence the entire state. “What you’re doing right now is the kind of thing a wise person does,” McKenzie said.
Before leaving, Gomez and Comerford shook hands with the students and posed for pictures, and also got to view a collage created by Benny Jekanowsi, 8, and his father, Kevin Jekanowski, showing images from some of the asparagus labels, both in Hadley and across the region, that indicate the long-running prominence of the vegetable.
Students said they have some optimism from what they heard from the legislators and look forward to the opportunity to offer either in-person or virtual testimony at the State House when the bill gets a hearing.
“We felt pretty good about it,” said Kai Grace, 9.
