A look at the Big E’s agricultural heritage

WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – For over a century, the Eastern States Exposition has celebrated and honored the farms that supply our local populace.

The Big E began as an agricultural fair, and agriculture remains a huge part of what the fair is all about. Agriculture is the Big E’s culture and every year since 1914 the Big E honors the country folk that sow, harvest, and raise livestock in our region year-round with the utmost admiration.

“It’s literally the foundation of our roots and it’s what everybody comes here to celebrate,” said Maureen Freniere, Deputy Director of Sales, Eastern States Exposition.

The Big E is an opportunity for farmers like Katie Herd, to show off their beautiful animals
like Tobasco, a two-year-old brown Swiss cow, and the work that they do every day to put food on our tables.

“It’s important to understand that their food doesn’t just come from the grocery store there’s a lot that happens before it ever makes it there and without your farmers then you really have you know you’ll have to pay extra for your food because you don’t have it locally,” said Herd, owner of Corner Stone Farm in New Hampshire.

The Big E is sometimes people’s first time interacting with livestock this closely. This state fair is more than just about the fried foods and musical performances it’s about educating people about these gorgeous animals and what these farmers do for us every day.

“Agriculture isn’t just animals. There is wheat that goes into making those beverages that people enjoy on a Saturday night, and there’s our state buildings that showcase all of those things as well and I think it’s just there’s so many layers to agriculture and it is literally in every crevice of this property. If you know what you’re looking for,” said Freniere.

The fair creates a space to honor those who have dedicated their lives to preserving agrarian legacies and what it is that makes agriculture their culture.

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