By Bob Katzen

Sen. Jo Comerford (D-Northampton) and Rep. Homar Gomez (D-Easthampton) filed a bill, requested by some third-grade students at Hadley Elementary School, to make asparagus the official state vegetable. Other areas in the nation are also working to designate their state as the asparagus capital of the world.

“It kind of started by us asking what our state vegetable was, and we really didn’t have one,” said 8-year-old student James Rathbun. “We thought that was interesting, and it would be cool to invite the senator and representative to the class and ask them to make a bill.”

According to the students, back in the 1950s and 1960s, almost 100 percent of asparagus grown in the Bay State came from fields in Hadley, unofficially making the town the asparagus capital of the world.

“I filed this bill because Western Massachusetts should be more visibly represented across the commonwealth, and there’s no better way to do that than through our amazing farms,” said Rep. Gomez. “The work the children did truly made this a no-brainer for me.”

“When a classroom filled with passionate third graders advocate for asparagus to become the official state vegetable, I listen closely,” said Sen. Comerford. “It was inspiring to meet with these students at Hadley Elementary School as they shared the history and regional significance of asparagus — also known as Hadley Grass. I am grateful to these young people for reminding us how democracy works.”