Five Franklin County farms have been awarded a total of $333,750 in grants from the state Department of Agricultural Resources.

Colrain-Line Family Farm, Tip Top Orchard in Buckland, Wauban Farms in Ashfield, Hawley’s Meadowsweet Farm and Porter Family Farm in Ashfield were among 16 farms across the state to receive funding from either the Matching Enterprise Grants for Agriculture (MEGA) program or the Agricultural Preservation Restriction Improvement Program (AIP), supporting improvements and expansions of their operations.

“This funding will support our farmers as they continue to support our communities — as local food producers, economic engines, stewards of our land and so much more,” state Rep. Natalie Blais, D-Sunderland, who serves as House chair of the Joint Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries, said in a statement. “I am proud to live in a state that values our farms and is committed to strengthening our local food system.”

Colby Martin created Colrain-Line Family Farm in Colrain in 2017, after growing up watching neighboring farmers hay their fields and then working for them.

“I live in Colrain on the Sheburne line and grew up hanging around their hayfields watching the farmers work,” Martin said. “Then I contacted them to learn how they do it. I started when I was 10 and I’ve been doing it ever since.”

Martin was awarded a $18,750 grant to purchase a wood processor, skid steer and other equipment. He said the new equipment will allow him to increase production and save money at the farm, which produces hay, wood, and has a small herd of cattle and a few pigs.

“Before, I was using a chainsaw, and it would take two-thirds of a day to do a cord of wood,” Martin said. “I can do a cord and a half per hour now.”

Tip Top Orchard in Buckland was awarded $10,000 for a tractor, which owner Maya Nayak said will help her move compost, mulch and other heavy loads around the farm, located on a hilly landscape.

“Farming is pretty punishing on the human body, and if you can use hydraulics, it will help make the work easier and more sustainable,” Nayak said. “I was able to get a tractor. … We’re pretty excited about it.”

Nayak, who has been a professional gardener for close to 20 years, said that while Tip Top Orchard has some apple trees, it is an orchard in name only. They keep the trees because they like them, but there are too few trees to be financially sustainable as an orchard. Instead, Tip Top Orchard grows premium flowers to supply florists.

“I run a small specialty flower farm with my family. It’s really beautiful and small,” Nayak explained. “Basically I grow flowers for weddings and florists.”

Nayak said the MEGA grant is a matching grant, requiring that Tip Top Orchard contribute $10,000 of its own funds toward the tractor. Grants like this, Nayak said, are essential in helping farms buy and upgrade equipment.

“Like many farms, we rely on grants at the state and federal level. Farming is all about infrastructure, and these grants allow us to purchase this equipment and infrastructure,” Nayak said.

Additionally, Wauban Farms received $30,000 for cattle and hay equipment; Meadowsweet Farm was awarded $150,000 for a sheep barn; and Porter Family Farm received $125,000 for a workshop, equipment storage, cattle handling and hay storage barn.

“It’s great to see several awards supporting our farmers in Franklin County,” state Sen. Paul Mark, D-Becket, said in a statement. “These awards will help our local farms stay competitive and economically successful right here in Massachusetts.”

Reach Madison Schofield at 413-930-4579 or mschofield@recorder.com.