DEERFIELD — Since the Clark family helped Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture get on its feet decades ago, the experience has come full circle, with Clarkdale Fruit Farms receiving an award from the nonprofit earlier this month.

The organization awarded the fourth-generation fruit farm with its Local Hero Award, which honors farmers, activists and other agricultural partners whose work strengthens the local food economy with an emphasis on community. Clarkdale was honored alongside the Massachusetts Food System Collaborative and Springfield’s Go Fresh Mobile Market.

“It’s a great honor,” said Ben Clark, who runs Clarkdale Fruit Farms with his father, Tom. “It’s a real honor that we’re recognized for the work we’ve done in being good community members and growers, and trying to advance agriculture in the area.”

CISA Communications Manager Claire Morenon said Clarkdale was an easy choice when considering awards because the Clarks have been working in the valley for decades and are huge proponents of community.

“Clarkdale, they’re known for growing really beautiful fruits and their stewardship of their lands,” Morenon said of the business. “The Clarks, specifically, are known for being engaged with the communities around them in various ways. … They’re so generous with their time.”

Tom Clark served on the Deerfield Select Board and Finance Committee for several years. He was also a firefighter with the Deerfield Fire District, while Ben Clark is now assistant fire chief. Morenon added the two men and their family members have been deeply involved with CISA and engage with the organization’s events.

“I think that shows a familial commitment to volunteerism and community support that I think is central to the ethos of the family,” Morenon explained. “Ben told me they really see it as a symbiotic relationship, and they’re representing the farms and they’re there for the community. In turn, the community supports them and keeps the business going.”

Ben Clark served on CISA’s board of directors and said he “really believed in the mission” of supporting local food systems. The farm regularly contributes to Stone Soup Cafe in Greenfield and raises money for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.

“It’s a feeling of giving back,” Clark said. “We benefit from community support as a farm and we like to give back to the community.”

Massachusetts Food System Collaborative

Winton Pitcoff, director of the Massachusetts Food System Collaborative that also received a Local Hero Award, echoed Clark’s thoughts that it was a great honor to be recognized by CISA. The organization works with agencies like CISA to advocate for policy changes at the state level to create equitable, sustainable and resilient food systems.

“It means a lot, particularly coming from CISA because CISA has been such a tremendous leader [not only] in agriculture, but in systemic thinking about food for a long time,” Pitcoff commented. “It really meant a lot to us because of their history.”

Pitcoff, who is also coordinator of the Massachusetts Maple Producers Association, said the organization has a “mutually supportive relationship” with CISA as it relies on the nonprofit’s connections to figure out farmers’ priorities.

“We count on organizations like CISA to reflect what their farmers need to stay in business,” Pitcoff said. In turn, he said they help CISA create connections around Massachusetts so it can “be more involved at the policy level.”

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