Wintonbury Land Trust: Supporting and Improving
Land Access to Local Farmers
By Rachel Murray
Land
trusts are at the forefront of reshaping the agricultural landscape in
Connecticut. They can be a leader supporting and promoting new and
beginning farmers by providing access to farmland.
Wintonbury Land Trust and Hawk Hill Preserve
Protection
of natural resources, conservation of farmland, and community building
through the natural landscape are part of the strongly held mission of
The Wintonbury Land Trust (WLT) in Bloomfield, Connecticut. On a recent
walk through the newly acquired Hawk Hill Preserve, Land Trust President
Dale Bertoldi and Treasurer Vikki Reski spoke about the historical and
agricultural presence Hawk Hill has in the community. According to the
Connecticut Land Conservation Council (CLCC) there are over 137 land
trusts throughout Connecticut. These include local, regional, and
statewide organizations. Land trusts provide a real and thriving
opportunity for new and beginning farmers to commence a local
agriculture business.
The
45 acre Hawk Hill Preserve is nestled between two adjoining farms,
including the farmland that's part of the LaSalette Park owned by the
Town of Bloomfield. Bloomfield is a community rich in agricultural and
cultural history so the desire to acquire this property with its prime
agricultural soils, scenic vistas, and potential to support multiple
farmers selling local products has been very strong with the Wintonbury
Land Trust. The Hawk Hill preserve is one of the oldest continuously
operating farm properties in Bloomfield. The Kelly Family purchased the
farm land in the 1860's, and operated it as a Dairy Farm until it was
sold to a developer in the early 1980's. The original farmhouse, located
on an adjoining parcel of land, dates back to 1746 and was originally a
Tavern. Additionally, there are fields across the street that were once
part of this farm, but are now owned privately could add to the 21acres
of tillable land at Hawk Hill in the future.
Wintonbury
Land Trust partnered with the Town of Bloomfield, CT Department of
Energy and Environmental Protection, and the USDA Natural Resources
Conservation Service to purchase the property from its current owners
and additionally purchase the easement on the land so that Hawk Hill is
guaranteed to stay as working farmland and open space. In this
arrangement, the Town holds the easement rights and Wintonbury Land
Trust owns the property outright. Through the work of a strong local
campaign to raise money to purchase the land along with the help of
several foundations, Wintonbury Land Trust purchased the Hawk Hill
property on April 23, 2015. To help protect the multiple conservation
values, and according to the easement, any farmer using the land must
provide and follow a detailed Conservation Plan. Additionally, a
designated walking trail is available and maintained for hikers to pass
through Hawk Hill connecting several local trails.
For
the 2015 season, Wintonbury Land Trust leased the 45-acre Hawk Hill
Preserve to a local farmer raising Scottish Highland cattle. In this
arrangement, the farmer provides and installs her own temporary fencing
for the cattle while also mowing hay for her cattle for the upcoming
winter. The farmer also agreed to mow the fields not suitable for hay to
maintain the aesthetic appeal of the farm and continued management of
perennial weeds and invasives. For the 2016 season, it is planned that
Wintonbury Land Trust will formally accept "Request For Proposals"
(RFPs) for farmers interested in a long-term lease on the Hawk Hill
property. Keeping the farmable portions in agriculture will reduce WLT
and the Town's stewardship costs, help maintain the conservation values,
and add fresh local agricultural products into the community. Stay
connected with the Wintonbury Land Trust through their website for more details.
Connecticut Land Access Programs
As
more Connecticut land trusts realize the value in making land available
to farmers, the importance to list and find properties is increasingly
significant. The Connecticut Department of Agriculture's CT FarmLink
is a statewide resource for farm owners and farm seekers to advertise
land available and additionally to search farm properties that are
available. Along with farm properties listed on CT FarmLink, New England Farm Finder
(NEFF) is another resource that includes all properties and farm seekers
throughout New England. Utilizing these two matchmaking websites are
excellent opportunities for land trusts to efficiently and effectively
find a farmer for their land. A statewide reality is that there are
significantly more farm seekers then there are farm properties available
making the case that land trusts have the potential to significantly
alter and improve the agricultural landscape in Connecticut.
Land For Good
(LFG) is a New England based non-profit with Field Agents in each state
working to improve farmland access and keep more farmers working the
land. LFG has an extensive "Toolbox" available on their website with
resources helpful for farm seekers and farm owners, including sample
leases and different models to use as a guide depending on the needs of
the land trust and farmer. Consultation to actually help craft the
match between the two parties is also available. In addition, the Connecticut Land Conservation Council,
provides users information about land trusts throughout the state and
has model agricultural easement language and leases to use as guidance.
Lastly, UConn Extension
has a helpful website with various agricultural programs and services
they provide, from a list of essential resources for beginning farmers
called "The Bucket List", to contacts for Extension educators and
specialists, and the Farmland ConneCTions Guide and model leases. All
of these resources are ready, available, and free of charge for land
trusts, land owners, and land seekers alike to utilize.
The
role of land trusts is becoming one of establishing a model for
acquiring the land through creative partnerships, protecting the land,
and establishing a farmer on the land. They can help lead the
renaissance for agriculture in Connecticut.
Rachel Murray, M.S. is the Connecticut Field Agent for Land For Good. She can be reached at rachel@landforgood.org or 603-357-1600
About the AGvocate Program
The
AGvocate Program promotes farm-friendly community policies and
regulations in Eastern Connecticut, and is the liaison between
agricultural producers and local communities. The Program is managed by
the Connecticut Resource Conservation and Development Area, Inc.
(RC&D) in cooperation with a Steering Committee comprised of members
from The Last Green Valley (TLGV), participating communities,
agricultural businesses, and many federal, state, and nonprofit agencies
and organizations.
|
Connecticut AGvocate Program
c/o Connecticut RC&D Area, Inc.
24 Hyde Avenue
Vernon, CT 06066
John Guszkowski, AGvocate Program Manager
AGvocate@outlook.com
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