First, when you look at the Kingsbury Farm project, you need to
consider the conservation effort and the Foodbank's subsequent purchase
of the farm as two distinct events. The farm was not conserved for the
Vermont Foodbank. The farm was conserved for the same reason that many
other farms throughout the state of Vermont are conserved through the
Vermont Land Trust's Farm Conservation Program -- to protect the
property from future development and to keep the farmland affordable
for future farming.
Once conserved, there was then a process where people and organizations
interested in purchasing the conserved farm submitted proposals on how
they would use the land if they were selected by the Vermont Land Trust
(VLT) as the buyers. The request for proposal process was open to
anyone including farmers or other individuals in The Valley. A small
group of Valley residents (including myself) participated in the
proposal review process and we concurred with the land trust's
selection of the Vermont Foodbank as winner, and the Foodbank purchased
the farm at the conserved value of $225,000. The Foodbank can sell the
property in the future, but VLT will be involved in the process to
ensure that future buyers will use the property for farming.
PROTECTING INVESTMENT
The Vermont Foodbank is now the owner and steward of the Kingsbury
Farm. As good stewards, they have invested in upgrading critical farm
infrastructure to make sure that the buildings remain viable and in
good working order, that the water supply is potable (an important
consideration for washing the vegetables), and that the curb cut from
Route 100 is safe and up to state code. If you consider that the town
of Warren made an investment in the property as did many individuals in
The Valley through their personal contributions, then the Foodbank is
protecting our collective investment by making these infrastructure
improvements. The solar panels are yet another indication of the
Foodbank's commitment to making the farm a sustainable operation; the
electricity for the entire farm can be generated from those two panels.
The funds for this alternative energy project came from a grant that
specifically dictated the money be used for solar panels; this was not
a frivolous use of funds.
It is true that the Kingsbury Farm is close to 20 acres, but this was
not a conventional farm conservation project as I understand farm
conservation. Both the Mad River Path Association and the Friends of
the Mad River have been involved and a portion of the land has been
carved out as a river buffer and recreation path both protecting the
water quality of the Mad River and facilitating a walking area along
the river through the property. Subtract another three acres for the
farm complex (the barn, garage, farmhouse and driveway) and you are
left with about eight tillable acres. The Foodbank is committed to
using sustainable organic farming practices and that means each year
about one-third of those eight acres will be taken out of production
and set aside for cover cropping. Cover cropping is an important
strategy in organic farming where a portion of farming land is planted
with a "green manure" crop that rejuvenates the land increasing the
soil fertility and quality, reducing soil erosion and keeping weeds at
bay. The bottom line is that a little over five acres remains on which
to grow vegetables in any given year.
MOST POUNDS
In terms of the crops that will be grown at the farm, it will be
primarily root vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, onions and beets
and winter squash. This strategy will generate the most pounds of food
per acre, an important point when the goal is to feed as many people as
is possible from a small parcel of land. The Vermont Foodbank will be
the primary recipient of produce from this farm; therefore, maximum
calorie production and maximum storage time are obvious goals. It is
true that there are much higher value crops such as salad greens and
tomatoes; however, these crops are perishable and would not serve the
mission of the Foodbank nearly as well as their heartier
counterparts.
The main farmer at the property will be Aaron Locker. Aaron began
working with the Vermont Foodbank early during the summer of 2009 when
it was time to prepare the fields for 2010 production. The Foodbank had
offered the job to other local farmers, but they were all too busy with
their own endeavors to provide the needed assistance in a timely
manner. This fall, when the Foodbank decided that they would lease the
farm in exchange for a certain amount of produce, they advertised the
opportunity for several weeks in The Valley and throughout the state.
I was not involved in that process but have learned that Aaron and his
wife Suzanne Slomin were the only Valley residents to apply for the
"job." I say "job" in quotes because the lease agreement requires that
they provide the Foodbank with a stated amount of vegetables in
exchange for the use of the remaining land (and infrastructure) from
which they can earn their own living; they will not be on the
Foodbank's payroll. Aaron and Suzanne are well-qualified for the job;
each has several years of farming experience and also had operated
their own farm in central New York for seven years.
McDermott lives in Waitsfield.
