Um, all right. So, we'll call to order here at 610. And, uh, I think the first thing maybe we'll do is is what you talked about. Julie has to leave at 6:30. So, um, Amy and Julie
are here, uh, with the Weightley Garden, weightly giving >> weightly giving garden, >> which at the last uh, select board meeting was, uh, made into an official committee, which means that when we put in our time this coming year, we are not considered volunteers. Uh, I don't think
we can do it. It's part of her regular job, etc. I'm on the Weightley Select board. I'm Julie Wagner. Um, and the giving garden is something that we started. Uh, Amy, Cindy Steiner, Erica Roer, the former, um, community development administrator,
and Rusty Psro, also the former community development administrator. We're trying to get somebody who would stick, uh, started this in response to federal uh, food food funding cuts and farming cuts. And we thought we wanted
to try something that seemed sort of like uh the victory gardens of World War II. We wanted to encourage people to grow uh food crops at home um in small quantities. And so we we hit up Norse
Farms. Um we hit up Doug and a bunch of other local farmers. And I and Babe and I want to thank you all for your support uh for seedlings and for seeds. And then later in the year, we hit them up for produce. Um, and everybody was really
wonderful about contributing. We started in May. We ran Oh, do I have dates? No. We ran for 10 weeks. Starting in May, every other week at the transfer station. We gave everything away for free. People came
and took seeds. They took seedlings. And later in the year when we started producing crops, they brought them back and and donated them for free so people could come to the transfer station, be like, I don't have any money this week and I need a couple eggplants. >> So that's what we did. Um, and
>> and you were at the library, too. >> We were at the library for the first two weeks and then we were at the transfer station because Stan Gdowski, I don't know if you all know him, and his wife Terry said, "Why don't you try the transfer station? It's got more traffic." So we did that. It's been
really successful. The library has been great about lending us their >> their tent so we don't have to sit out in the hot sun or the rain. We set up tables and people just bring stuff and it's a little scary every two weeks because we're like we don't know what we have to give away.
>> And then by you know about we start at 11:00 and we run until 2:00 and by about noon we're kind of like I hope we can give this all away. >> Wow. >> And it's it's been fantastic. We have a mailing list of uh 75 people most of whom had have said can I
volunteer can I help can I in fact donate money and we have not been able to accept money because we're a town organization um so we want to start again next year do exactly the same thing encourage people to grow at home initially we
thought we were going to do a community garden probably here in back and then as the year wore on. We all kind of looked around and went, it's really working to have people grow at home and just do a decentralized kind of thing rather than
breaking ground and having fences and raised beds and people to come in and water and eat that just so what we want to do in coming years is to partner uh with Norse Farms with any farmers who are
interested and we want to lean heavily on our mailing list of folks to produce stuff to give away. Uh we want to partner with local schools to do educational programs about growing food and with the senior center to provide educational programs there. We also want
to be able to offer volunteer labor to folks who because of age or some kind of disability can't do their own gardens at home. Uh we'll have waiverss so that if anybody gets hurt, nobody's liable. Um
Yeah. So that's what we're interested in doing. It's it was extremely successful. We were really happy with it. Um it's also just a community building exercise. >> You know, people can come together and chat and
not worry about what's going on everywhere else right now. We can protect and help our community. So any questions? >> I have I have one. I was brainstorming a little I know you were talking about doing that community garden in somewhere
somehow >> and um you know I was wondering about and you and now Mike said you might be able to contribute comp you know >> soil to that >> y >> um what if you offered people the
opportunity to have a small raised bed garden put up at their own at their house >> that Oh, I love that. >> You know, >> I like that, too. >> Hello, Amy. >> Hi.
>> 4 by8 or something like that. >> Yeah. >> You know, or somebody just had a small amount of space. It was just thought, >> would you guys be able or willing to donate compost for stuff like that? >> Yeah. >> Already.
And you were ripping boards a while ago. >> Yeah, I had some 2 by8 mil filled last week. So, they're stacked and stickered at my house if the need arriving. >> I think that that is a fantastic idea. >> Okay. >> May I May I uh say something?
>> Oh, please do. Um, so I love this idea and part of this was also like for me educating people who may have never had a garden before and had no idea what to do. That was my favorite part of it. And
if we can get people if we can get people to um have a little garden in their yard, like I would one million% be willing to if they would want me to go to their space and show
them how, you know, it's a companion plant and things like that >> and spacing and things like that. >> Have you thought about winter meetings to educate these people? Yes, we actually and I had talked about maybe in
January we're going to start having a couple of community meetings to ask for input from the community and also to educate people about what we're doing, get more volunteers, etc. >> Did you say January? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Do you think that seems reasonable? >> Oh, yeah. I just didn't catch that.
>> Yeah. >> Yeah. Uh, one thing on the boxes, I think it'd be smart to just streamline um, you know, you can get a 4x8 box. Like they're all 4x8. 4x8 box takes one
yard of soil blind mix to fill >> and then you have >> the same volunteers, whoever's going to build the box, like I'll bring the so, you know, all in one shot. >> It's like I can't dump it in the box. >> Yeah. >> I get asked that question every time. We got to have
>> But it's a dump truck, so it doesn't dump into stuff. >> Yeah. Right. >> So, yeah, you have to dump on the ground, shuffle it in, >> right? So, we need we need to, you know, >> it's labor intensive. >> Yeah. Tarp and wheelbarrow, that kind of thing. So, that, you know, I mean, we're not talking about doing 100 thing.
>> No, but it's just Yeah. Just two people who are building the box, they can just fill it and that's just >> if you drop a yard, you know, >> everything supplies are there. It's ready to go, >> right? >> Yeah. without you. >> That's fantastic. I also just wanted to
say out loud in front of you guys that uh some folks in the community have said to me, "What about our hardworking farmers and aren't you undercutting them?" And I was like, "I think it would take a lot to undercut our community." But that is absolutely not the
intention. The intention is to knit the rest of the community even more into the agriculture. >> Yeah. I mean, if you're you're trying to make gardeners >> Yeah. >> and make people Yeah. >> orient towards
the things that they will see on farm stands in winter. >> Yeah. >> You know, so >> and there's a big difference I think between growing some zucchini or tomatoes and as to the grade as to acceptance for the into the market. >> Yeah. There's a there's a whole
>> whole different ball of wax and uh >> Absolutely. >> Yeah. So >> things you would give away to your neighbors that you would not sell in the supermarket >> that you couldn't sell, >> right? >> That's what you >> Yeah, >> totally.
>> Um do you folks who are volunteering to donate stuff put a limit like say I can donate you 10 yards of holist or I can donate however much lumber giving boxes. That way we can have people sign up for
them, >> right? >> And draw a lottery or something. >> Yeah. Try, you know, I I honest I mean there doesn't for me providing the lumber there doesn't need to be a I don't think we're going to come up against >> a limited, you know,
>> I can get some more 2x8s milled, you know, if that's >> I can help build them, too. the progress. >> Yeah. So, that would be 10 or 12 4 by8 boxes at 8 in scanner. >> Okay, >> Doug, I can help assemble them, too.
>> Okay. >> All right. Um, where do I find contact information? >> Uh, you can go to Fair Path website, >> Bob's website. >> You can um maybe you could just share our all our emails.
>> Yes. >> Yeah, that works. >> Would that be okay? Yeah. Um, j.wagon wagonly.org. Send it all. Um, and I have printouts of the little spiel I just gave to you if anybody actually wants to take one home.
>> No. >> And do you have any more questions? >> Appreciate all the response. Yeah. Thank you for having that. What a great thing to bring you. >> It was so It was so fun. Wasn't it fun, Amy? It was amazing.
>> Yeah. >> You committed an awful lot of time and you got together 10 times for over four or five hours each time. >> Yeah. And we had neighbors who helped because at least twice when I was on vacation and once when I was actually
sick and we had neighbors who pitched in. Ginger Selman pitched in a lot. Terry and Stan Gadowski pitched in a lot. Melanie Scrski started pitching in toward the end. It was pretty amazing. uh just the community that got them. So, do
>> you have any data on like how many pounds of stuff you gave away or how many >> I know you said people served or that might be cool for future years to track. >> Yeah, definitely. So to the winter meetings or for the
information meetings to the gardeners uh just some just basic concepts of how to be successful with your pH, your nutrition and your watering. >> Mostly at least the first the first
meeting and maybe the first two meetings will just be hey this is what we're doing. >> Yeah. uh and then we can start getting into educational stuff. But if anybody in this room wants to participate in educating people um in addition to Amy,
we would gladly take it. >> Years of >> probably good uh resources too either at forel or mass extension. You know, >> actually you can just go to Bearpath website and read as much as the human
could possibly want to read about soil. stick. Okay, that's great. And we would love to have a rep from the egg commission on the giving garden. Um, and there's anybody interested if you guys want to discuss that one time, then get
back to us. >> I could be interested in it. When uh how often are you meeting? >> I'm expecting we'll meet. Amy, what do you think? Like once a month? >> Probably like a bi-weekly meeting. >> Bi-weekly? >> Yeah. Doing we were doing Zoom twice
twice a month. >> Okay. >> Would that work for you? >> It might. Yeah. Let's uh >> And your name is >> in the >> Eric. >> Sorry, Amy. >> In the winter, I mean, we might not have to meet that often, but once things
start going, we will. mostly talking about uh yeah what we have who we can contact tasks that we need to do and then what's happening during the swap that's coming up that coming weekend for the >> the second one during
>> well well that's great >> yay all right thank you very much for your time and attention >> sure now okay so that we kind of covered that I know we have another guest here. And I don't know if you want
to stick around for six and a half more minutes. And Amy, if you want to stick around, >> I'd love to >> think a little bit. This is um uh Teresa Carter from Remind me of the name of the organization. Farm. >> Yep. It's actually Frontier Regional School District. Farm to School.
>> Farm to School. Okay. >> Teresa. >> Yeah. >> So, this is why I thought you should >> That's right. We talked earlier this year. Okay. >> You had to give me permission to >> Oh, right. be uh doing working in this capacity as I'm also >> school committee member.
>> Okay. So Megan is a garden coordinator on our team and then I am just kind of coordinator. >> So by way of introduction so so we're um these folks are here. I've always thought maybe the weight acom could kind
of sponsor something at the school. I didn't ever really have an idea of what that would be. I've given it a little bit more thought, but you know, it might be something we could request funds to support something that's going on. Um, I don't think any of the other towns in
the district have an acom. >> We do, but we don't meet regularly. >> Sunderland. Yeah. Yeah. Um, >> this is actually energizing the idea, isn't it? >> But, um, uh, but it might be something that could be part of, you know, the third board
school. So, very simple. Um well actually it's it's great timing too because we we just kind of are starting this program throughout the district to five schools for elementary schools and then middle high school. >> Um and we had our first meeting with
Chrissy Curtain um principal over at the elementary >> and she talked about the ad mission as a potential partner to do some some kind of project with. Um, and then they also have, and I'm sure um you're aware of
this, Julie, the um the pollinator garden proposal. >> Yeah. Okay. So, they have another group um landscape interaction. >> Yep. >> Yeah. Does that sound right? Okay. Um who have made a a proposal for a
pollinator garden at the school. Um, so that's like the first phase of the grant and then they applied for the next phase that's like a couple years. So anyway, we met with Chrissy. She was like, well, we've got, you know, energy around supporting garden, supporting um,
you know, a whole host of things at this school. And so our thought was like we can also in our role help serve as a kind of a bridge or a leazison to the school, >> right? >> Um, since we're all kind of working on the same things. Um, and you too, Julie.
There were several notes that I took. I was like, "Okay, >> let me just give you my email address." >> Yeah, that would be great. >> Email me. >> Yeah. >> Uh, and we can start talking and >> and I'll CC Amy when I get your email.
>> So, the first thing we did with last year we were part of the we did the Mass Farm Institute. So, it's kind of a mentorship grant. So there was a group of volunteers. So we had we had teachers, we had parents, we had um
farmers um food service director uh do this institute together and learn about farm to school programming um and how we've incorporated our schools. And so we started with two pilot schools and that was Sunderland and Conway and we started with the harvest of the month
program. Anyone ever heard of that? >> No. >> You have? >> Yeah. Yeah. My son's in weight. >> Oh, nice. We just started there. >> What's that? >> We just started laughing. >> Yeah. Yeah. He was telling me about it. Yeah. >> I'm curious. How did he like it? >> Oh, he liked it. >> He liked it. Oh, good.
>> Yeah. I can't remember what they were having. The first one. >> Tomatoes. Tomatoes. >> That's a tough one for a lot of kids. >> We have two kids um who had never eaten a tomato before.
>> Wow. And they tried it. >> Wow. >> They did not. >> But I was like, "That wasn't as fun as I thought it was going to be." And they tried it and they were really proud of themselves when they tried it. So that's actually like a really big part of it.
>> Right. >> My wife's 34, still tries it once a year. >> Like it tried one year. >> Like tomato sauce, just not tomato sauce. >> But you did two of them, correct? >> So we do once a month. >> Okay. So, we're going to be there very soon again. And this one's going to be a
crowd-pleaser because it's pear. >> Um, >> but yeah, so the harvest of the month has been a super fun way for us to get into the schools and introduce some local produce um and have kids trying things like so this last month it was tomato tomatoes from Alice corn.
Remember where the corn was from? It was hyper local. >> It was and then the basil too. So it was like this little salsa with a corn chip. >> Oh, >> that's right. Yeah, that's what we're talking about. >> Yeah, >> that's our food service director. He's like, "Well, if they don't like this, they'll like the corn chip." So that's
the >> beer in there. >> But what's great about it, too, is that after they taste it, they vote. We have a voting board that's like, "Like it, love it, just tried it." And so they put the stickers on and that, you know, is their way of voting for trying these new things. And then ideally that moves it
onto the menu in the following year. So every year where we have this crop of the month, if they liked this particular recipe, it'll try to then show up on that um on that menu for that month at least three times. So they're kind of informing their diet in a way and what
they want to see and and also in a way try to connect with the local farms in the area that we're trying to have sort of maps and and things and tools in place that they can kind of start to connect >> those pieces a little bit more. You know, feel like all, you know, obviously
farmers who have kids have maybe a little bit more connection, but these kids that are driving by all these farm fields all around us, it's crazy that this connection isn't a little deeper at this point. So, >> that's a big part of the harvesting alone, I think, too. You know, that
>> it's it's been super fun. I remember we also had a kiddo was potatoes last year and I can't remember his name but his family farmed potatoes and he sounded and he like told everyone how
>> they were into it you know and he felt so proud. Um, so just a lot of good things out of this this little >> And you said this this program you're talking about this is the first year. >> So that we did the pilot program in two of the schools last year and this year
we're rolling it out in all five schools. We're about to do frontier. >> Um, which is scary. >> I find middle school high schoolers. >> I say you're going to do both middle school and Yeah. >> What are they getting? Oh, parents.
>> Same same. >> Yeah. Ideally, all the same kind of a bar. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Who's providing the pairs? Curious. Clark or something. >> Well, this is a big part of it too is the procurement for the schools. It's a
really a tricky beast. So, what is happening right now just for the tastings is a lot of the purchasing is happening through Marty's local because they were able to get a contract through them really easily. But this is also another piece that I feel like I want us to like collaborate on, figure out how
we can make this easier for the schools. This is a big as a farmer myself, I feel like this is a big part of why I want to be a part of this because >> I just don't feel like it should be that difficult, but it really truly is a like quite a thing to navigate for the food
director to like hit all these notes, follow all these rules, and then, you know, >> they're not used to buying anything that way, right? store it. That's a big part. They get like viable for a few days and then delete it. Oh >> yeah.
>> So the are from a farm in New York City. It's not too far away, but it's still considered. >> It's not California. >> It's not California. >> It's in the food shift. >> It's in the Yeah. So it's definitely we're taking maybe step six. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> And defining local as as that right now.
>> Yeah. Yeah. You know, we like the hyper localal, but as we tend right now, we're kind of a little bit wind up in that, >> right? So, if Marty's is the source for the school, then Marty's can bring in from >> Yeah. Quant in the future Lori Clarkdale
and and lo local it up to the extent. >> Yeah. >> And they've been I mean, so far it seems like they've been really um they want to make everybody happy. So like if we go to them and say we really want to work with this farm, they have been receptive
to that. So I think we have I mean as a buyer like we have some power. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah. Well, no, because you know I know they I'm sure they would love to do more with the schools on a regular basis. >> Apologize that I need
>> Oh, no. Thanks for coming. I I the one of the other things that I do is comedy. >> So I'm going to a rehearsal. >> Oh, I thought that's what this was. >> I was just practicing. So you know if you're free on Saturday
night and you want to come out to Hadley One Mil Valley Road Valley comedy and my teammates be your attention. All right. Have fun. Take care.
Um, so, so when we met with Chrissy, um, >> well, I guess it would be easier for me to back up a little bit. So, we have this focus on the cafeteria, which is like the most, >> um, that makes the most sense, right? Farm to school. Like, we're getting produce from local farms, bringing it to
the kids, which right now we have a great opportunity because, um, the school lunches are free. Um, and so we're reaching more kids than we have before. So, it's even more of a an opportunity. >> Um, and then incorporating
um more scratch cooking. We're trying to offer some professional development for our leads in the kitchens um and just do as much as we can just to make those connections. But it's ex the farm to school program is more expansive. So, it
has the cafeteria component and then we also have classroom and then community. And the classroom piece is the one that we've been working on the last couple months. We've been meeting with teachers. We've been meeting with administrators um to try to get a sense
of what is needed and wanted at the schools. Um and I just we I just put the um survey results um of a meeting that we did with the weight staff and they were wonderful. We had 29 responses to the survey.
>> Wow. and >> just uh within the school that was a bit broader. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. um just about like what their experience is, how they would use um any like
installations like a a vegetable garden or um a pollinator garden or like maple sugar tapping like you know honeybees, chickens, like any of those things like how could those work um at the school?
Um and we have a lot of really good data. So I'd love to share that with you. I was going to try to plug it in, but it's there's a lot of information in it. >> Yeah, I think I'll sharing that then you guys can kind of work through it and >> Sure. >> Yeah. to if that's helpful or intriguing. >> Um,
>> one thing I'll highlight is um a lot of folks had thought like offering an outdoor garden special like they have PE and they have music like an actual garden special integrating that. >> Yeah, that was something that folks were interested in. And then the second most
popular was organizing field trips to farms, >> right? >> Like >> which really, right? >> Yeah, we used to do that. >> Where did you sit down? We went to Qua when we were in kindergarten, I think. And >> I feel like one other one, but there
wasn't maybe we did like a dairy farm. >> I remember we went to Qua. >> Do you remember going to Qua? >> But not anywhere. I don't remember anyone else, but I do remember that >> when um >> I think Don Scrasky did a lot of more stuff. We also did a lot of like other
non-farm related activities they don't get to do now, which is >> sucked. But um I love that. I love that. Totally. Yeah. I always thought it would be really neat. >> Yeah, that was actually one of the things that I wrote down was like a you know, maybe you could organize a tour to hit free farms in town.
>> We did a maple some maple farm, too. Mhm. >> So they do do that in them season. >> Okay. So that would be why. >> Yeah. I think they go to Keith Barwell, right? >> Okay. >> Broker somewhere. >> They enjoyed it. >> Kids love that.
>> It's a field trip. >> Right. Right. >> Yeah. >> And I think the biggest or the hardest part about that for the school is the transportation costs and throwing them, you know, the students. So >> those are that's a piece of in that. But
yeah, I think >> what if it was just like one class, you know what I mean? Just like it this to this thing was just like the fifth grade class. >> Yeah, I think it's it's they still have to have a a school bus.
>> Sure. Yeah. And so that I think I think that that works, but then I think it's also like how many kids can we >> eventually >> they want to max out. >> Yeah. >> Well, as long as >> I mean in my experience at Sunderland, I'm trying to do a walking field trip to
Thomas Farm and I put it out to all the teachers and every single grade is like, "We're in. We want to go." So >> yeah, like how do you do that? >> Yeah. kind of like, oh great, >> here we go.
>> So, yeah, really great ideas and I think a really great place for students to see, smell, feel, you know, the whole thing, >> right? >> What they go to like goats and >> Yeah.
>> Especially in the spring, right? >> Oh, yeah. >> Yeah. >> Which one? It's a goat farm down um um from space down the road, but it's definitely what is it like a mile from school? Yeah. >> Oh, so it's in Sun.
>> Yeah. >> Okay. >> And they do it's basically the name on the apartment. >> The name is right on the Okay. >> Yeah. >> Oh, the the woman is on the board with me of >> Oh, yeah. Lori. >> Sorry.
>> Lori. Yeah. Thank you. So that I mean that's something that we can kind of throw around together too at some point just different options for field trips. >> Yeah. Um and the other one thing I wanted to
share to you from the survey um when we went through possible ideas the biggest thing that folks wanted I think 78% almost 80% of the staff wanted a bigger vegetable or herb garden.
>> Yeah. >> At the school. >> Yeah. That was that was one of those that well Mike you know my kids are in the high well my daughter's off to college but uh you know they love to I mean the thing is my kids were pretty exposed to it anyway and I think they
liked sharing sort of their expertise with the kids that didn't have it you know um but then there's sort of the issue of summer maintenance you know um and then you know and after two months it could look a little ragged no matter
how hard so it's almost kind of like it's a tear down. >> Yeah. >> And get the fall garden going. >> Yeah, definitely. I think that that's a big piece that we want to unlock in this especially as you know as a garden coordinator. I think that there there
has to be and hearing about this community this community garden giving garden. It sounds like there's some people that are really interested in this. Ideally, what we can work towards and build towards is is having people in place that are going to maintain
>> volunteers or have programming in the summer where students are involved in that, >> right? >> Or summer program like the kids already >> summer school or summer program to the school. >> I'm not exactly sure if it's after school, but that could be an option to
put that in plug that in with like a, you know, they're going to summer school anyway, >> right? >> Yeah. I think that's a big part of our role is to help set up systems and structures that are going to make it easy for it to continue, >> right? >> Because we know 100% like the teachers
are are doing everything that they can and more. Um, so like what one of our goals is to make sure that we're not adding >> they don't want to read on the weekends. >> They don't want to read. Turns out >> Well, not at school. maybe at their own
>> I don't even think >> um but you know even as she was talking about that giving garden I was like what a great opportunity for students to like have that and yeah >> share in that experience so I think that that's huge >> and it would really it it could happen
very easily with with the garden space we rehabbed one at Deerfield Elementary a small garden and we it was just like we had a little bit of extra money and let's just let's get this fixed up >> and we put it together and planted
tomatoes and herbs and zucchini and and there's not programming in it yet which was a bummer. wanted to get it started and it's been a really nice introduction to the school like we've been bringing the produce to events and stuff but we had so much and so I mean we would bring
you know huge things of tomatoes to every single meeting that we went to >> tone it down um but it would have been amazing to be able to contribute to the giving garden >> sure yeah well yeah that's cool picture I think
>> now we So, that's kind of what we're doing. The community piece. Um, I mean, this is kind of part of the community piece, like working with folks like you. Um, making those connections and then also,
um, helping to support some of the food and security um, efforts that are that are happening. I know the kids got miniish for the food bank, >> so we want to try to that. Um, yeah, and then plug into events where we can.
We've been trying to to do that more and more. We just had a big big tent at the Festival of the Hills in Conway. Um, which was really fun. We did a Harvest of the Month tasting with the whole community. >> Made 650
pumpkin cupcakes. >> Nobody was putting their didn't like a sticker on that. >> Very few. >> But yeah. Um, but do you have any questions for us? >> Yeah, I just I I mean my I think there's
a lot of alignment certainly with what Amy and Julie and company are doing and I think, you know, I I don't know all the limits of what we can, you know, we can't spend money on just anything we want. There's some parameters and I
don't know to what extent Yeah. that that applies. I can find that out. Um, and you know, we have to request funds like forever before they're available, you know, right? >> And that's actually coming up. That's uh
that's in mid December that those requests have to be made and then they're available I think after July 1st of year. But, you know, if if there were some we could hammer something out spec, you know, not I don't even know that it would have to be that specific. we might
be able to request some money to support a program with you at the school. >> Yeah. >> And um I >> mean there's even the you know they're working on the pollinator garden and that's a few years out but they're hoping to have that plan for what they want to build
by the end of this year. I think on October 25th they're doing a walk through on the on the school site and they're going to leave a space for the vegetable garden. But there's it's unclear at this point how much they're going to invest into the building of that. So compost is huge. Um, you know,
like building the garden in that space is something that could land in in our hoard. >> Um, as as we watch that unfold a little bit more. And so that could be a huge way too, you know, just resources to make that possible. And
>> sure. >> Um, >> do you know where that garden's going to be? Yeah. >> Not yet. I mean, it's in the courtyard area. Okay. I know that, but I don't know exactly. He promised that it would be in the sunniest spot poss. >> Yeah. So, that's that's as I understand
it right now. >> Is the property of the school I don't know the footprint. It's basically just the it's outlined by the trees or do they own behind it? >> They have a pretty big tree. I don't you know, I think it's across from the parking area. There's a big field across
the way that I'm like, "Oh, that's a nice spot." >> Yeah. >> Well, there was a guard by there were some picnic tables over by the playground. Not >> I mean, it was pretty small. >> Yeah. It used to be the preschool kindergarten. >> Yeah, maybe. Yeah.
>> Oh, okay. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. They don't really I don't know. Do they use that whole field? Used to be the soccer field, but maybe they do for gym class outside now. That's another mile. Thank you. >> It is big.
>> Yeah. And >> I'm trying to figure out if they were planning. So you guys are saying they might be still planning animal, possibly chickens, possibly >> there is a big interest there. Those are that's a for us I feel like that's maybe
further reach >> for us to try to coordinate that. But there is very cool. Yeah. >> Yeah. I mean we are you know we moved in as a commit as a group we kind of moved into this at with no payment. I mean it was just like our interest and excitement and wanting to do this and
Teresa is an amazing grant writer. So she has awarded us some money to like pay for these positions but it's still kind of like year by year. So we would like very much to make these big steps but we're also just trying to make sure we can accomplish some smaller goals and make it look good for more grant writing
and stuff like that. Um, but I feel like we can share in what we're planning to do with you guys and and if there's space and places that feel like there's ideas for contributing and supporting each other and wherever
it's headed that that could be a step that we made for sure. >> Sure. >> All right. Well, >> and I can let you know what I find out about the garden at the walkthrough. I don't know if anybody else is planning to be there, but I think it's open to >> I think I stopped getting the
notification that those meetings were happening. I meant to ask Julie and then I forgot like what did that is that over like solved without me without >> you know which is I'm fine but >> I was and I have on my calendar anyway
October 25th for the school >> walkth through. >> Okay. So I can can also email that and share the time for that. But you maybe they'll send another email reminder on that. >> Yeah. >> Right. >> Um Oh, that's coming up.
>> Yeah. >> I mean and you might go through this survey results and something might pop out at you too where you're like actually >> we would love to focus on this and support you and maybe it's an expertise like maybe it's through mentorship or
apprenticeship. Um, I mean, we could really just be creative in how we think about partnerships and >> Okay. Well, why don't we why don't we all review the survey, >> I guess, and maybe we can come to the
meeting next month. Maybe prepared to try to focus on one or two or three things. >> Do you know what time that walkthrough is? >> I can look at my calendar. I need to write that down. >> My planner. You do? paper planner.
Really nice. Let's see who can get it first. This is like a 3 to 5. Sorry. >> 3 to 3:45. >> 3 to 3 say
3 to five. >> 45 minutes. They want a lot of input. >> 345. Sorry about that. All right. >> Okay. >> I'm just a garden.
>> Well, thank you for coming. You're welcome to stick around. We're I think we're going to do something exciting next, like maybe approve the minutes from April. I >> think it should be enough. Thank you guys for the time to really appreciate it. It sounds like
you're doing some cool things here. Good work. >> Thank you. Well, I'm curious to see what your son will think of October. >> Yeah. Yeah. I'm sure he'll love >> it. Just straight pears or you got >> pears with chocolate syrup. >> Well, that's neat. Um, all right. So, I
just wanted to kind of focus on the people who had come to visit so they could split. Um, has anyone had a chance to read through the minutes? >> Look, fine. Look. Yeah. Yeah. >> All right. Um then I will move that we
accept the minutes as written. >> So move >> and a second. >> Second. >> All right. And everybody is in favor of that. Yes. >> All right. Minutes are done. What else we got here? Um so I have meet Jen
Scratz. >> This is Jen. >> Yeah. Um, I was uh actually talking to Judy Marklin trying to brainstorm someone that we might invite to attend an adcom meeting or two and maybe decide to become a member and uh we both said,
"What about Jensen?" Wow. >> I drove up I drove up to their place and I saw my favorite farm sign ever that I I hope you will merch this hard like says that just you know on a very plain
piece of wood painted in white letters Scott Farm 17 question mark question mark. I had made that for uh the tractor um parade. My my uncle Donald drove the tractor to put our sign on there but we
never figured out we were established. So >> it's perfect for a little bit. >> Quick and bury you right before we left that. >> Yeah. Anyway, that was great. >> So, this is kind of like what we do and uh you know, be happy to we we currently
have six members on a second. >> Very happy to have you jump in if you feel like it's something you want to do. >> I I hope if I if there's a way I can be of service and help, I'd love to to do it. So, it's once a month.
>> It's month once a month now until May. Um >> and then Right. We're every day we get to >> Yeah. And then, you know, there are times that we will have a meeting more frequently than that if if we're working on something, trying to get something done before a deadline. I think an APR I
think we met, >> right? >> Uh with greater frequency once maybe. So, >> um you know, it takes you guys kind of went through the ritual initiation more recently than I do. You have to get what? Sworn in. You've got
>> It's pretty straightforward. Yeah, it's straightforward. >> But yeah, we got to read the >> You have to do your uh Yeah, the paperwork. >> They're not actually saying what getting you know the other thing.
>> It's not sexual harassment. It's the other one. >> No, it's to make sure it's ethics. Yes. >> Make sure you're an ethical person. >> You have to take like this offline ethical thing. >> Do a background check. it. >> Until you get the right one.
>> Try again. Try again. >> Yeah. If I have something to offer, I'd love to be able to offer. I mean, I feel like I owe the town something at this point in my life. Probably. I don't. >> Okay. Well, >> if I have something off, >> it's a good It's a good committee. It's Yeah, it's interesting. It's We're We
are not We don't make any rules. other town, you know, we can these small things. You know, we might be asked for a an egg perspective on an issue that the town is addressing
uh that sort of thing. But it's not, you know, it's not like hard nailbiting stuff. It's also, I think it serves as kind of a good introduction to, you know, other participation in other town.
uh you know this is like the minor leagues you know so it you know it's good to come down here get some advance maybe before you have time for so >> yeah I so I think it might be interesting to know
that we're at the advisory on the selected so >> okay >> we don't have any voting power or anything but like like Doug says there's questions that come they might ask for our opinion
>> and particularly on APRs. We we haven't had any much lately, but that was a big thing my early tenure of being on this. And um but
anyway, it's >> Yeah. how it's important that they have the perspective of people who are making a living on the land here like who've been around for a long time and maybe they just moved it like I know one of my
neighbors on I think >> like we had the the one guy up in the center lately who had had a rooster and the next door neighbor didn't really appreciate the rooster >> and but they said well we're farmers and so so where's your document where you
filed for your income tax and it indicates that you're a farmer, you know, kind of thing. But >> well, I someone buys my hay and I I I have I have this one rooster was a pain in the ass. So to my neighbor, >> so but
>> yeah, people are moving here from places completely online community. So yeah, I think it's really important that um they get where they're moving into and
uh that especially, you know, farmers still have and hopefully it's not a dying way of life like it feels like it is sometimes. And um I guess since my family has been here for a long long time, I definitely feel like extra uh
responsibility towards the town staying as much agriculturally involved as as it can be and not just building houses everywhere, you know, cuz people more lucrative or whatever. >> Um so yeah, I guess that's my
perspective. I feel very uh emotionally attached to this town. So >> good. >> I hope I can I hope I can be of service. >> Oh, I you're you already have. So I then I will I ask I'll ask the select
board will appoint you and you can go >> Oh, it's just like that. >> Yeah. Oh, yeah. It's that's all it is. >> I mean, um yeah, you'll have to get sworn in. you'll end up I guess Amy jumped off but um Amy you just start with Amy and you'll be you'll give give
an email address and you'll be walked through the process crush of a timet but they dig through a drawer find some little piece of paper read the stuff and you >> yes I did okay >> yeah it's very very straightforward
>> all right >> great good all right Um, what's next here? >> Is uh is Bill Holder still on on the >> Yeah, you know, I emailed him. You know, he was on every
email. >> Okay. Oh, yeah. I didn't even think till >> Yeah. Um, but he didn't tell me he wasn't coming. And in the past when he tell when he doesn't come, he usually tells me. Um, so I guess maybe you know I don't know how often he checks his email or how
important the email is to him at this point, but um maybe I'll have to tune into giving him a call to >> I haven't if I see him I just I haven't seen him in a while. So >> yeah, I haven't seen him much either. >> No, he's all retired from your business or
>> Oh yeah, he's long gone. But I didn't do anything with his peaches this year. >> No. Yeah, he he said he had a crop, >> but he never put up his rope. He always side >> up for the peaches. Didn't do that. >> Okay. Well, >> well, >> he hasn't been feeling all that well.
>> Yeah, >> some degrees as well. So, >> that's what I was wondering. >> I saw him shoveling stuff up off the ground into the loader bucket, though, so he must have been feeling all right. >> Right. >> That was like a week. But >> All right. But your message today was was was a was
a very helpful reminder to me because and and if he didn't catch it like I did then he might not have known. >> Okay. Might not >> remind me a heads up that something was wrong with tonight. So
>> Okay. But you didn't see any communication before that email today. >> You know I I get your regular emails. Okay. Whether >> I didn't get it on the calendar or something. >> Okay. >> Because I'm sen anyway.
>> All right. Well, okay. We'll we'll uh keep keep on with the reminders. It's good. And I'll maybe I should just review. >> You know, if I see Bill, I'll just >> Right. Yeah. I'll just ask him. But >> Okay. >> All right. Because I >> like Dave's easy. I see him twice a
week, but >> Yeah. Always on Tuesday. Yeah. Always on T. Yeah. Not always on Saturday. >> Always on Tuesdays. Okay. Well, good. Um, so, you know, we maybe we should um I
want to talk just briefly about an APR that's in process and is going smoothly, but maybe we should talk about Dave's road sign here and clean that up. I feel bad we didn't get this done in the uh at the end of spring last year.
So game has been working on a right to farm road sign for the town of Wait. We got we got a thousand bucks budgeted. I guess the final copy and she's got a colors. >> Okay. So we have welcome to Weightley, a
right to farm community, the milk bottle, a tractor. We did the >> speed different uh because we didn't have that. >> Right. Right. >> On the original, >> right?
>> Bring out the uh the bottle going to be white. kind of a background color. >> That's kind of what should look like a backdrop color. There's two of them there. >> Oh, we got a right here. >> Show the milk bottle.
>> Okay. >> And what kind of detail are they going to get into? No, that's why gold. >> Okay, >> we got the artwork. I guess it's
>> Oh, it's good though. Okay. >> Oh, she just, you know, that won't be like some kind of color in the background. >> Okay. So, this just to show that there will be color in the background make the white milk bars. But this is not the actual >> I don't think so. Okay,
>> that's because there's copyright there because that's not her drawing on the tractor, right? That's a picture, >> right? >> But I'll be uh >> but it'll be pretty similar. >> Yeah, I'll be uh just tell a fresh thing and then it's not copyrighted.
>> In order to get approved though by the select board, it has to be completely done. So we can't submit it and say red is going to be here. It has to be 100% finished. >> Yes. Yes. So, whatever it's going to take, if we got to make some fake images or >> if she needs to color in with pencil,
um, >> you know, we need the marking of the colors. >> It has to be filled in like >> we have to have the proof that's going to the print shop. >> Yes. Yeah. The final proof. >> That's what the select board is. >> Because otherwise they'll approve this and then the red becomes magenta or it
becomes, you know, different color red and then ends up in orange. It's got a >> So, so here's these are the next steps if Well, I guess I I moved that we accept. I was when when we didn't finish it, I was only concerned about what I
thought was an awkward grammar in the sign. I think it's perfect and I think the art's great. >> So, I move we accept >> Oh, >> what Dave's got here as the final version. >> Second. >> All in favor?
>> I Okay. sounds unanimous to me. Um, so the next things that have to happen are we have to get the proof finalized and get that to the select board. And
now the the sign company won't want to do the artwork. They they won't do the artwork until they've been paid, right? Or is that was a a percentage? You just do it. Can't remember the code.
>> It was around 200 bucks for the artwork, right? 200 I think. Originally, well, of course, they gave a cop with polls and everything. Originally, it was going to be for like four signs or five signs. It was like $1,600. That's for everything that
>> Yeah. >> We don't beat the polls. that was from carriage walls and everything, right? >> I think we whittleled it down so that we figured we could have three signs. I think three signs and the artwork
>> be around $950. >> Right. >> Right. >> And and I talked to him about it. He said, you know, we don't have all that money to do like five signs if we could do it three this year and two next year. Right. >> That was fine. >> Yep.
>> Yeah. And they they have the artwork. >> Yeah, they'll have the artwork. >> Um Okay. Well, >> so they usually like when you get something made at least like shirts, anything, they're going to email you a final proof. >> Proof. >> Yeah. So then you can just shoot that to >> Yeah. Exactly.
>> Yeah. >> So what we that we need is the final proof >> or the the proof or the the print from the printing company. We also need to know where the signs are going to go. The select board has to approve that as
well. And I'm sure they're going to want that to be coordinated through the highway department. So, they agree that those are good places for the signs. But did anyone give any thought to like where some ideal places for those signs would be? I mean, if we're going to do
three, it might be good to have like five locations that would be like >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> They should two of them should probably go on each end of River Road. It's probably the most traveled farm road in the in the whole town. >> Yeah. I was trying I was thinking it
might be good to get one near the school. >> Yeah. >> Or near the transfer station. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Maybe right before you go over the highway >> somewhere somewhere there >> as you turn off the five and 10.
>> But River Road is like Yeah. I mean it's And then I mean I know you've said Haydenville Road. It' be nice to have one. >> Coming in from there's a large track right there. >> New Conway road, too, but that's pretty
pretty quiet up there. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Think >> I mean I think Are we thinking of having them, you know, making more signs next year? >> Yeah. >> So, it's kind of not a >> Yeah, >> eventually everyone will get a sign, you know, West, >> right? Okay. And I mean, I know even
like Jimmy Golanka, you know, we can't have we can't put anything on Route Five, not State Roads, >> but Jimmy Golanka was like, "Well, I'll just put one on my farm stand. Let me know what they cost." >> So, >> yeah. >> Um, anyway, so we can look into, you know,
how kosher that is, too. >> Yeah. If they're if they're like hundred bucks, we can put one on top of just pay for one and put them all over. >> Yeah. Put Put one in my backyard. Um, and I, you know, I will I will get
something in the scoop that explains what the right to farm means. >> I was just going to say, would there be a um a benefit to putting like maybe a link somewhere on the sign so people can like
>> QR code or something? It would be s too small when you're sitting in a car, but since there's a >> if you buy a house and wait through that, you're supposed to get a thing a right to farm agenda on your telling you this is a
right to farm community. So, you had expect if you're coming here to buy a house, this is what you're going to give. But there's no >> I didn't get that. I didn't get that. >> Supposed to always house a homestead.
uh what you call when he report it was >> everyone does it. >> Remember John Divine we were doing it when Johnny was here. >> Yeah. >> We were putting in he was putting that in the town report. >> Okay. From there >> you're supposed to get some fighting
>> you know. You know, you got to expect certain things, you know, you know, cuz you got to worry about, you know, racks going down the road, so you can't pass going 100 miles or not, you know, that kind of stuff, >> right? Watch out.
>> We don't have We don't have all the roadkill cucumbers that we used to have when the base shut. >> We can put something up at the transfer station like a pamphlet or something people could pick up. Yeah, actually absolutely. In fact,
>> you could put those pamphlets and maybe something. >> I mean, maybe we could use >> something on there. The space on on the very back, you know. Yeah. Like what does it mean to be in a right to farm? Just a little blurb on there. >> Yeah. >> All right. Yeah. And I mean the town I
mean the town report is fine, but I just I mean I wonder how many people are really >> Yeah. I've never been in it once. >> Yeah. >> Before he used to printing and >> I do >> right >> now it's all on computer.
>> Right. Well, maybe I guess maybe it's just something we could try to you know remind ourselves when we do have some bit of outreach to the community even you know through the school we you know there's an opportunity to teach tell kids what what it means to be a right to piece. Mhm.
>> Um, okay. So, we need, like I say, um, one way or another, and we should try to get this done before the next meeting. We should get with the highway department, decide really where we want the signs, and then we need the proof.
So, what do you think, Dave? Where where are the signs? Where do you think the sign should be? >> I don't know. I people. Come on. You know, Keith, it was easy. You know, he said, "We put on baseball this new guy now." I don't know. >> Yeah. He It'd be easy.
>> I haven't met seems like Garrett Bar. Yeah. >> Oh, yeah. >> Well, Mike, maybe you should talk to him. Where you going to put the signs on? >> Yeah. >> We follow him. We figure him out, you know. >> Yeah. >> They had like five options for him. >> Then then if we get three, then if we
get two more, we always put them there. >> Yeah. We'll know where we're head going in the future. So, do you guys want to jump on that and talk to the highway department? >> Yeah, I can talk to him. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Um, >> yeah. You know, tell Keith Bridge only thought we could put them on existing signs.
>> Yeah, I'm assuming >> we might have to put them someplace else on River Road. Maybe have to get them. >> They put them right on speed speed limit sign there. But, you know, >> most other towns they're >> Yeah, they just put them on. You know what might work too is that you know
could could one go instead of on the street could one go on the road down to the elementary school like on one of the light poles. >> Yeah. >> I wonder. And then then you're not limited in visibility to >> like as you turn towards the school.
>> Well the road the school's road. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Fair. >> Yeah. Then everyone who goes in and out sees it every time. >> Yeah. >> But you don't see it from the road necessarily. >> Yeah. That's okay. >> Yeah. And there's no reason they couldn't get moved around either. >> Yeah. >> Now, if I go up the hall there to do the
artwork, he's probably going. That's the thing. You know, he's going to do it for free, you know. >> You think? >> Yeah. >> You know, that's the only question I I think.
>> Okay. Um, is it $200 or what is it? What is it? >> We don't know exactly. was 200. You have the original. >> Yeah, I didn't care with me, but it was 170. >> 270. >> 170. >> 170. Okay, let me um I don't have a
pencil with me. >> There you go. >> I just got to uh So, maybe let me talk to Peter. Um >> Okay. >> about how to handle that. >> Yeah. You know, talk about because originally they didn't care. just needed
so much money down we didn't pay after you know >> right we originally talked about we'll pay the whole paper once we get it to pay the whole bill >> right well can you call up there and see if they would do the art before they got paid you know if they would do make the
proof for us so that the select board can review it before they got paid I can call >> okay just put and call >> they might even put like a watermark on it or something Once you pay it, we'll pull the watermark off, >> right?
>> But I'll probably, you know, I'll bring that I'll have to maybe I'll take it right up there or >> I'll have all the colors right there. Yeah. And I'll bring the show we're doing, >> right? And we've introduced I think color now. So that can impact what the
printing costs are and stuff like that. I'll see you. >> Okay. I'll catch up with the end of the week. I mean it's if they want the money, we have to wait. I could always go check. >> I think that would get really complicated trying to get reimbursed for
that. >> So we got to wait for they want money up front and we'll have to do something. >> Well, I mean if we I I think there may be if they need the money up front, there's probably a way to show the select board, look, we're really close on the artwork. The money's budgeted.
We're committed to the project. >> Right. We can get you the final proof, but we got to free up 170 bucks or 200 bucks to to get that for. >> Yeah. >> And so, you know, I mean, there's a way to have that. >> All right. I'll talk to him. They maybe I'll agree to that. >> Yeah. Well, and let me talk to Peter
because he's just saying, "Yeah, that's fine. >> If you find out then about the money, then I can go up there." >> Yeah. Let me talk to Peter tomorrow and I'll be >> Yeah. This way I can tell >> they know about it. They got the original copy. But the only thing we do
have welcome you on it and they you know we already talked to person the first town we dealt with. >> Right. Right. Just they're familiar with the process and they do other municipal work too. No surprises.
All right. Cool. Um so we know what we need to do next on that. The last thing I've got really is um we do have an an active PR uh in process. >> Okay. And um I do not.
>> So this is the land across from Harland uh field Martinsky. >> You know him's house right there. >> Yeah. >> Right. Ralph. So, and and it it creates
so he so Ralph uh lived in the green ranch house right across from the ball field and always wanted the land to be preserved. Never did it himself. So, his son Mark is doing this and you know it's all been surveyed. I know
it's in process. They've accepted the offer. >> How many acres is it? >> I was just looking for that. 31. A little over 31. >> Uhhuh. And it's contiguous with two other pretty large preserved pieces of land. So it
>> very conducive. >> Yeah. Yeah. And I don't know exactly what the dollars were. Is anything holding it up or is it just
>> uh it's it's just a very slow broadcast and I'm sure >> you know you know the money the way money is flow flowing especially in government's very efficient >> yeah very efficient >> very efficient and and you know I think some of the federal funding has gotten a
little sticky and >> and it's it's state you know it's paid >> but a lot of the source of the money is federal So, um, and they are, it's not a distressed situation. They don't really care about how long it takes. They just
want to see the land preserved. >> Yeah. Right. >> So, because we're a right to farm community, the town's contribution to funding the APR is is only 5%, >> right, >> of of the total amount. And um, and some
towns it's it's as much as 20%. they need to with 20% of the difference in value. So >> I think I think it was $11,000 was 5%. So they must be talking about 220
um round numbers and they are you know I've been advising Mark to to seek that money from the CBC which is the proper way that the town likes to fund ATRs.
And I don't I've encouraged him I gave him the application I've encouraged him to make this order this uh cycle which is December you know December 12th or something like that CPC application to do and I believe he'll do that. Um he
thought it might be more appropriate to do next year. He was going to talk to his sister and we're just staying infor. Well, that's proceeding one way or another >> and I know
>> y >> we had talked were you kind of >> so we haven't had I haven't had a chance at the the battery storage thing is really sucking up a lot of >> gosh yeah >> and brain power and patience but um
basic I figured I would just give you the overview and like it's not something that's an emergency But there's been a lot of attention brought to Simmers Crearyy isn't a farm stand. They're just serving ice cream and food. And that's not
>> in a place that's zoned aggreg like they're supposed to be selling >> primarily produce, right? That they grow. >> Yeah. And even if they were selling some or a little bit, I think people would just look the other way. Um
I don't know that people are complaining. Like I didn't really I think it was more of like should we be should this be on our radar. >> Yeah. >> And they want the planning board wants the ad committee's
opinion on the matter of what to do about it. Um you know my the first thing that went through my brain is if you push that on them does that hurt someone who's right down the street.
John Basheski and um >> Frani Soies, right? So, you know, you have two other I mean, I know he's more of berries and but they also have produce and >> it's traffic on the street, >> right? >> You know, I mean,
>> like what was the first thing we said to each other? Like, it's already hard enough to be a farmer, you know? >> Do we really need to? He was selling crowd juice there. >> They were when Teddy was running, young Teddy was running it when it first became Simmer's crearyy. Something
happened and he's not running it. The >> the uncles are >> and there's Last I knew there was nothing in that right side. There's, you know, like he used to have strawberries and just random things in there. There's nothing in there. >> We used to have everything.
>> So, when it was the 5J creamy, I mean, it was a pretty active farm stand, >> right? Yeah, >> right. And again, even if they like to me like who cares if the number if they sell more ice cream than they do produce, whatever. >> That's just kind of how the business evolved,
>> right? I mean, you're right across from early. And you know, the other thought I had about it too was like, okay, I mean, they might not be farming that family anyway, and I don't know like technically who owns it,
>> but that family is farming hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of acres of crops, right? Just not right there. >> And that and that struck me as maybe something that's changing in agriculture. you know, you don't have your house and 60 acres out back and
that's your farm, right? It's you're renting land down there. You're swapping land with this person for rotation and that puts you in Deerfield. >> Yeah. >> You know, um and so, you know, I I think that's kind of a newish thing in
>> Right. >> And I would think that if they were led to know this in the transition, they might have missed that. Mhm. >> I don't think it would be a problem. >> I think I do think that someone
somewhere someone from the town said something to them and they said, "Okay, we understand." And they were going to do something about it and nothing happened. Now, >> there also may have been a little transition and >> Yes. And that that was like,
yeah, they're not just going to I think someone said something to them in the summertime. There's no time at that point to me to just all of a sudden start selling produce. So maybe in the spring the problem's going to resolve itself, but it was something to just
kind of keep on the radar. I guess >> is a zoning issue or >> Yeah, because it's zoned. You know, they're they technically there should be selling more vegetables than they are ice cream and fruit >> or even I believe it's even you should
they're supposed to be growing even if it was purely produce, right? >> They're supposed to be growing more than half of what's sold at that site and buying in 49% >> max. >> Isn't ice cream technically a farm product?
>> Are they selling ice cream? >> Yeah. >> Bottle. So I just a quick question is so if they're asking for you guys to decide
whether or not they should switch back the zoning to the commercial or residential or >> I don't think they're asking I >> like more money for the taxes is what it is right is that the issue >> I don't know that you can just
flip the switch and reszone it like that either. >> Take a tone. >> Exactly. >> I think they grant variances. >> Yeah. >> You know, >> I think that's one of the reasons why Jimmy never put that in APR right there
>> because of the green is if it was APR stipulations. >> You can't have this, you can't have that. >> Yeah. H >> I think you know like does what farm stand is keeping track that they're growing 51% of what they I mean
>> right they other farm stands buy other produce from other >> farms and yeah I think it's pretty common I think it's just the fact you know like when there was something there I don't think it bothered anyone and now that it's very clearly >> become like the sugar low frosty
>> and that's not what it was initially believe. Oh, and and to make it even more complicated, like it was 5J Creamy, right? You know, this is not something that like Simaroski started, >> right? >> So, it's been >> I think Jimmy on his side said 5 J
creamy and farmstand, >> I think. So, yeah, >> both of them, >> right? >> They don't have farm stand, >> right? No, I mean they did for a little while and like um you know like I remember you could get a you strawberries from them on ice cream
in a milkshake and when they first started like I don't frequent there so I don't >> don't know but >> yeah I and it's kind of like it's sort of a very big example of sort of
an issue you know it's it's it's the big one that screams if you want to listen and there's probably other examples of of it as well and but this is the one that's kind of egregious if you will. >> I think they should just be
reminded again officially right that you're going to do this under this oposis you this is what you're going to do because that's what the rules are >> right >> because why avoid the issue. >> Yeah. Well, you know, it sounds like
someone else does it and they say, "Well, they do it." So, exactly. >> They make it clear. >> And I don't see anything wrong with that. >> I mean, you know, and it's not, you know, maybe it's someone from the planning board will reach out
>> Yeah. to Smaroskis and see if they do plan to do something >> to to do more produce even if it's, you know, >> I mean, >> yeah. I just think if they made an effort, the problem would just disappear. Could they just buy it in? >> I don't know if anyone would even care
if there was just produce available there. I think it would just >> the lay person doesn't think of like, oh, there's selling more ice cream than they are, you know. >> Yeah. >> It's just like when there's nothing, it's very obvious. That's
>> they got the door closed. They >> know they roll sell some pumpkins. So you know just make an effort not stare. So you know again this is not something that we will not resolve the issue but
we will offer the planning board a perspective from from growers about about the issue >> and maybe be asked to you know ask answer specific questions as well but fish >> but we won't you know I mean I don't
know what the answer is exactly other than if they're not going to go back to growing produce I guess maybe the town would have to look at a zoninger right >> and let them do what they're doing or and then the neighbors would have a big big say in in whether that >> y
>> went through. But I think that's >> just trying to avoid I didn't get the impression from Brandt that everything needed to be followed to the tea. It was more of just >> how do we resolve this? Yeah.
>> In a you know peaceful way, so to speak. Just make an effort. Well, it's always I think it's always better to get out in front of it. >> Yeah. >> And and >> yeah, it might have been a town actually it might have been a town select person who was
>> who brought this to our attendance. >> Yeah. >> Okay. All right. Well, so that's just kind of like keep it in the back of your mind. Maybe we'll have some more information in a month from the planning board if they there's anything they specifically want us to think about, but
>> you know, keep it in your mind and you have any >> thoughts about it, share them. I mean, it's uh I suspect people like I don't know what it's like like to live next to an ice cream stand. I don't know. You know, after a ball game there's probably
a good bit of traffic. Yep. >> In and out of there. >> I mean, there was a PR borders, right? So brought her to it. >> Yeah. >> Right. And it's all just I mean it's not the thing is like if somebody
I mean if somebody were to buy the greenhouse and there's going to you know I don't I don't even know if there's anybody in the greenhouse now. They're they're renovating it, right? >> I think so. Yeah. >> Yeah. So if it was going to be sold and the person was like, "Wait a minute.
I didn't know I was, you know, this is only an ice cream stand. You know, it the the fact that the house is going to be sold is maybe triggering some thinking about >> could could be. Yeah. I didn't I don't know that, but >> Okay. All right. So, something we'll
>> That's why we're the right farm community. >> That's it. We're the right the right to eat ice cream. >> There's a giant sign says Simmer's crearyy on it. It's pretty pretty >> show. >> I have a question about APR. So, I saw
that there was some land going up for sale. APR land for sale. Does that is that anything that we think about or is there any chance that the town >> when APR land changes hands? I I think
there are a couple of there are a couple of steps that have to happen. I don't recall what what they are. >> The town has to tie into the new buyer, I believe. >> Yes. >> And
um they can choose they can if they can choose the buyer one over the other, >> right? If there's multiple, >> right? >> Yes. Yeah. >> And I think that does that. Okay. The town only has the right of first refusal on >> 61A.
>> 61A, >> which I mean also may come into play. >> Yeah. >> If it's APR land, it's almost automatically in 61A. people >> who put land value on the camera money value on the land.
>> I believe it depends on when it was APR because really >> the early APR has different rules than the middle APR and current APR has different rules than the other two. >> Yeah. you end up with an APR contract for your specific
site and then you're bound by that. Sometimes there's public access access that that has to be maintained and granted. >> Oh, so if they're selling, they're bound by whatever their contract was from the beginning. >> Right. >> Huh. Right.
>> Yeah. Well, I think at one time might have been like the very ear like couldn't you only resell it for so many dollars an acre? There was like I always thought there was some type of >> like they could come in and the state or whoever could tell could put like a gap
up. Don't quote me on that, but it's >> what um what are you aware of that's for sale? >> The kitchen gardens got land. They've got like almost six acres on What's the road over there? >> Right across from Brother. >> Yeah. On Christian Lane.
>> Oh, yeah. Yeah. like a horseshoe market. >> There's brass on there, right? >> Yeah. Something. >> Yeah. >> Carrots. There's carrots right now in Brussels. In the back there's cabbage. >> Yeah. And it's adjacent to like seven or eight other acres. I think it's
like 15 in total that they're only selling right right. They >> came here for the APR. >> Yeah. >> A long time ago. garden. >> Yeah. Tim and or Tim or I don't know if they
>> was >> Yeah, there's Yeah. So, they still own it. I don't think that went through when they sold their farm. >> Oh, really? >> They must have kept it because it's Tim and Caroline. >> Oh, so the Maybe that's why they're selling it. >> Yeah. I guess Kitchen Garden never the
new owners didn't get that land as part of the sale. >> Interesting. >> Or maybe because it's an APR it has to be put on the market, but the new owners are going to buy it. I don't know. I don't know. Thought that was a little weird that it didn't go with the sale of the farm, but
maybe Kitchen Garden's going to scale down a little bit, >> right? Maybe they didn't want to own APR land. >> Possibly >> they got rid of that other section across the road, too. >> Okay. >> Yeah, that was kitchen garden, too.
>> That's tough. I mean, that land is kind of tough, you know. only there was ground tough growing anything is tough. >> Oh well yeah I don't see a lot of rocks out there.
>> No the only rocks down in East WH are ones that were brought there by people from west. >> Yeah boundary markers. Yeah. When my father first came to the farm there in the river road, he he
tripped over a mountain stone. >> Yeah. >> He said, "I thought you didn't say there's no rocks." >> It was always such a shock working on a potato harvester when you heard the clink of a rock. Yeah. >> Be like, you know, three times in a year. >> What was that? >> What's that?
>> Trying to find a rock to put as a >> door stop or something. Yeah. You can't find them or drive a nail in a hammer box to drive in fence post stuff like every day. >> Yeah. Yeah. There's no hammer in my toolbox
space. So, I think that's kind of what I got. Um >> I'm surprised that that APR is is selling for 6,000 bucks an acre. >> That seems awfully cheap. by one and a third. You know, maybe maybe my math is
wrong. Um >> maybe they don't have a maybe they don't have any frontage there that uh increases the value of >> and you know they did they they might have sectioned out they might have sectioned out Ralph's house. It's not part of it.
>> I mean they presume they would. >> Yeah. So so there's no value that that isn't contri. >> So there's no there's no frontage there. There's no frontage. >> No, you're right. I think there's 50 ft of frontage. Yeah. >> Yeah. But the one that I was just talking about
>> 13,000 an acre. >> Yeah. But he's talking about just the APR money >> just just what they >> Well, we'll have to stay tuned at some point. If they do apply for CPC money in
this order cycle, we'll probably be a next meeting after >> we if you know we're supposed to sign off first >> because back in back in the 1980s that
long road APR was was over 65,000 an acre >> back in >> 6,500. >> 6,500 an acre. Yes. Yeah. >> Yeah. Sorry. Uh I'm sorry.
>> It was a wild time. >> Yeah. That this that this seems I I suspect it should be closer to twice than that. >> Yes. So >> you just don't I don't think they give out the money that they used to for APR. It's just there's not the money's not
there. I don't think anymore. >> Probably. That's could be true. Um anyway, he's you know they whatever the deal is he said they accepted it. I don't think they were doing it for sort of financial gain so much as just respecting you know
>> ugly important so >> I have a clock in my kitchen that was made by Ralph's brother and it was my it was a wedding present. Yeah, >> Ralph's brother. >> Not Ralph. Bob's I don't know what's his name. >> I'm embarrassed.
>> Not Bob. Not Bob. It's You know what you're talking about. We got one, too. Sunbeam for us. >> Oh, did he? >> Yeah. >> The name. >> He passed away a long time. >> Yeah. But he used to come by the farm all the time. >> This was Ralph's brother. >> Yeah. Tony.
>> Tony. Tony Chev. >> Yeah. He had a little shop there. Right there. >> Right. He had there's a little the little stream that goes behind uh what's that crossroad? Hagar crossroad crossroad. I used to fish that. No, that stream. He had a little paddle wheel he
made out there and it turned an automotive alternator and then he ran the wires into a shop and charged a battery and it just kept one light on. >> Yeah. >> And he was like >> he was a crafty dad. Very.
>> So who who is Jim his brother or Jim? Jimmy >> that be his son. That's Mark's son, right? >> Jim and his wife used to with me long time. >> 16.
>> Oh, wow. >> They all live right there. >> That is a good went down. He was a kid next door, you know, something expensive. He was sitting on the planter and he and Mary were planted to start the first nursery.
>> Wow. Yeah. The the father there started the sevens, right? >> That's right. >> The seven o was because of the seven old shifts brothers. >> I did not know that. >> You know, the seven right. Right. I know. I went
to school one. >> That was a bustling place initially. >> 7 O's. Yeah, seven holes >> probably all the time. >> It's not It's not very tucked away. >> Yeah, pretty open. But
>> used to frequent it when it was Snosies. >> Yeah. >> But when you're when you like to sing and drink and you own the bars, didn't even last very long. >> Well, the Sun knows was the only bar that had a two o'clock license. Yeah. Morning. They were packed at 1:00 in the morning. That's right. You can get in
there. Is there a move to adjurnn? >> There is a move to adjourn. Second it. >> All right.