So, I guess we'll call the order at 610. Looks like everyone's here but Mike. >> Jen, did you get like sworn in? And >> I did. Yes. >> Okay. Yeah, >> great. Okay, cool. Um, >> and I'm sorry for rushing out last time
we had a sick horse. >> Oh, okay. You're on. >> Doesn't happen very soon. It's all good. Yeah. >> Okay. Um, yeah. So, I did not bring a printed copy of the minutes from last time, but I looked at them. They looked good to me.
I don't know if anyone else had any comments. >> They look good. >> So, move. >> Okay. Well, I move we accept the minutes as written. >> Second. >> Second. >> All in favor?
>> All right. Anyone oppose? Unanimous. Um, so I know I I I So Tamson Flanders is from Furkco is going to join us and we're going to talk about this document that she wrote which I thought was quite good.
>> I thought it's excellent. >> Um, >> this is for um getting funding or what's it for? This this is it's it's the agricultural part of a weightly farm plan that and I think
Tamson has been sort of hired to write it on on weight's behalf. So, this is just the A portion and I think it's is it February 26th all Yeah, I don't remember when it's sort of all
due to be done and finalized, but so that's that's what that is. Um, and she's going to come in 10 or 10 minutes or so. Does anybody have any uh thoughts about items we should request money for
in a budget? And this would be money that would be available in July of 26 through for and for a year. >> Well, this uh report says that we get 2500 bucks a year, which we've never
had, but >> yeah. >> Uh we should put in a number that meets our requirements. >> Right. Right. And and I was thinking, Tori, maybe you can tell us. Do you think 1,500, which is what is budgeted for an administrative assistant, do you
think that's reasonable? >> Yeah, I definitely think that's reasonable. >> Okay. And I had down I communicated a little bit with Teresa Carter and Megan Arin, I think it's her name, from Sunderland,
who were here. They came to a a meeting or two and they're what's the name of the group? It's like school to garden or >> something like that. >> Oh yeah. That we were talking with you uh a couple weeks ago. >> Yeah. Well, last month or two months ago
even. >> Yeah. Garden classroom or something. >> Farm school. School. >> That's a thing in my head. >> Like I know I've seen those emails from my kids. Yeah. So, and I just had a conversation with her about sort of
what's a reasonable amount to budget to help with the garden at the school and and other things. And so, we came up with 500 for the garden and maybe 600 to support a field trip if something can materialize. >> Field trip.
>> This this was like there was a little brainstorming going on and and one of the things the school would like to accomplish is getting kids to some farms. Okay. >> And so this would be to support, you know, maybe a day where they visited three farms in town or something like
that. Go up and lay waste to your place first. >> Just let them run. >> Yeah. >> Perfect. >> Yeah. >> Sawyer would love. >> Um and so anyway, that's all sort of theoretical, >> you know, and uh maybe it'll happen and
maybe it won't. But if I think if we kind of like budget a little bit now for it, it's like quite a ways quite a ways waiting for it. >> No, I would think that based on that I can count we should put in for 2500 bucks. >> Yeah, I got a couple more a couple more
uh items, but I've actually got 3,600 as my number. >> Okay. So, um I've got just 200 for printing and office supplies, which we should have had this year and but um Amy's just very accommodating. And it would be good to budget a couple hundred
bucks to get stuff into the scoop, >> which we haven't done in the past. Um it's 75 bucks a page and you got to go help fold. >> That's not bad. >> No, that's not too bad. So, I put in 200 bucks for that. And
then So, um, are you talking about like shouldn't we have a scoop comes out what, four times a year? >> Yeah, I just got mine. >> March is the next time. >> Um, so it seems like we should have a,
you know, quarterly report in there if we have anything to talk about. I think yeah I think that would be very good if we wanted to do a page it's 75 bucks but if you just want to contribute >> yeah right >> although they I suspect folding help would be appreciated
>> I've done that before >> okay do you want to uh I just smelled a volunteer I think you smell something else >> I mean if you would like to uh to be the
lies to the scoop I don't mind full, but if if you want to provide a quarterly update, you've got two months to think about think about uh >> I have to find out what their deadline is and all. >> Yeah, I was going to say it seems like in for quarter four we tried in
September and we had already missed the deadline for >> kept missing it by like a day. >> Yeah, like it is like the first week of >> the start of the previous quarters. It is very early. I just I I before I left my house, I just opened the scoop
literally and I think it's at March 4th and I only remember that because it's my mother's birthday, but I think that's the deadline for the next >> Well, I've got the scoop at all. Okay. >> Take a look at it. >> Well, let's So, let's And I would get this to Joyce.
>> I guess that's the >> Yeah, I think the thing to do been running it forever and seems >> Right. Right. >> I think the thing to do would be to just communicate with her and just review the deadlines. >> Okay. But let's talk about it next meeting. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Um because we we will want to get something
in the scoop about the signs and that doesn't I mean oh you know we were talking about the cost of a page because we were thinking about getting that shop local pamphlet. >> Yeah. >> Into the scoop and that's where the 75
bucks came. >> So that's something we can think about. And then the last item I thought of, Dave, was I was going to put in for $600 for the right to farm signs, but I have
asked the selectman to consider giving us a few extra dollars to get five signs. So I'm thinking if and we should know about that on the 17th. >> Yes. So it' be a a thousand closer to 500. I think I've asked for six,
you know, to do two additional signs. >> Oh, >> so can if we can do the five signs for like 1,600. >> Yeah. Well, total I think the it was for originally the artwork, the five signs and the poles, eight poles and the carriage bowls and everything was a
total of the original bill was 1,600. So, >> okay. So, we're not talking about the poles, >> right? So, we're going to save like $400 or if not more. All right. So, it sounds like maybe we can we can get it done and if they'll just if they can find a few extra bucks in the highway budget or
something like that and then we're just done. >> And the other thing I was thinking about too is, you know, maybe we want more signs in the future, but they can be moved too. >> Yeah. >> You can leave one for Yeah. You know, >> I you know, once you get the artwork
done, it's pretty simple to get another one made. I think you know, a couple of them because they, >> you know, it's they have the patent. So they can do it, >> right? >> Yeah. >> I know. They think it'd be a lot more expensive to get more sun and stuff.
>> Yeah. >> I think it was. >> So, and I would probably not necessarily put in for the for those signs if next week the select board says, "Oh, yeah. Go ahead and get five signs made. We'll find the money to to cut to that." So,
that's kind of So, I would either put in for three grand or 3,600. And I think that is due very end of December. >> Better shoot high. >> Yeah. Am I down? >> Well, if there's any money left over, they just goes into the general fund or
something. >> Yeah. It just goes if it's unspent. It just it's not wasted. >> So, if that sounds good, that's how we'll proceed with the budget. >> Sounds like a plan. Sounds good. >> Is this a yearly budget? You guys, you want to hear?
>> Yeah. Yeah. And the schedule if I remember right is is that the requests have to be in basically December 31st or or near near to that and then it's reviewed finance committee
you know we're not asking for anything controversial here >> yeah what's the range of >> really >> you can ask you can Yeah. Fair. >> I mean, >> you know, >> like it'll help the town somehow brood
Yeah. the community. >> Yeah. Yeah. I mean, you know, I don't think we're asking for anything here that isn't that isn't for the town's benefit. I know there is sort of a threshold at around $5,000 for a single project
where I think your budget request has to be in maybe it's even in September. >> Okay. >> You know what I mean? Um, and that's so it might even be a higher threshold. And that's for like if they're buying a fire truck or you know, you know, more bigger equipment stuff.
Some of that has to go up to bid, I think. So, we're talking it's almost like a catch 22 because they want that, you know, that uh garden program, you know, with the seeds and you know, mostly you got to ask the farmers for all that stuff
and vegetables and kind of well, they want this, we should if we want this to go, we've got this, you know, it's almost >> catch 22 for these people. So, you know, I guess that was a pretty good program. So, >> yeah. Yeah. Well, I you know, we'll see
what happens. If not, he'll just put in for a a little bit more for next time. Um, so Tamson is not here yet, although I think I just heard a door. Um, I was going to quickly review the APR here
that we had, you know, APR. It's all done. I I sent the application in. the CPC, I think, gave it a first pass and said that it would be fine. So, and then
yesterday I found out that Golas had an APR approved. >> Okay. >> Um, and the deadline for the CPC application was noon today. >> So, I got it done. I don't I think it maybe is a little incomplete, but
they're going to review it tomorrow. And so yeah, Galancas is about 60 acres and about 40% of it's in Weightley and 60% is in Hatfield. >> Nice. >> So he's going through Hatfield too. >> Yeah. I
um Jim was surprised about how the local match was accomplished and stuff like that. So, um, he was, so I kind of did a little research and figured out how he needed
to proceed in Hatfield, but their their application will be due till November 1st. So, and I'm not sure how Hatfield funds their APRs, the local match on
their APRs, they're not through CPC graphs. I assume they are, but um but I don't know that that's how they fund it. I would you know it's a good way to do it. You end up using half save money, >> especially when it just got fully funded.
>> Yeah. Right. Yeah. They got 100% match. I >> think I think the CPC's kind of got plenty to burn, doesn't it? >> A healthy. >> Yeah. There was not a lot of demand on the last quarter cycle, I think. Are there a lot of applications stacking up?
>> Um, I don't think that there's too too many. Just a small handful. >> Yeah, I'm starting thinking. >> So, what happens to the to the money that's currently like not enough projects come forward and let's say there's $30,000 left over?
Where does that money go? Does it go into it? It goes back back into the >> Yeah. can't go into the general fund. >> Um, but I think it goes into sort of a CPC.
>> I mean, so there's a state share and our share and it must go into some place where money's kept. I don't know.
>> Yeah, I think it's a specific account for the CPC. I think that's how the um uh hall got a little bit more money to renovate that because there was extra money left over from some other projects was in the pond, >> right? And they were they used it to pay
down the debt at a pretty aggressive rate. you know, they what they would do when I was in the CPC was basically they'd fund all the projects that could be funded and if there was $28,000 left over, they threw it at the balance on
the town hall >> and and made short work of it actually. >> Has that paid off? >> Yeah. >> Wow. >> For a while. uh windows in the church in the center of town. >> Yeah. >> The Weightley Woods hiking area
that was preserved with a a pretty good chunk of CPC money. The silo, one of the silos at Quan Kuan Farm was rebuilt. >> Architecturally unique. >> Cemetery. Yes. Yes.
>> Right. >> The yellow barn there in the center of town. gets some civil work done. Town keeps >> equip nice. >> I have a question about APR. >> Yeah. >> Does the land have to already be in
agriculture practices? Can it be land that has in the past been? >> Yes. >> And not current. >> Any anything that's being farmed generally go into an APR application, I believe. But this is what I'm thinking
of is a spot down the road from me that it has had hay. Uh Jimmy Veronus, I don't know if anybody knows who that is, but he hasn't done h for a long time. He's just kind of >> It's open space and that's kind of their goal. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. They're just trying to prevent it from being developed. I think you can preserve. I mean there I think there are golf courses that >> Well, that's that's on a different >> I mean it's not Yeah, it's recreation 61A or something
61 Q or something. >> Yeah. Yeah. Okay. >> Um Yeah. And I I really think it's open space preservation. Hey. >> Hi. Sorry for being late. >> Not at all. We're That's perfect timing.
We uh we ripped through the agenda. Now we're ready. >> Okay, good. I hear I actually forgot to print it out, so I can't look at it, but take notes. >> Do we have any extra comments? >> Um so this is Well, you don't you introduce yourself?
>> Yeah, I've met some of you. Um I'm Tamson Planners. I'm a land use and natural resources planner at the planning agency for the county. It's located in Greenfield called the Furco or we call it the Furco um Franklin Regional Council of
Government. And I um there's a small team of us working on a comprehensive plan for Wheatly. That's a document that um it's a forward-looking plan. Tries to look 10, 20 years down the road at what are some
of the changes that we would need to make as a community in order to enable the kinds of changes that we want to happen and sort of steer away from the changes we don't want to happen. And so, um, not every comprehensive plan has an agricultural chapter, but this one
needed one because, um, agriculture is very important to the community. Um, and yeah, um, I've gone through this once with some of you and happy to go, yeah, to discuss whatever you saw in this
latest draft. So what is your are you looking for for for details to be corrected or just >> yeah correcting factual checking um like did we get the emphasis right or is you know should we deemphasize things better
emphasize other things and then >> really specifically if you as a committee have recommendations for this kind of yeah for the town um to be considering on on that bigger level.
Um whether that's changes to zoning or ways that funding is allocated or um I mean we list this should have listed recommendations, right? >> I think it did. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Um so yeah, spec like the more
specificity on the recommendations, the more they're actually in line with the community's vision for agricultural agriculture into the future, the better. So because of this there could be action taken from
weight we as a whole or how is it like >> yeah it's sort of like >> I mean the way the field of planning sort of works is it's set up to sort of support um long-term decision- making and the acquisition of grant funding or you know
budgeting um to make things happen. And so as we know most of you know to get capital a lot of the capital changes and big projects done it usually can't just come from the municipal budget. It has to come from
some grant funding and we pay taxes. We deserve to also be reaping the benefits of that. Um, and so, um, right, so pretty much the these plans are set up to help the town be,
um, kind of both prepared for and qualify for more grants. >> If something is listed as, you know, as being in the town's master plan or whatever, um, you know, it's like a feather in the cap as you go for, you
know, grant grant. I mean for for example you know you re when I did the APR application for the Oskis and and Golanas um you know you reference this is consistent with um you know the town
plan for a preservation as and you know you would reference this has been supported consistently at town meeting as you make the case for CPC funding for the local manage I mean it's kind of >> right >> but but documents like this get
referenced and it a lot actually >> for the decision makers in the town. Okay. >> Yeah. And even you know people who are not in the town can look at this and get a a snap you know an idea sense. So I I
would say that I thought this was very well done. >> Like Mahar echoed that. He's not here. >> But um should we How do you want to just like start with page one and
>> Yeah, I I can So I'm happy to go through everybody's comments. Um and I will also take drafts and incorporate them. So >> Okay. >> Just anything that feels like it needs discussion or explanation. If it's just like a correction in the, you know, like
Yeah. some kind of correction that I'll be able to figure out myself, you probably don't need to spend time on it. But I think >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Well, the only thing I had on page one was that I don't think there's any more shade in there, too. >> I did alpacas. Don't think there's any unless
they're >> Yeah, I want >> Yeah. Okay, great. >> There's no They're not on Christian L. No, >> hasn't been for >> They're gone. >> Okay.
>> That one of them and then the others. Yeah. Kept them longer, but then Yeah. When I called that farm, it was valid. >> Okay. Okay. >> Do you remember the ostriches running around town, Tim? >> Yeah. But then River Road.
>> River Road. Yeah. >> Oh my god. Oh, and also I don't I don't know in that paragraph it doesn't say anything about the one last dairy farm. >> There's one the builder farm >> street. Yes. >> Okay.
>> North street. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Very. >> Okay. What else I wrote down? That's it. You have my copy. So >> I know. I'm sorry. And uh you noted there's probably less
than 50 back of arms at this point, >> right? Is that on that page? I don't know. I I couldn't tell you what the real fact is, but it feels like they took a lot lot down. >> It's a lot of fall down. It's >> so I can just say a big dozen.
>> Yeah. >> Yeah. Somewhere I saw it almost looked like a brand new tobacco barn, but maybe it was completely sided. Brand Oh, a blackberry vineyard. >> It looked like a brand new barn. >> Stunning.
>> And maybe it was just >> new skins, but it's being used as a tobacco bar. They go in. >> Are they They're in Weley, not Hatfield. >> No, it's Hatfield. Oh, yeah. Okay. >> Oh, and Blackbird Hatfield. But that's the only new tobacco fire in
there. >> Swiffs did too West Road. They did a barn over. >> Oh yeah. Yeah. >> They like using that old plank wood for >> Looks nice. >> Fancy decorative, you know, woodworking
the way it's like stained and stuff. So I think somebody said you can get your barn resided for free. Just want to take it the old stuff. >> Yeah. Yeah. Be very cautious. I did that. I ended up signing a barn
>> because some of the siding got taken off but wasn't replaced. >> You know, they don't come back and do it. They just want the sighting. They split Rare. >> Yeah, we got >> It happened to my neighbors. >> Wow. >> Seems like an accident. >> Yeah, it was then somebody
>> It was a few years ago, right? Well, it was was it pre-COVID or was it >> five or six years ago? >> Yeah. Yeah, there was. So we we ended up and they what they do is they bring you they they come with wood, >> right? >> And tip, you know, dump the load to reside the barn. It's about a third of
what you need. And they uh and that was it. We got paid, but still we had to put siding on two barns. >> Surprise. >> You want to go to page two? >> Yeah. I love um
>> what you got. So um at um down in the economic significance we've employed about 26 residents year round. >> Yes. >> Uh that's that's a that's a low number. >> Okay.
>> Because nurse farms probably employees 50, >> right? Okay. >> So would like 75 be closer to >> I mean we have 15 >> year round. Yeah. Our third tape. Yeah.
Um >> man, I'm Are these residents or are these these are just >> Oh, that is true. The only statistic I can get I could get was residents of Wheatley. >> Oh, okay. >> Oh, I put that like
>> it does say around 26 residents year round. >> Okay. >> Let me just add >> 300 people overall. >> Yeah. >> Right. That's interesting. But that's um so that's based on uh you'll see that the footnote is to
the American community survey that's um one of the census programs. you know, they get the sense they get the census every decade where they get like a high percentage of people and then every year they go and interview a smaller
percentage of people and then they average those answers over five years. So, it's a fiveyear look back. >> So, and because our towns are so small, you sort of have to take all those statistics with a grain of salt. So, if you have a better number for that, I would you're the better resource. So at
the end of that paragraph it says that out of a total of approximately 880. What is what does that mean? >> Yeah. Hold on. >> In the first paragraph. >> So it seems like 300 people
in summer is a low number, right? And then so that's the middle sentence and then this accounted for so it's there's 880 jobs in weight total and so farms summer farm employment was 34% of total jobs right
>> so I can reword that compost facility has moved to earfield Okay. >> Yeah. >> Oh, okay. Yeah. In and in that same paragraph, I don't believe there's any more Sandra berries. >> That's true.
>> They had a chain far down the river. Oh, we were just talking about like the last guy >> Dr. Seuss the on
>> they are all done. >> Yeah, >> never even seen that before. >> They came from China. >> I tang. >> I went stopped at that weekly. Have you any of you seen the Wheatly Oaks campsite? It's um >> yes >> on the on the Connecticut but there's
not really like you can't access it from River Road, >> right? >> But I um bushwack up the hill and I came out I think in the Shazander Berries sp. >> Yep. Yeah. We took out that's the here here's an obscure agricultural trivia
question. >> All right. The answer is me and Humanana. You know what the question is? who who took out the largest chassis field in the Western Hemisphere. >> Anyway, they wanted it gone. We cleared
it and traded it for land bread. So, >> okay. >> About 30 acres. >> And the we had a gentleman here the last meeting who had bought and who had bought the compost operation. >> Mike. Yeah. He's he's on the he's down
here tonight. >> Yeah. and and so that the operation moved but his farmer's still on um >> Yeah. Yeah. >> He's raising beef >> in lately. Okay. >> Where in Deerfield did you >> at Mel?
>> Oh, okay. Hey. Yeah. >> Um >> three. I didn't have anything. >> Well, hold on. us back to the um estimated year round people. You I heard somebody say maybe 300.
>> I mean Chang has a lot of people. Mannheim has a lot of people year round. Um I would guess 15 to 20 each. We're 13 I think. So that's in the 40s. I got three.
Um okay. I mean, >> and you said Norris was how many year round? >> Year around probably 75. Um, harvest I don't think they, you know, I
mean, they're I don't think they have anyone in the all year round, but I mean, they were these year round jobs. So yeah, I was just trying to get a year round number and then but so I'll say like 100 to 150
estimated >> and then for summer, what do you what do you all think? >> Be surprised if it doesn't double >> it goes up quite a bit. I think kitchen guard's probably got
40 and >> they got an army. >> What would they count if they're harvest? >> Yeah. Well, that's lands in weight. >> I mean, harvest, you know, you know,
Charlie Tanis, he's got to have 25 people on. He's in a summer. So maybe that 300 number that was in there already is pretty good. >> I bet it looks Yeah. >> All right. Page three. >> I didn't have
>> Oh, one more thing on two. It's just a on economic significance. Second paragraph. Uh second sentence, a community food assessment, I'd say report. It doesn't
>> Yeah. >> Oh, I see. So you have underlining the sentence that's the um third paragraph under farmland as of 2025 we had not gone through the process of identifying farmland of local importance. So I
learned about more about this since I last met with you all. Um, I think it's APR and ASEP program. Does that spell? There's a F there's a federal pro land conservation program through NRCS. I
think it's like it has like a weirdly long acronym like ALSA as or something like that. They will both they will both accept farmland
that isn't listed as having prime soils or soils of statewide importance if it has been designated as farmland of local importance by I think the determining agency is the conservation commission who actually does that and
that's a process of maybe about a third to a half of the towns around here and gone through. >> Um, and the group doing it is the American Farmland Trust. I think they just lost most of their money doing it, but they
might have just um gotten there's a new state uh farmland protection plan that is has grant money coming with it that is um this is the first year of the grant and I know that American farmland trust put in a big
application and one of the projects they wanted to go for was to finish that mapping of farmland of local importance. So >> um >> so that might be coming. It might be coming. >> They just do that at will, it sounds like. Or does the town have to ask?
>> I think the town has Well, I don't know how they've selected who they've worked with at all, actually. Um, but it would not I don't think that it would hurt to reach out. >> Yeah. >> Um, and I think it's a relatively quick process. Um, as far as I can tell.
>> Okay. >> So, that would probably, as you said, something that would come from Kunch. I think that's they probably designated them because not every town has the right column. Yeah. >> But I would imagine you would be
involved in the process. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> I did not mark up page three. I got nothing on page four. >> Anyone? >> Right. How about five? >> All right.
Uh I got uh let's see down uh under public attitudes toward towards food. >> Yeah. >> Um >> I weren't the same thing. >> Uh the perception among farmers increasingly is that the public is
valuing local food less and less. On top of this, organic no longer has the profit margin of what's had. I might say something about like the the demand for organic products is not growing as it once did. Okay. Something like that.
>> But in that context is basically that the understanding of our of our urban neighbors don't really understand what what's it really involved. They they can look out and the windows and to
see driving by. They they don't have a clue really as to what's all involved. >> Yeah. Um it's almost like the sentence would be something like um people understand
farming operations and farming you know economics less and less and >> they have they have an appreciation for the open vista and what's growing there but when it comes down to them having a clue as too.
That's really changed, right? People don't know what they're looking at. >> Yeah, I I agree with that in general. I mean and sort of what this paragraph is getting at is like that's leading to in some ways less support both at the
market and maybe in some ways >> you know I don't think in weight I think that the focus is on preservation of farmland and and appreciation of the the open spaces >> but those that are have that appreciation
have less and less understanding of what goes on. Yeah, >> I also think to that regard too with the open, you know, the open vistas too, like you know, this talks a lot about climate change and the changing, you
know, way that farming is done. You know, a lot of the farms are moving indoors now or moving into covered spaces, which is going to change that open vista. Um, and I don't know that there's a lot of education or people that understand >> Yeah.
>> what that change is going to look like and how the views are going to change a little bit. >> Yeah. >> That's got a lot of that because of climate change. >> Sure. Yeah. >> The reason like the value of why that is, I guess. >> Right. >> Right. I mean, you look at the berry
production down at Norse Farm >> and it it doesn't look like berry production did 15 years ago or 10 years ago. >> It it it agriculture does look different. I mean, >> you know, it's changing. >> Yeah, it always will be changing. I
mean, 30 years ago, there was a pickle shop that bought a thousand acres of crops. You know, there were roadkilled cucumbers everywhere. Well, none of us have ever woken up a day in farming and didn't think that we're going to have some change someplace, >> right? It's just it's a matter of that's
what's going to happen. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Great. I'll get that in. >> You know, in many ways, farmers who leave their activities and livelihood, they're way ahead of the game with a lot of this stuff, climate change and what have you. They
have to deal with it, >> right? >> And u >> it's so immediate. and other people like what's going on? You know, like it's Yeah, it's a real world. A lot of people, >> right? It is. It is an, you know, you're
not going to just change a thermostat. No, be comfortable. It's where it directly impacts. But I do think like with the APRs for example, like people want these APRs to preserve the open land, but then what happens
when the farmer wants to go and throw up a big greenhouse operator in there, you know? I mean, some APRs restrict that I think. >> That's right. Yep. >> I think a lot of >> AP is not all that frown and farmer friendly, >> right? >> Yes. >> Right.
>> I thought it was just I like residential buildings. So it's also a >> Yeah, they they make >> and like agurism you can't do with APR and I think like green houses have to be soil grown. >> Yeah, there's a place that want to put up a winery but they wouldn't let them
put up the building right >> to the process >> to to to upscale the the crop that they were making, >> right? So it's >> it's kind of >> you know and that's the thing like an APR agreement might get written in 2005
25 years later this agreement has not evolved but the farm has you know and so that's that's a tough pair of handcuffs to wear forever you know I know we're you know we we
know the property bowers property we have here on Christian on Long Plane wrote, you know, we built that greenhouse out to the last square foot that we could within the APR requirements. And I and I actually I think I kind of remember if you rolled
your plastic up to the peak, bound it to the ridge pole, and took a picture, I I think it maybe you could justify it being open sping, >> right? Yeah. Because it could be on hold. >> Yeah. >> And let the rain in. Yeah. And at least,
you know, because some people used to do that seasonally tunnel stuff. >> Um >> it's hard to do with the plastic with with glass. >> Yeah. No, I know, right? You're not going to roll up uh polycarbonate panels or anything, but um >> it's just Well, it's all those quirky
type of >> Yeah. >> things. >> How do you work a rule for the gray area, you know? Well, it's really dumb because I don't know people in charge of APR or whatever. I mean, you look at Europe,
the Dutch or whatever. I mean, look at million zillions of green houses and they produce a significant amount of their food in them and and in many cases they're also recycling heat from power plants or various things, you know, district heating and
>> it's a lot different deal. >> Canada too has a lot. >> Yeah. Hopefully the APR program will adjust. I worked >> I don't think they will >> um for the Hilltown Land Trust and was
exposed to a lot of conversations around okay like how do we write restrictions that are that like can predict the future? It's pretty impossible. Or how do we write new law that allows restrictions to change if necessary? I have if anyone has ever met Tyler Sage
who grows pork up and burns land the place he bought I remember it they took a while to figure out or maybe it was the first place he left that I can't remember but somehow it was like ex it was prohibited in the CR that he could
forest graze his pigs and nobody wanted that so it took them a while to figure out how to >> make it work. So in like in 1985 when we had that APR up along Flame Road, we we had was a
designated house lot on that 60 acres, but the rules since then have changed. So there's no more house lot there even though it's designated in the contract. This is an example. Yeah.
>> Yeah, that's right. You kind of got robbed of that house lot. Well, it's all Yeah, not complaining because it worked out pretty well, >> right? >> Example. >> All right. Well, um,
>> anything else on So, I >> page six. >> Yeah. Anything on page six? >> Yeah, I under climate change. Yeah, >> I I would I would I made a note that actually with climate change, it's it's
uh extended our growing season here and waiting by at least three weeks. >> Say, John, yeah. >> Yeah. My father said they used to plant set. Well, it's different because they
we had an earlier spring because they used to plant set onions like middle of March, but you could get a frost first of se September. So, it's changed. >> But in other words, they used to you had to have your butternut squash out by the 18th of September or it be
frosted. But now it's what, October 10th? No, some >> I was talking to Jackowskis and I said, "Remember when you had to have your potatoes dug by November 1st, >> right? Oh, that's one year was uh
>> I think three, four years ago. It was November before we even had a frost. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> It was a warm district. >> But this has been an extension there. And but it isn't so much on the front side, >> right? >> March is March and probably always will
be. That's true. >> But the fall is extended. >> I have read that that you know they there are some orchards that are very old and they have very good written records of what you know every day back
going a hundred years and you can watch the bloom for an orchard drift earlier and earlier and earlier. I think the Macintosh blow drifted about eight days I think >> because of that mild weather we get in
February which is is a hash it over their head because it's going to zip them you know >> right they don't go dormant enough they wake up too early to >> they wake up too early and then then they get hit with that >> fro the peaches
>> um so so that's a positive are there other positives we should mention Another comment is on that farmland protection. It says in there that the average the average age of is around 60 years old. >> Yeah.
>> But you know that's a that's a u kind of a >> misleading statement because it's the people that own the land get old but not necessarily the people that farm it. >> Right. I mean just think of
farmed that land and they owned the land until Gary J. >> Right. And u so uh yeah so it's it's misleading. >> Yeah. >> Right. If Oenic is still being counted
in the average and Harvest Farm is farming his land. >> Yes. >> Right. Yes. >> Yeah. Or if you've got, you know, farmer senior who's spending 15 hours a week on the farm, farmer Junior is the one really, >> but he owns the land, right? So, so
that's where it's reported from. >> Yeah. >> Right. I mean, it's Yeah, it's it would be interesting to know how the data was collected. You know who >> Yeah. Let me say >> that's always been that's a statistic that's
>> it's been around forever forever. You you hear it in other states if you go to go to >> I mean you don't say 108 that won't work. >> No. >> Uh one little comment little little uh paper sort of thing
>> the uh same paragraph right near the bottom local regional food systems today. In the first paragraph on this page after the second complete sentence, farmers often experience the market
systems and regulations is too big and bureaucratic to work with. >> I might add remember writing that. >> Okay. Um I I had this thought which was I think as in my experience mostly with
supermarket chains as there is great market consolidation my concern about farms and weighty is that the econ the scale of the farms and weight will not be big enough to sort of
>> work with those large corporate entities and increasingly I hear about the expectation of year round supply. Um, and there's and I've heard of what are called for 14month contracts where you're supplying, say
you supply ahalt, which is, you know, an entity that owns 2500 supermarkets on the east coast. They'll want a transitional month to you supplying them with an item as they transition from another supplier and then 12 months of
supply and then another month of transition to so it's a 14-month contract for some things. >> Very interesting. >> Yeah. And that's in and there's it's part of increasingly the automation of
EOS being generated. Walmart there aren't produce buyers who work at Walmart, you know, it's it's people who observe trends, you know, an algorithm is or is ordering product. Um,
and that's going to be increasingly I think that's coming increasing as you know the supermarket chains become not 75 store chains but you know 3,000 stores >> you know they want promotional branding across
you know all their all their markets and you know and I'm not saying that like you know obviously sweet corn sells big in the northeast for a few months and that dovetales with our ability to grow here and for them to get fresh crop too.
>> Yeah, exactly. And >> local local, >> you know, but things like peeled butternut squash um >> where would they who is big enough to compete with you like are they >> I think >> where would it start being sourced?
Well, it would be more like companies like Pkachi in Philadelphia or you know that act as like a clearing office >> for product from all over the country. >> I see. So they would try to get a bid
for, you know, what they might call the wet end. Um, and you know, all the stuff under mist in the supermarket and and then they would go find people to supply them to supply. >> And so you might have to instead of
supplying directly these supermarkets, having contracts with the supermarkets, you might have to go to a consolidator who then is going to pay you less. >> Yes. Yeah. Um, right. but provide a service and maybe make, you know, make things available that weren't. But it's
just I I see a change, you know, horizon. >> Yeah. >> Um Yeah. >> I mean, it's similar to what happened in dairy in some ways. I don't really know what happened with
dairy except for that my uncle um had a farm in my hometown in Vermont for 15 or probably 20 years and then moved it to Idaho and then moved it to Wisconsin after 10 years of being in
Idaho just sort of like finding a place where he could compete. >> Wow. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. So that's in the no marketing areas of all those different places. Yeah. And >> they all have a different formula for class one and class three. And so it's
all the pricing is different. >> Yeah. >> And it just it just always seemed like Yeah. He couldn't like the the farms were getting so big, there was he couldn't come. So in in Wisconsin where they have so much processing going on with the cheese industry and so
forth, I could find a supply a buyer who will stabilize his economic situation. One one other comment on on the bottom of page six is that your response wasn't
bought by an international company. It was bought by an investment company. >> Oh, >> I had a little asterisk that maybe that you might if you weren't going to be here tonight, I just wanted you to review this specific mention of Norse
Farm. I'm so I'm glad you're here to be at the top of the page. You do we think there should be some mention of H2O labor at all >> with um >> what's the labor supply cost of labor's been stable? I mean
>> the fact is that there are a lot of Jamaicans mainly the H2A people that work at various farms here. Yeah, probably would be smart to just at least mention it exists. You might even be able to find some stats on how many
people in the H2A program work in town. I mean, I'm sure out of the office down was infield or that gal works out of she would have exact members of the Megan's in town.
>> Sanderson's we have a camp. Yeah. >> Wells has a camper. Sanderson and but there probably 30 30 H2A workers is a guess.
>> Yes. >> Okay. Great to mention them. probably more than that because I think Sanderson camps for different people but he said the camp is in Wait, other farmers use his camp
>> to house their H2O labors. >> Okay. >> Is housing for farm workers an issue or you and your neighbors? >> What? housing for farm workers >> in the HDA program or not >> either one. >> I I housing is definitely an issue. Um
it it has to meet so many standards there there's houses in Holio that don't have the standards of H2A housing. >> Yeah. square foot of windows per square foot of floor space and
a lot of there isn't an inspection without something being wrong, >> right? And it's it's very expensive. I mean, it's expensive in Massachusetts to maintain any housing. >> Yeah. >> And H2A housing is
no exception. >> Yeah. I've lost a number of employees because they just couldn't find reliable housing in the area and they just gave up and left. >> Yeah. >> Um they weren't H2A but >> I think it's >> Yeah, I would say
>> common everywhere in Massachusetts. >> I would say the sort of Central American workforce kind of moved from Turners to Springfield largely just because Turners got too expensive. I
>> also the one of the apartments they were mostly living in the car town. >> It was I think the landlord was getting harder and harder. >> Oh, and >> it's just everything's so expensive and then you have extra space. I feel like
it's the first thing you want to do is Airbnb it or there's like a lot of I've been to a lot of Airbnbs around here, but are always spoke of for whatever reason. >> Yeah. >> Which could also, you know, be rental places. Yeah.
>> But they wouldn't they probably wouldn't meet the standards the H2A inspection. Yeah. >> No, not for H2A. No chance. >> Yeah. Well, I have co-workers at the Fernog that are working very hard on the housing issue. um making a big stink
with the state because just some policies and the funding is like not favorable to us. >> Yeah. >> Governor spent a billion dollars to house all these other people.
So >> yeah. >> Um Tim the last sentence there can be drawbacks of corporate ownership. >> I don't know. I don't know of any corporate >> is >> I mean farms a corporation to begin
with, >> right? But yours your family is still the owner. >> We own the land. >> Yeah. >> But we don't own we don't own the business. >> Gotcha. That a unanimous decision with your
family or was that a hard decision to >> The way it was. >> Yeah. 8 85 years old. What the hell are you going to do? >> Yeah. >> That's a very good question. I think >> Yeah. What are you going to do? >> No, it's time to time. There is times
time to retire at some point, >> right? So I did in ' 85, but but uh it was an economic decision because of the expansion of the new crops that we could grow and the the capitalization that would need to >> to do it.
>> Yeah. >> And so >> right, >> it wasn't going to happen. It wasn't going to be funded locally. >> Farm Credit would not have given me $70 million to to expand the operation to 100. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. My dairy farming uncle says, I think,
he's about 80. He says, I think I finally learned to fly the plane, but I have no idea how to land. >> I like that. That's a good one. >> Um, all right, let's talk about the recommendation. >> You know, I've been to a few of those,
uh, other ad commit. There used to be a commissions thing here in regionally. >> Yeah. >> And but nobody nobody in my view was like our ad commission here in Wley
because of a farming community. >> Yeah. >> Even Moniku with with all their they they it's it's just kind of uh u unfocused. I don't know. I'm not good,
but it it's just the the the other ad commissions don't have the the scope of the you went to Lexington or or wherever you might think of maybe in Worester County. >> Yeah.
>> Uh western Worester County. Um but uh yeah, it's just uh really unique with people that we had on our mission. >> Yeah.
>> No, we've been been very active and a lot of different things and now we're doing signs probably should have been done. Some some towns our ad commissions did that and then that was it. >> Mhm. >> You know. Yeah. No, it's the the
consistency in from how long I commissioned going. But yeah, but I but it wasn't like I went to the meeting, but there was nothing relative to >> Yeah. >> I could take home. >> Do do you have you ever interacted with
an ad commission in Deerfield or Hatfield or Waiting? >> I mean um uh that's not what I'm going to say. Hadley. Deerfield and Hadley. Well, then they'd be more synonymous to >> Yeah,
>> Deerfield has Deerfield and Sunderland have a list of names, but there is no functioning agonom and Hatfield is active. In fact, I'm kind of working I'm I've put a feeler
out to them just because I'm curious about how the Galanka APR is going to land, how that plane's going to land because they're in two towns. >> Yeah. >> And how do they how do we fund the local match? >> Um, so I think Hadfield is pretty
active. >> And Hadley, I believe, does not. So, this this probably is outside the scope of these recommendations, but Pete Westover, who's lives in here, um has a
contract with MDAR to work his consulting firm and he's working with somebody else. They're revitalizing adcoms across the state and he's um coming up with some like, you know, information tools and stuff for more use. They're I hear they're
even talking about re reviving that statewide um what do you what would you call it? >> The commission of egg commissions. >> Exactly. Um and so maybe Yeah, maybe it's a suggestion here or maybe I just
tell him that I don't think he has anything. He from what I've heard he doesn't have anything planned in Franklin County yet but maybe it would instead of Franklin County it would be beneficial to gather just those five kind of comparable towns together to see if
there's some for like a round table discussion. >> I know there you know it did get mentioned when the farm to school folks were here about trying to inspire an eggcom to exist in the four school district towns. Conway.
>> Oh yeah. >> Sunlight diggerfield. Um but you know that was like sitting on the tailgate of a truck and say that and then does it ever happen?
>> There used to be a Massachusetts state flag. Is that what that >> Yeah. Mass it was the Massachusetts State Commission of Agricultural Commissions I think. That's right. Yearly meeting. >> Yeah. When you look at their website, it
seems like it hasn't been updated. It's 24. >> Yeah, that's been a while. >> Does that sound right? >> That's right. Um on if Are we still on seven? >> Page seven. Yeah. >> Yeah. Okay. I just did the what I had
was um the last basically the last bullet point under improve the financial viability. I thought it might be explore all municipal tools to support the viability of farm businesses, help them weather the stresses of climate change
and I thought end market changes. >> Yeah, I actually can't see where you are but >> Oh, >> I like that idea. >> Okay. Yep. Gotcha. >> I mean, and from what I you know, what I took away from your last the first
meeting was regul changes in regulations too. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> That seems like the big >> Yeah. I kind >> unpredictive added that. >> Well, If you're going to put a for a permit to draw water out of the
Connecticut River, you got to set about aside about $35,000 in order to do it. Even though water runs by your farm, >> right? >> It's true. 12 12 different entities.
>> That's interesting. Yeah, >> we just >> what's big is the Indian artifacts and and the and the endangered insects, the the um the flies. U
anyway, >> dragon flies. >> Dragon flies. >> Damn flies. >> Yeah. >> Um how many farms are withdrawing from how farmers to withdraw from the Connecticut River? Oh yeah, you're the only one. >> I don't know. I don't know of anyone else who's ever wouldn't have ever
pulled a permit. >> Oh, I'm sure he did. I can't imagine he pulled a permit, though. >> That's true. >> I didn't realize you needed a permit. It's interesting. What do you Is it like a yearly thing? you have to renew your
your water usage for the year and and send a 100 or 200 bucks a spot uh from privilege of doing it. >> See, >> so it's not 35,000. >> It's 35. >> That's just to get started.
>> Yeah. And >> and then then you got to put in your your engineering to the site. >> It's just to get through the 12 levels and your to hire a guy who that's that's what he does.
>> There's a guy over in Leid who who who does that. >> Yeah. It kind of speaks to sort of the scale that you know somebody's want to pump that has three or four acres in the Connecticut River and they want to pump out of it legitimately,
>> they can. Yeah. >> It would be preventative. >> Yeah. Um, and that's, you know, kind of I think speaks to like the scale a little bit mismanagement. >> That's the same what you're talking about with the marketing. just the
you had all those cubicles and natural resources and they're all in there trying to think up this stuff and uh and they're five six floors high stories high and uh picking up all this stuff to ears.
>> Yeah. >> Got to conserve some water for their coffee too, you know. >> Right. >> Yeah. I don't think anyone would drink their coffee water out of the Connecticut River. You know, that's how ridiculous drink,
>> but you can swim in it. But yeah, um and that that is it's one thing I actually noted on the back is that a somewhat some somewhat new issue is is water quality and food safety concerns. >> Yeah.
>> Um you know, it sort of I think further complicates which fields can be irrigated. and the expense the expense of irrigating depending on the food safety standards they need to meet. Um, and that's not a problem. that's just weight
or not an issue that only affects weightly but >> and is that FSMA or more than >> there was now I'm now of course sort of lost track of my acronyms but there was a a group of growers in California got
together you know these are 5,000 farms um and came up with a more restrictive standard than FSMA for leafy greens, >> right? This is this is the story you
told last time, >> the leafy greens. Uh and and so this standard would would require the the use of a sanitizer in irrigation water. >> Yeah. >> Almost all the time.
>> And um so I'm friends with the farmers at Stone Soup, which is a smaller operation in Hadley. And um I remember when they realized that they um and irrigated basically irrigated
phytoraa all over their squash because they irrigated from the river. >> Yeah. >> Is that are you seeing more of that like there's more disease in your irrigation water? >> That would be hard for me to experience say that this that that the water has
ptoin from our experience. >> Okay. I've heard the North Hadley pond. >> Well, that's different. >> That's very different, right? That a lot of photography have pumped out of the North Hadley Pond and into fields that didn't happen.
>> It's like that pond in in North Hat Hatfield by behind Beldons. This we we we would bump out of there. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Belin farm down the road would be on one side of that. It's a little slimy.
>> Sure. Yeah. But when >> Yeah. Um so anyway, if that you know and you know they're talking about you know I think they they changed the deadline for FSMA to 28 maybe. Didn't they put it off for 30 months or
something? >> But the market's expected the insurance companies that you know they're expecting it. So it's it's happening whether it's going to be enforced or regulated by the
government or not here and it's going to be you know if the government is not going to have a supportive program and the third party certifications for food safety are going to be purely driven by 5,000 acre growers in California.
Well, then you know it's going to be hard to exist as a 40 acre, 60, 70 acre. >> And it seemed like the like the regulation was pretty like low. The threshold to be required to meet all those was pretty low. You know, it
doesn't take that much to to bump into that whatever the amount is that you earn. >> Right. Right. >> To have to be managed under that. >> Yeah. the threshold for those things kicking in, right? It almost like makes
you not want to hit that threshold, you know, still just underneath it, >> right? It's a lot. >> I actually have to go. Is there anything else? >> I'm kind of ready to return minor typos on
>> you know, you can certainly reach out to me if you have any questions, anyone's comments. >> Great. we can continue the conversation. But I thought it was great. It was well done. >> Yeah, I thought it was very well written. >> Good. Thank you. I appreciate hearing
that. Thank you. >> And I Yeah, I really hope I incorporated your feedback on that as well. >> Okay. >> Um, wish you all the best. See you on the bat. >> So, does anybody have anything else?
>> Just want to say I did talk to um Brian Belder, beyond Brian Beler about maybe joining. I don't know how much you have a top limit of >> It's a seven person committee. >> Oh, okay. >> And we're full right now. >> He was very hesitant.
>> Okay. But I was kind of like I I think or when we talked I remember I I thought you had said to mention it to somebody else too. But >> I think it would be great if he came to a meeting. >> Yeah. He's what he shared with me was
that he's looking into taking over his father's farm eventually and hopefully maybe someday getting robots and kind of exploring that direction of dairy. So at the point I was like, "Hey, well this I just want
to tell you that." >> Coleman, how many head are they milking over here? >> I assume it's Penny Brown's tea. I did ask >> just told me the other day. I can't remember. I think it's more than that. >> Probably not. It's seven.
>> They have a lot of peppers now. Maybe they got a new me. So >> yeah, it looks good over there. >> Yeah. He's gonna they're gonna throw up a hoop house this year, too. So, he said to get the heers under cover. But anyway, it was fun. Tony, >> cool. Well, I think it'd be great to
have, you know, these meetings sort of serve as a little bit of a local clearing house for agricultural thoughts and happy to have them come. Um, I was going to share one more thought. Actually, why don't we adjourn?
I move we adjourn. It's 7:20 meeting set for our next meeting. >> Oh yeah, it's a good um >> 13th, second Tuesday. >> I think that's fine. >> Is it January what? 13th. >> The second Tuesday. The first Tuesday is
like pretty early. >> Scrap of paper. I do my paper. Okay. Um, okay. So, I move we journ. >> Yeah. >> Second. All right.