Agriculture Commission Agenda and Minutes October 3 2012Northampton Agricultural Commission
Agenda and Minutes
7:00 PM Wednesday October 3, 2012
210 Main Street (City Hall) Room 10
Members present: Chair John Omasta, Vice Chair Rich Jaescke, John Bobala, and Chip Parsons.
NOTE: The Commission delayed opening their meeting for until 7:15 PM to allow them to attend the Community Preservation Committee and speak in favor of renewed funding for a local Agriculture
Preservation Restriction program.
John Omasta opened the meeting at 7:15 PM.
Discussion of next steps with Keep Farming program
Summary of all data collected to date (final written report, if ready): Fran Volkman and other Keep Farming volunteers presented the draft final report for Commission review.
Next steps in Keep Farming effort (consensus on next steps): The Commission agreed to review the draft report and provide final comments as the first agenda item for their next meeting
on October 24, 2012.
Exploring a joint effort to organize a regional agriculture commission forum for February 2013: Keep Farming volunteers indicated that they might be available to assist in the forum,
depending on the details of what help is required.
Exploring how Keep Farming volunteers can assist on future projects: Richard Jaescke suggested that the Commission could use help in the identifying ways to improve marketing for farmers
and the farm sector.
Plan for January 19, 2013 Agriculture Forum at Smith Vocational School
The Commission discussed how to get farmers and vendors to an open forum. They will meet and discuss the project in more detail on October 24th with Pete Westover, who is representing
Massachusetts Department of Agriculture Resources and the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions. The Commission members agreed to come with a list of desired vendors
at their next meeting. They tentatively set an agenda (subject to discussions with Pete Westover) of a series of brief introductions and then an opportunity for break out sessions/discussions:
Mayor’s welcome (if he is available)
Northampton Agriculture Commission
Massachusetts Department of Agriculture Resources
Massachusetts Association of Agriculture Commissions
Keep Farming
NRCS and any other relevant support organization
Vendors
Follow up on DPW maintenance of roads in the meadows
The Commission had a discussion on the small amount of road maintenance being done in the Meadows since their meeting with the Board of Public Works. They asked Wayne Feiden to follow
up with DPW and request a status update.
Grow Food Northampton (GFN) access road
The Commission asked for a status report on GFN’s access to their “main” field. Wayne Feiden responded that they have access through the Crimson and Clover Farm, and through strips
of land that they own on the east and the west side of the Florence Recreation Fields. Using either strip will require that they make improvements to the land (cut brush and level the
sites), which they have the right to do. The city has also granted them permission to cross the parking lot on the east side of the fields for farm machinery (but not for customers if
they set up a CSA because of the high traffic that would entail).
Membership
Ben James has announced his resignation from the Agriculture Commission. The Commission discussed outreach to a possible new member.
Approval of Agriculture Commission Minutes of April 23, 2012
Upon motion by Chip Parsons and second by Rich Jaescke, the Commission voted unanimously to approve the minutes
Mineral Hills Conservation Area agricultural parcel.
Wayne Feiden reported that the farm license to Parsons for this Conservation Commission owned parcel on Sylvester Road has expired and asked for a recommendation. The Commission recommended
renewing the license with Parsons and, if he doesn’t want it, offering it to other farmers.
The Agriculture Commission adjourned at 8:50 PM.