Agricultural Commission monthly meeting

Subscribe via Email

Wednesday, February 20, 2019, 6:30 pm until 7:30 pm
Griswold Memorial Library, 12 Main Road
A meeting of the Agricultural Commission

Meeting of Agricultural Commission

Members: (Quorum)

• Absent: Kenneth Herzig, Member
• Absent: Lorena Loubsky, member
• Absent: Robert Ramirez, Member
• Present: Lori Shearer, Member, at 6:30 PM
• Present: Jill Horton-Lyons, Member, at 6:30 PM
• Present: Joseph Hillman, Member, at 6:30 PM
• Present: Brian Sullivan, Member, at 6:30 PM
• Present: Scott Roberts, Member, at 6:30 PM
• Present: Haynes Turkle, (Chair), at 6:30 PM
• Present: Valerie Finkel, Member, at 6:30 PM

Also Present:

• Larry Shearer

See original Agenda Final Minutes

Meeting opened: 6:30 PM

Meeting closed: 7:40 PM

0. Meeting Preliminaries

   • Meeting Opened / Attendance Taken (see above).

   • No minutes to approve.

1. New Business

   • - Hilltown Farmer's Market (Lori Shearer)

     General Discussion...
     Lori Shearer gave us copies of the report she wrote for the Selectboard about this summer’s farmers’ market. (Funding for market set-up and advertising was provide by a state grant to the town.) The Ag Comm approved the grant and use of funds for FRCOG to develop marketing materials.
     The market ran one Sunday each month. Sales were slow for several reasons:
     • New markets always take time to get started.
     • The once a month schedule wasn’t often enough for the vegetable and meat vendors, and confused customers.
     • The location wasn’t easily visible by drivers; signage could have been more extensive.
     • Lori was disappointed that more vendors did not participate in market management.
     • Because of state changes in the SNAP program subsidized purchases of food were not possible.
     
     For these reasons the market does not plan to operate in 2019.
     
     Lori was thanked for the hard work she put into making the market possible.
     

2. Old Business - Ag Promotion

   • 4H Program

     General Discussion...
     Haynes reported on his 4H meeting with Sheila Litchfield, the organizer of the 4-H program at the Hawlemont School. He is hopeful that we can sponsor some type of 4H group for kids in town.
     
     4H programs do have an annual fee of $50 for participants, with possible subsidies. The fees are intended to ensure interested participants.
     
     Haynes will speak with Amy Looman (school principal) again about school use; other locations (especially on farm) may also be possibilities.
     A 4H group can have a single focus (eg dairy) or a general, exploring a number of topics.
     Lori suggested sending a questionnaire out asking what families and kids were most interested in.
     Several committee members said they were possibly interested in leading/helping to lead a group.
     

   • Colrain Central School Service Learning

     General Discussion...
     The meeting organized by Talia Miller with the teachers about the school’s Service Learning projects has been postponed until the end of the school year.

   • Library workshops & "Fix-it" day collaboration

     General Discussion...
     Brian Sullivan reported on the maple workshop that he’s putting on March 23. This workshop is cosponsored by the Ag Comm and the Griswold Library’s Maker grant. People are asked to sign up at the library.
     We discussed the possibility of cosponsoring other programs or workshops. Larry Shearer has done pasture education through the state for many years and has offered to lead a program. We discussed several ways this program might be organized. Larry will attend our next meeting to give us more information so planning can become more definite.
     

   • Town website, social media

     General Discussion...
     The meeting talked more about the town website. Might we highlight the town’s working farms? Perhaps we should talk with the Historical Society and work on a combined program?
     
     Haynes suggested that we begin compiling a list of local farms which could be used in a number of ways (working with the kids, tours, brochures…)
     

3. Meeting Wrap-up

   • Next Meetings:
     1. Wed, Mar 20, at 6:30 PM "Agricultural Commission monthly meeting" -- Griswold Memorial Library, 12 Main Road
     2. Wed, Apr 17, at 6:30 PM "Agricultural Commission monthly meeting" -- Griswold Memorial Library, 12 Main Road
     3. Wed, May 15, at 6:30 PM "Agricultural Commission Meeting" -- Griswold Memorial Library, 12 Main Road
     4. Wed, Jun 19, at 6:30 PM "Agricultural Commission Meeting" -- Griswold Memorial Library, 12 Main Road
     5. Wed, Jul 17, at 6:30 PM "Agricultural Commission Meeting" -- Griswold Memorial Library, 12 Main Road

The listing of matters is those reasonably anticipated by the Chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law.

Minutes prepared by Haynes Turkle

Minutes approved on Wednesday, Apr 10, 2019