A major goal is to use 20 percent of the food grown in the community garden to feed children in Greenfield public schools.
GREENFIELD – About half of the 61-acre town farm off Leyden Road and Glenbrook Drive now has a $198,000 agricultural preservation restriction in place, which will permanently enable the city to use the land for food growth and education.
The state Department of Agricultural Resources approved the restriction on 31.057 acres, which precludes any development that can make the land less viable. Essentially, the city was paid not to develop.
The non-profit Just Roots won a five-year lease to create and manage a community farm, as well as agricultural education programs, on the property. The agreement requires Town Council approval, which it may receive at the July 20 meeting.
Planning and development director Eric Twarog said there are a variety of benefits to the restriction.
“This was one way to get increased revenue in the town,” said Twarog. “There really are no drawbacks.”
A major goal is to use 20 percent of the food grown in the community garden to feed children in Greenfield public schools, he said.
Just Roots has a temporary lease that allows them to do some work on the land, such as soil improvement that will prepare it for the next growing season. Twarog said food might be grown this year, but was unsure if it would be ready in time.
There are two barns that need repair and the APR money can fund the work. One will be turned into a multi-purpose room and used to teach schoolchildren about farming.
Just Roots supports local food production in partnership with Pleasant Street Community Gardens, the Greening Greenfield Energy Committee and Mount Grace Conservation Land Trust.
“I think, because of this, the community will be involved even more” in local agriculture, Twarog said.
Mayor William Martin said in a press release that this type of work was part of his campaign platform in 2009.
“These projects take deep effort, wide coordination and time,” he said in the release. “The results are worth the wait and we will create a unique and sustaining relationship between farming, education and local food supply.”