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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-05-31-CFC-minMinutes of the Community Farming Committee, Tuesday May 31, 2016, 7:00pm Hadley DPF Building, Rm 125 Members Present: Alan Wrigley, Raul Marques, Charles Lamb Others: Carolyn Goldstein (LexFam), Allison Guerette (LexFarm), Sue Schiffer (VP, LexFarm) Meeting called to order at 7:09pm by the chair. 1. Approve Minutes from Feb 25, 2016 Motion: Approve minutes of Feb 25, 2016, Pass: 3:0 2. Update from LexFarm They've been having seedling sales all month and it's going really well. Farm stand opens tomorrow and CSA pickup starts (20 weeks). CSA shares are sold out. Offering an every other week pickup (half shares). This has increased the number of families using LexFarm. 200 full shares, some of which are split. They'll have a pick your own option. All produce this week is from LexFarm. They'll occasionally do from Picadilly. Currently they're using about the same footprint as last year (i.e. about half the acreage) and they expect to go to 2/3 to 3A of the acreage this year. They're not growing any of the brassica family this year because of club root problem. New farm manager feels confident expanding the acreage. Perhaps CFO was a bit too conservative. Done a lot of cleanup. Took down the small hoop house. They've moved it so that it will provide shade to the wash stand. Raul: What is the rationale for doing a CSA? Allison: Share the risk /reward, get funding up front, if it's a leaner year, then they already have a market established. People come every week and have to have a membership to the farm, creates community. They have a harvest festival, education programs. SNAP program is ready to go this season (it was not ready last season). Money for that comes from donations to a restricted fund ($1500). They are contributing to the Lexington Food Pantry. Fund raising: they had a successful benefit concert. They've received $5,000 from the Adobe Foundation (employee directed fund). That will be used to start a volunteer program. They received $10,000 from the Community Endowment of Lexington. This is for strategic planning and board development. Benefit concert happened a week ago at First Parish Church. Raised $3,700 net through ticket sales and some corporate sponsorship. No update on LexHab. It may not happen this year. Previously they reported that they were having problems with the well. It turned out to be that Eversource had moved an electrical poll which lowered the voltage to the well. Eversource has put a transformer out near the well. They have a part time educator working 20 hrs per week. Spring programming was for children. They'll have adult programs over the summer. They won't have a camp this year. Classes are about soil, ecology, using the learning garden, going to the animal yard. 3. Review of Operational Site Plan Discussion of proposed changes. CFC will review draft marked up copy and be ready to vote next meeting. 4. Discussion of BoS update Suzy Barry has contacted Carolyn about a presentation to the BoS. Discussion of presentation to the BoS. Charles will contact BoS to schedule. 5. Other business What's the status of the Conservation Restriction? Charles to check up on it. Motion to adjourn: 3:0 (8:OOpm) Next Meeting's Agenda: Operational Site Plan BoS meeting coordination, review of LexFarm presentation. CWL to distribute site plan, revise dates, add verbiage about winter farmers market. suziebarrylex@gmail.com 7/11,18.25 sgschiffer @hotmail.com Check on what happened to conservation restriction. Did Michael send it to Carl?