Resources from the Farmland Access Symposium
From The Community Land Trust in the Southern Berkshires: 120 Attended the Farmland Access Symposium Thank you all for your support and participation in the April 12th Farmland Access Symposium. We had a standing-room-only crowd for a very productive knowledge transfer. Now the work begins to connect more farmers with more farmland. NEXT STEPS To […]
Farm Profile: Turnip the Beet Farm
In their third season of production, John Ludwig and Lela Copeland operate Turnip the Beet Farm . Cultivating three acres of specialty vegetables and herbs, the two are putting their attention into crop diversity and excellent quality. In this growing season alone they will grow over 40 varieties of tomatoes along with around 60 other […]
$575,000 Raised in Vermont to Preserve 169-acre Farm
by Mike Faher from the Brattleboro Reformer (VT). Farm conservation continues to make news in Dummerston. About six weeks after announcing new ownership for the Elysian Hills Tree Farm, Vermont Land Trust has finished a $575,000 fundraising effort to conserve the historic Bunker Farm. The campaign’s completion means the Bunker Farm will have new owners […]
A Story: Open Spaces & Ranching
By Pamela Dewell, Executive Director of Wyoming Stock Growers Agricultural Land Trust from the Land Trust Alliance website Some friends of ours have a ranch that straddles a county road. Unpaved, the road draws traffic mostly in fair weather. In the spring, and after summer thunderstorms, they use their tractor to haul unknowing travelers out […]
Farm Profile: James Ranch
The third generation “is on the ground” at James Ranch in Colorado. That’s how Dan James puts it, talking about his three kids. Dan is one of the five second-generation James’ who contribute to the success of the ranch. It’s a traditional story, with a twist, and more than one take-away. Though the James Ranch […]
163-Acre Farm Preserved in Natural Gas Drilling Zone
Natural Lands Trust Preserves 163-Acre ConaMoore Farm In Chester County from northcentralpa.com Natural Lands Trust announced recently the conservation of ConaMoore Farm, a 163-acre property in East Nantmeal Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. The shady woodlands, rolling pastures, and picturesque buildings of ConaMoore Farm, located along Route 401, serve as the gateway to East Nantmeal Township. […]
Paying for the Land with Clean Energy?
Agricultural Conservation Easements have done a lot for preserving farmland across the country. The legally-binding agreements restrict the way the land is used, keeping it “forever farmland.” With unpredictable weather, markets and other conditions, sometimes the farm doesn’t pay for itself. Some farmers have used development to save their farms. They sell off the development […]
Profile: The New Brunswick New Land Purchase Program
From the New Farmer Project We can look northeast to New Brunswick, Canada, to examine a brilliant model of public support for new farmers. For four decades, the New Brunswick New Land Purchase Program has been improving farmers’ prospects for accessing high-quality farms and farmland. The New Brunswick Department of Agriculture acts as a holding […]
American Farm Bureau Annual Outlook Survey Show Land Access a Big Concern
Not surprisingly, the American Farm Bureau Annual Outlook Survey reveals land access as a big concern for young farmers. From the Des Moines Register: Young farmers say their biggest concern is securing adequate land to grow crops and raise livestock, according to a survey announced this week by the nation’s largest farm group. The American […]
The Cuban Agroecological Experiment
Small farms thrive under Cuba’s unique blend of agrarian reforms, farmer autonomy and state support By Christina Bronsing-Lazalde, Food First Cuba Tour Coordinator and leader of upcoming Cuba delegation. The son of two pioneers of the Cuban agroecology movement, Fernando Funes-Monzote has been steeped in sustainable farming his entire life. Two years ago, he decided […]