Agriculture Commission Agenda and Minutes January 13_2016Northampton Agricultural Commission
Agenda
7:00 PM Wednesday January 13, 2016
210 Main Street, Room 10 (2nd floor, City Hall), Northampton, MA
Members present:
Chair John Omasta
Chip Parsons
Stan Zawalick
Vice Chair Rich Jaescke
Tim Smith
John Bobala
Robert Vollinger
Wayne Feiden (staff)
Public comment—Mac Everett expressed interest on behalf of the neighborhood and MCCC for a partnership to get the farmland at Montview into production.
Agriculture Commission minutes of December 15, 2015—unanimously approved upon motion by Rich Jaescke and second by Stan Zawalick.
Montview/Meadows farm incubator—Clem Clay of Grow Food Northampton (GFN) said GFN can steer potential incubator farmers to the city when they have candidates for both Montview and Ct
River Greenway-Elwell. GFN’s own farm is mostly fully leased. The Commission agreed to go on a GFN tour in lieu of their April meeting.
Richard Jaescke reported on his conversations with Phil Korman (CISA) and Catherine Sands/Hohn Gerber (UMass Extension) in a search for an incubator farmer. He renewed his offer to brushhog
and plow the site if it results in a farmer using the land.There was also discussion of installing a metered water connection if that would help a farmer.
Pre-2016 Agricultural Forum final discussion. Pete Westover is coordinating the forum. The city mailed the invitation to all Northampton farmers on the city’s farmer inventory.
Farmland preservation and related open space activity to City Council:
Approval for the Sandra Clark APR (previously approved by Ag. Com.) as local APR.
Approval for city purchase of the Union Street Jail Farm at Venturers Field Road and for a petition to the state legislature
Expand Sheldon Field by purchase of John Bobala parcel, keeping it in farming for up to 18 years until needed for recreation.
Other—Rich Jaseske reported Henry Parsons wants to renew his farm license at Mineral Hills
Set date for next meeting—February 10th at 7:00 PM
The Commission adjourned at 8:40 PM