Sorry the calendar got sent out incorrectly. The event with Farmland Connections is May 8, from 9:30 until 12 noon. It will be located at 110 River Street, Milford City Hall.  Economic Development People, Open Space Committees, Conservation Agents, Farmers, Mayors, Entrepreneurs,  Local Food Enthusiasts, Etc… please attend and invite friends.

Did you know that Milford has the longest shoreline in Connecticut and over 2,500 acres of open space?

Did you know that our once vibrant farming heritage is nearly gone and that most of our open space is unmanaged and in very poor ecological health?

Did you know that now for the first time in our lifetimes it is possible to revive our farming heritage, feed ourselves with local organic food, create local green jobs, and restore our open spaces naturally at virtually no cost to taxpayers?

If you would like to lear more about how Milford can join cities and towns throughout Connecticut in taking charge of their natural heritage in responsible and sustainable ways, please join our workshop on May 8, 2012 at 9:30am, City Hall, 110 River ST. Milford CT.

Milford ECC welcomes Jennifer McTiernan from the Connecticut Farmland ConneCTions Outreach service.

At this workshop Jennifer will…….

Farmland ConneCTions Presentation Description: For a municipality, making land available for farming can have many benefits, including helping to connect with area residents or a membership base, as well as reducing the costs of owning and maintaining arable land. Moreover, in some cases, a partnership with the tenant farmer could lead to ways to directly benefit and engage the wider community, such as providing healthy foods to local schools, food banks and pantries. This presentation will begin by introducing the concept of farmland leasing, and will then explore case studies of farms operating on town (or land trust) land. Next, the nuts and bolts of farmland leasing will be discussed, including questions for municipalities regarding preparedness, capacity, and commitment to agriculture as a part of a mission or vision; soil suitability, stewardship objectives, sustainable farming practices, elements of a good lease, and more. Finally, the meeting participants will learn about the Farmland ConneCTions Guide and Outreach Service, which are available to them to assist with successfully execute legal lease agreements with farmers.

A Guide for Connecticut Towns, Cities, Institutions and Land Trusts Using or Leasing Farmland – Come prepared http://www.farmland.org/programs/states/ct/Connecticut-Farmland-Leasing-Guide.asp

This presentation lasts about 2 hours.

Questions Call DD Vasseur at 203-283-1441

Helpful Links:

http://www.emagazine.com/view/?4722&src

http://metrocrops.com/html/in_the_news.html

http://www.earthtimes.org/going-green/urban-farming-offers-green-benefits/1042/

http://www.growingpower.org/