Mulching asparagus beds planted years ago by Dan Guenther, Brook Farm Project farmer Creek Iversen (on far right) is pictured with farmhands (left to right) Shay Otis, Natalie Tummolo, Will Wheeler, Dan Moon (on tractor), Chris Natalie and Jaklin Levine-Pritzker. (photo by Lauren Thomas)
Emotions roiled to the surface as Glynwood and the Open Space Institute met with neighbors last week in New Paltz to explain their farm business incubator project. Key to their turmoil was the perception that Brook Farm Project would be destroyed.
Glynwood president Kathleen Frith stated that Glynwood would like to work with Brook Farm Project in continuing their community interactions, but would not allow Brook Farm Project use of the farmland or the farm house. Lee Reich, a member of the Brook Farm Project board, stated that doing so would be taking the “farm” out of Brook Farm Project. “It’s hard to farm without a farm,” he said.
Reich was among several fans of Brook Farm who came to June 4’s meeting at Deyo Hall at Historic Huguenot Street. They see the proposed farmer training project as killing off a beloved, local community supported agriculture farm.
Glynwood is a not-for-profit organization devoted to strengthening agriculture and small and mid-sized farms. They run a successful CSA called Glynwood Farm in Cold Spring in Putnam County.
They’re partnering with the Open Space Institute (OSI) — which bought 857 acres from Mohonk Mountain House owners, Smiley Brothers Inc., back in 2011. Glynwood’s Hudson Valley Farm Business Incubator would occupy 323 acres of that land.
But the sticking point comes down to fewer acres than that. It’s the roughly 20 acres that Brook Farm Project now uses. They’re leasing the land from OSI, but that rental expires on Dec. 31, 2013. Glynwood would take over on Jan. 1, 2014.
Supporters asked Glynwood and OSI’s representatives to allow Brook Farm to stay — or to at least make it more than a bit player in its incubator project.
Frith told the crowd she’d like to include Brook Farm and make them a part of that project, possibly continuing the education programs they’re currently running. But she also admitted that Glynwood would be taking over that land. When one woman equated the Glynwood project with a corporate buyout, Frith balked.
Call me KA-RAY-ZEE but why not BOTH? A farmer training project would also benefit this community farm.
The community farm can sub-lease the 20 Acres from the new operator? Or the OSI can say…Glenwood gets 303 Acres and Community Farm gets 20 Acres…everyone today seems to put their obnoxious stake in the ground and is unwilling to C O M P R O M I S E. W O R K T O G E T H E R.
Uh, progress? Well said Silly!
OSI will tell you that Brook Farm has been largely insolvent but the truest reason why Glynwood and BFP cannot coexist is that Glynnwood wants the specific 20 acre plot of land that BFP is on. They want the fertile soil that brook farm has worked to produce for over ten years, and they also want its central landmark location with an already built farm house. For Glynwood, it will be the perfect spot to host expensive destination weddings and white glove parties. It will be sad if Glynwood makes the property gated in such a way. Open access to Brook Farm’s Property and its engagement with and fostering of the local and college community with group farming, concerts, dances and potlucks (all free) has been a real treat for citizens of New Paltz. Glynwood and OSI please consider what you are taking away from the community. An incubator program may prove to be a good asset to the Hudson Valley in terms of producing educated farmers, but by removing Creek and BFP you are taking away something of huge (and nowadays rare) community value. The community will not forget this.