Friends,
Sorry I am so belated in posting this. Here is a list of our accomplishments from 2008. To think, we have accomplished so much already in 2009 that it almost makes all of last year pale in comparison. Here’s to more great accomplishments to come!
Education:
- We sponsored two Cheshire Adult Education courses: one specifically focused on the possibilities for agriculture, wildlife habitat, and education at Boulder Knoll, and one with a broader view, “Celebrating the Harvest of Connecticut Farms”
- We sponsored two month-long displays at the Cheshire Public Library, one a series of photographs of a farmer at work, and the other a display case with historical artifacts and photographs of Cheshire farms
- We donated books on food and farming to every school in Cheshire.
- We had our first outdoor educational event at Boulder Knoll in September 2008, “Learn Today, Grow Tomorrow,” with speakers on composting, starting an organic vegetable garden, the birds and wildlife of Boulder Knoll, and identification and management of invasive plants.
Agriculture:
- The Friends of Boulder Knoll took our first steps towards the goal of starting a community farm in July 2008, when we signed a lease with the Town of Cheshire to begin organic farming on two acres.
- Even starting late in the season, we were able to grow herbs for distribution at the Fall Festival and our educational event, and to donate 12 bushels of produce to the Cheshire Food Pantry.
- Through our work days and educational events, we began to reach out to the Connecticut Master Gardeners, students at Cheshire High School, and families from local churches and synagogues.
- We are improving the soil through the use of compost and other organic soil amendments and winter cover crops, so that we can expand production next year.
Advocacy:
- We convinced the Town of Cheshire to request an Environmental Review Team to study the soils, wetlands, vegetation, and farming potential of Boulder Knoll. This document, written by experts from across the state, provides essential information for sound management.
- We advocated for preservation of actively managed farmland and open space through the statewide Working Lands Alliance, and locally by speaking at the Town Planning Committee and through letters to the Cheshire Herald.