Agricultural Commission
AGRICULTURAL COMMISSION MEETING
MINUTES
January 15, 2019
Attendance: Steve D’Aquila, Jim Dunn, Tom O’Shea, Chris Hugo, Eileen Charbonneau, Maleah Gustafson
Absent: Ryan McKay
Others Present: Kate Gervais of WCCD & Rutland AgComm, Amy Parker & Guest
The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m.
SUBCOMMITTEE:
The subcommittee (Jim, Tom, and Chris) met from 7:00 – 7:30 p.m. They reported that sixteen (16) properties have been graded to date, representing approximately 1/3 of the total. The process is going well, though all agree it is difficult to do well due to lack of information. Steve asked what other resources would be helpful. Jim explained that they need an easy way to look at nearby DCR, White Oak, etc. properties since it would help to know if a parcel is surrounded by already preserved properties which would make it more desirable to retain the parcel. He will ask Isabel McCauley, Senior Engineer for the DPW, if it would be possible to create more layers to include these other conservation properties.
MINUTES:
Jim made a motion to accept the Minutes from the November 2018 Agricultural Commission meeting. Maleah abstained as she was not present for that meeting. The motion passed.
EDUCATIONAL SERIES PRESENTATION:
Most of the meeting was devoted to finalizing preparations for the Saturday, February 2, 2019 workshop on Fruit Tree Pruning. Saturday, February 16, 2019 has been scheduled as a snow date. Maleah asked how people will be informed if the workshop is canceled due to snow and who will make that decision.
Noting that to post the postponement on the Town’s website, the information will need to be submitted by 11:45 a.m. on Friday. Steve along with the presenter will decide on Friday, February 1, 2019 if the weather forecast for the following day is such that the workshop needs to be postponed. In that case, Chris will post it on the Town cable and social media sites including the Town website.
Regarding the needs of the presenter, Jon Clements, he only requires A/V. He informed Jim that he is fine with the workshop being taped.
Kate Gervais of WCCD and the Rutland Agricultural Commission confirmed that Rutland will be providing the refreshments for the workshop.
$150 of the presenter’s fee will be paid by Holden and $150 will be paid by Rutland. The fee is $200 so the other $100 will go towards paying for the refreshments.
Kate reported that WCCD has been doing a big media push to promote the workshop. Within a matter of hours of the first advertising, twenty-five responses were received. Another push will be done during the week of the lecture. Approximately 100 attendees are expected.
Eileen has created a flyer and will post in the usual locations in Holden (Ace Hardware, Jed’s Hardware, Speedway Gas Station, Watercolours Salon, community bulletin board between Pet Barn and Bagel Inn, and the Blushing Bee Naturals. Flyers will also be posted in the Starbard Building and the Holden Senior Center.) Chris will put the pdf of the flyer on the Red Barn and Garden Club websites. A pdf of the flyer will also be put on the Holden and Rutland Facebook pages. The workshop will be advertised on Holden’s electronic sign.
Maleah will send a press release to the Landmark this week. Steve will call the Landmark to request more extensive coverage than was given for the last workshop. A press release will also be sent to the Social Web.
Randy Jordan of the Rutland Agricultural Commission will organize promotion with WTAG as a public service announcement.
Kate will introduce the presenter at the workshop.
The workshop is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. but Jon Clements feels that his presentation plus Q&A should only take about an hour and fifteen minutes. The remaining time will be used for WCCD to promote their upcoming seedling sale. Central Mass Grown may also make a short presentation.
The February 2nd workshop is the first of a two-part series on pruning fruit trees. The second part, a hands-on workshop, is scheduled for February 16, 2019 at Sholan Farms in Leominster, MA. Joanne DiNardo will be the presenter for that workshop. She would like to keep the hands-on workshop to a 20 participant maximum. If there is greater interest she is willing to schedule a second session.
Participants in the hands-on workshop are required to have taken the February 2nd classroom workshop so flyers will not be publically posted to advertise that workshop. Sign-ups for the hands-on workshop will be taken at the classroom workshop.
A $20 donation will be suggested from each participant for the hands-on workshop.
As the snow date for the classroom workshop is the same as the date for the hands-on workshop, in the event that the snow date is used, the hands-on workshop will be postponed until further notice.
CENTRAL MASS GROWN:
Central Mass Grown will be taking part in Worcester Best Chef on January 27, 2019 at Mechanics Hall. They will have a CSA sign up at the event. The CMG Food and Farm Guide is due out in early April.
NEW BUSINESS:
There was no new business to be discussed.
MISC.:
Amy Parker mentioned that the Association of Massachusetts Agricultural Commission will hold their annual meeting in Groton, Massachusetts on February 27, 2019.
On a motion by Tom, seconded by Jim, the meeting was adjourned at 8:05 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Eileen Charbonneau