Last year, the Newton community was presented with a momentous opportunity. Newton’s last remaining farmstead — complete with a historic farmhouse and barn — came on the market. Confronted with the choice of seeing this scenic 2.25-acre site developed or saving the site as a public space, Newton residents took action!  The tremendous outpouring of support for saving the farm persuaded our elected officials that this was a unique opportunity for our City.

Saving the Angino Farm is about preserving open space and a farmstead in continuous operation since 1670. It is also about creating a vibrant community organic farm that will enhance the quality of life in Newton for generations to come by:

• providing locally-grown heirloom tomatoes, fresh-cut herbs, and other high-quality organic produce,
• supporting the environment by organic and sustainable agricultural practices, 
• connecting adults and children to the earth through on-site educational programs undertaken in partnership with city schools,
• providing wholesome produce to people with financial need,
• modeling sustainable environmental and energy practices,
• allowing us all the occasional opportunity to leave our busy city life to retreat to a simpler rural past.

The farm proposal that the City funded calls for a self-sustaining community farm.  Newton Community Farm, Inc., a non-profit organization founded by Newton residents, was recently chosen by the City to operate the farm.  Income from the sale of produce will go a long way toward meeting the farm’s expenses.  However, produce sales alone will not be enough to pay for start-up equipment, critical building maintenance, and the costs of launching educational programming for school children and adults.

Income from the sale of produce will go a long way toward meeting the farm’s expenses.  However, produce sales alone will not be enough to pay for start-up equipment, critical building maintenance, and the costs of launching educational programming for school children and adults.  The success of Newton Community Farm depends upon the generosity and support of Newton residents.  Your financial support is needed to get the farm off to a strong start for the 2006 growing season.  The farm requires a tractor, hand-tools, seeds, and other farm implements to operate.  Your tax-deductible contribution will purchase equipment and provide critical start-up funding to ready the site for crop production, develop educational programming, and prepare the farm buildings for new uses.

The farm was purchased with matching city and state Community Preservation funds. Now that the City has purchased the farm, please help us sow the seeds of a successful Newton community farm with your tax-deductible contribution.

The city's Angino Farm Commission met on November 3, 2005, to review proposals for the operation of Angino Farm and the members voted unanimously to engage in contract negotiations with Newton Community Farm, Inc., a Newton-based non-profit group.  The Commission's agendas and minutes are available on the City's website under the Planning Department's Boards & Commissions section.  The next meeting will be held on December 1, 2005, beginning at 7:00 p.m. in Room 222. Contact Martha J. Aherin Horn at 617-796-1134 or email:  mhorn(AT)mewtonma.gov. 
 

About the Newton Conservators

This email newsletter is sponsored by the Newton Conservators, a local organization The Newton Conservators, a nonprofit citizen advocacy organization which actively promotes the acquisition, creation, and preservation of natural open spaces for the people of Newton. Since its formation in the late 1950's, The Newton Conservators has been instrumental in safeguarding more than 200 acres of open space in Newton, creating several major public parks, and enacting ground-breaking environmental ordinances with respect to the protection and preservation of trees, wetlands and clean air, and the conservation of energy. that promotes the protection and preservation of natural areas, including parks, park lands, playgrounds, forests and streams, which are open or may be converted to open spaces for the enjoyment and benefit of the people of the City of Newton, Massachusetts for scientific study, education, and recreation.  It further aims to disseminate information about these and other environmental matters.  A primary goal is to foster the acquisition of land and other facilities to be used for the encouragement of scientific, recreational, educational, literary, and the other public pursuits that will promote good citizenship and the general welfare in the City of Newton.  Please visit our website at http://www.newtonconservators.org  or contact us at the address below. 

If you would like to join the Newton Conservators, please send your name, address, phone and email address (if you wish email alerts) to The Newton Conservators, Inc., P.O. Box 590011, Newton Centre, MA  02459.  Membership Options are the following:  Individual $25, Family Member $35, Sustaining Member $50, Donor $75, Patron $100.  Membership is tax deductible.  Your membership includes the Newton Conservators Newsletter and emails and invitations to participate in guided tours of local conservation areas, lectures, and other programs and activities.  You will also receive by mail a copy of the new Newton Conservators open space map book, "Walking Trails in Newton's Park and Conservation Lands".