East Haddam Moving Forward with Center for Community Agriculture

After accepting a STEAP grant in the amount of $431,200 at a recent town meeting, East Haddam will be moving with plans to create a Center for Community Agriculture on the town-owned Harris Property on Mount Parnassus Road. Before it went to the public meeting, the grant was accepted earlier at a Board of Finance meeting.

"East Haddam is known is acquiring Open Space," said Jess Stone, who has spearheaded the project and runs her own successful and growing farming business. "And in a good economy that works, but in a bad economy, we have to show people why it is worth it to spend money on open space, and one way to make it worth while is to make use of the space. This is a way to protect the land and generate revenue."

For Jess, this project started 2 years ago with countless hours of research and planning, working closely with Scott Mackinnon, who helped get the project off the ground, and Peter Simmons, the town's Economic Development Coordinator. 

"Our plans for this space are unlike anything else available in the country," said Stone. "Some components are similar, but not everything together. This will put East Haddam on the map as an agricultural mecca, if you will." 

The property will feature several components that Stone hopes will generate revenue, create jobs, boost agriculture and help farmer's. 

First, the Center will feature a commercial kitchen in the Barn, which will be open from Monday to Friday, which will be contracted out. Stone stated she has already been contacted by countless people interested in using the space, and she anticipates it will need to be booked about 2 years in advance once the center is up and running. 

Second, of the 133 acres, 12 of them will be prepped for farming, and farmers can lease land from one growing season and up. The sizes of the plots will vary depending on what the farmer is interested in. The soil is already prime farmland soil, Stone explained, and there will be underground cold and dry storage for overflow that will be available to those that lease space. 

"If the farmer needs to expand the business, he may get a large lot, but if someone just wants to grow some veggies and herbs for their family, we will accommodate that as well," Stone explained. "We also will have two high tunnels for year round growing and green houses."

Using both the kitchen and the farm land, workshops and training sessions will be held for both farmers to learn about the industry and residents, which would include everything from learning how to pickle cucumbers to learning about irrigation systems. 

"What we're trying to do is streamline the system so a farmer can come here and learn about insurance, payroll, workman's comp, everything they need to know," Stone continues. "Show them a business model that is doable so they can make a living, and connect them with other resources through networking and mentoring."

Third, there will be a community event gather space in the Barn. Workshops will be held in this area, and it will also feature a resource library. Down the road, the space could ultimately be used to rent out for events such as weddings and parties as well. 

The second story of the Barn will feature offices, and a second STEAP grant was accepted to build a timberframe tool shed where leasers can store their equipment. 

Stone hopes to tie in local 4-H programs and the local vocational agriculture program, work with local business's and donate extra products to the Food Bank. She believes the center will create up to 60 employees as it grows, all of which will would be paid for through the revenue the center generates, Stone says.

"We are going to be able to grow the local economy through local agriculture," Stone concluded. "That is my personal mission."

Stone also believes that creating the agricultural hub will attract more businesses to the town.

"Equipment rental spots, composting centers, event planning businesses, just to name a few," Stone stated. "People have been coming to East Haddam for it's rural heritage and now business's will want to be hear as we create this economic culture around agriculture. This ideally will be a model that can be replicated in other Open Spaces in our own town, and other towns and communities will look to us as the model."