Back in 2006, my Senior Project in Littleton was on how this town could protect and salvage what remains of the agricultural landscape. In my short, 25 years here; I have seen farming operations disappear from the landscape along with the old farmers that went with it. I remember being really little, sitting on the front steps of the big farmhouse watching developers walk up to the door asking if the owner was around "to talk land." I also remember getting a little older and having something to say about it. My grandfather would tell me to be quiet because I would be yelling at the developer saying, "they won't sell it to you. It will be mine someday. Go away and don't come back." My grandfather Gerry always enjoyed telling people that story. He said it was the reason why they knew I would be the next generation to step into the family business; farming was in my blood.
I inherited the family farm when I was 21 years old. I actually never saw it coming. I actually feared for the future of the farm, mostly because it was jointly owned and my two aunts had an interest in the land value (you know, that "house lot value"). What was the family ever going to do? Typically a family farm does not skip a generation and very rarely does the land get handed down to mix of the third and forth generation. My uncle Jackie showed up at the farm on a Saturday morning, walked into the kitchen and said to be in the lawyers office for 10AM Monday morning. My heart sank. I waited for my grandfather to get to the farm (it was January so getting to the farm meant whenever he felt like it) and as soon as he did I started yelling at him. I remember it clear as day. "How could you? What are you doing? It is getting sub-divided? Are we getting house lots? Is half of it getting saved? Who is getting what? He looked at me and said, "You know Marea and Jimmy kept this farm through some pretty hard times." He got back in his old blue Ford and left. I did not see him until Monday morning in that lawyers office.
An hour or so of signing papers; I walked out a millionaire. What I chose to do with my share of the farm was up to me. I pulled into the farmhouse driveway, got out of my pick up and took a walk up the old granite stairs to the hillside. I looked out over MY fields, collected my thoughts and then headed into the office. Task one: Facebook status obviously! Task two: create a list of every project I ever wanted to do but could not because of the past uncertainty of future ownership. Task three: create a CSA document and see who would join. 50 people should help me with some of the projects if anybody wants to join of course. And last: contact the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture and find out about the Farm Viability Enhancement Program.
My farm was way behind the times. I inherited a wicked old farm stand with a leaky roof and no electricity, a barn that needed a ton of repairs, another barn that was about ready to collapse, old fencing, a super cool old farm house that also needed a roof and some paint, and everything else that was broken or circa 1931. How was I going to get all this accomplished? I needed shareholders.
I found 50 shareholders pretty fast. I was fortunate. This farm had a good reputation and the shares sold by word of mouth. Those original shareholders helped me begin picking away at the list that still sits in my office (because I am not done but probably never will be done because I add to it every winter). A majority of those original shareholders are still with this farm today. My shareholders are the most important part to this operation. They are the backbone, the investors, and a key ingredient to keeping this farm alive. My farm stand customers and wholesale clients are very important too but those shareholders trust me with their investment (some invest thousands of dollars each year and belong to almost all my shares: Meat Subscription, Spring Share, Summer Share, Winter Share). I would not be farming without them.
2009 was a big transition period for the family. The farm was under new owners, management was tossed in my lap, and the work of convincing the old family it was time for a face lift began and some major marketing changes began. The spring of 2010, the new farm stand went up. I was sure to stay true to our roots; I made sure the old farm stand that got us started in this business would be with us well into the future. My great grandfather built it. It originally sat in the front of the farmhouse where Route 119 now passes. It was moved to the right side of the house. The Hurricane of '38 tossed it into the field but it got put back but with an expanded counter top. Somebody crashed into it and it got repaired and a new roof. Its final resting place is where it sits today (at least I think so...if Route 119 gets expanded it may change something).
Last year I did some major construction to the back yard. This year, I planned on salvaging my Great Grandfathers old shop but I decided to upgrade my irrigation system instead. Which happens to be the only reason why we are getting all this rain...I was really looking forward to using this efficient, more eco-friendly pump.
The shareholders will reap the return of their investments over the course of the next few months; the reward for supporting their farmers and keeping this land their food source.
Thankful.
Your Gen Next Grower (the next generation of farmers that are moving forward, looking to increase efficiencies, staying on the forefront of technology and responsible for filling your belly with healthy, wholesome, sustainably grown food), Jamie