Charles Mann, author of The Wizard and the Prophet and best selling-book, 1491, compares two types of farms in America at a fundraising event for NACF.

The breakfast meeting introduced participants to our latest project, to preserve our 1830’s farmhouse.  At present, we have a design for the remodeling, we have contractors lined up to do the work that will restore the farmhouse to its 1830’s appearance, and we have a talented bunch of volunteer workers, many of whom worked on the construction of the adjacent Habitat for Humanity duplex house.

All we need are funds that NACF itself has committed to raising to move the process  along.  So the fundraising event held at the Pioneer Valley Cohousing common house on June 30th was  essential to beginning the work.

After two years of planning we are ready to start work renovating the farmhouse….

We have successfully raised 90% of the $420,000 goal needed to convert the farmhouse into durably useful housing for farmers and farm laborers. This remaining 10% is the  “NACF share” of the total.

We have a well resolved design for the remodeling, we have contractors lined up to do the work that will restore the farmhouse to its 1830’s appearance, and we have a talented bunch of volunteer workers, many of whom worked on the construction of the adjacent Habitat for Humanity duplex house.  All we need are funds that NACF itself has committed to raising to start the process (Town funds and other funds that we have secured flow after work is completed).

WHY RENOVATING THE FARMHOUSE IS AS IMPORTANT AS SAVING THE FARMLAND

We understand that some think that the major work has been done; the debt on the farm is extinguished and the long-term lease with Simple Gifts Farm is in place.  But, whereas, the $1.2M campaign was to retire the debt so that the farmland is owned by the community forever, our current campaign is to ensure that the farm can be sustainably managed with clean, safe, simple housing for the farm labor necessary to work the land and provide food for hundreds of people. The farmhouse allows the farm to operate the way we want it to operate — as a “community farm”. That is why it is as important.

Some volunteer workers already underway demolishing the dis-used rear chimney

SO FAR WE HAVE SECURED FUNDING AS FOLLOWS:

• $120,000 commitment from Simple Gifts Farm as their share of the work
• $130,000 from the Town of Amherst CPA (specifically for the exterior restoration)
• $20,000 from the Interfaith Housing Corp. of Amherst
• $15,000 as a “go-ahead” challenge for our June 30th NACF ‘Brunch’ fundraising event
• Another $15,000 “go-ahead” challenge for our June 30th 2019 NACF ‘Brunch’ fundraising event
• $8,000± (probable) in incentive funding from Mass Save for insulation and efficiency upgrading
• $60,000 (estimated) in volunteer labor commitment so far
• $10,000 (estimated) in volunteer labor commitment from Smith Vocational School Plumbing program

That tallies to $378,000 secured (or probable) to date.  Now we need help from our friends and community.

Exploratory demolition proceeds recently to expose the historic structure of the “rear shed” — an original, un-heated part of the farmhouse. This will be renovated as a separate “Farm Manager’s Suite”  over the course of this coming year.

PLEASE CONTACT Bruce Coldham at bcoldham155@comcast.net
or call 413-348-6706
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS

Maria Isabel Vasquez Jimenez was tying grape vines at a farm in Central California, when the temperature soared well above 95 degrees. Only a few days in the country, this undocumented field worker, who didn’t have easy access to water, shade or the work breaks required by law, passed out from the heat and died two days later.

Maria was 17 years old. The Center for Disease Control reports that heat-related deaths of farm workers are on the rise in the U.S.  This deadly trend is unfortunately one of the costs of cheap food.   When you buy cheap food at the big box stores, you also invest in this deadly system of industrialized food.

Compare this experience with that of working at a local farm like Simple Gifts in North Amherst.  Here the farm workers work hard but are treated fairly.  As apprentices who live on the site, they are gaining a valuable

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