Montview Neighborhood Farm

Montview Neighborhood Farm: A Case Study 2005-2011

Sean P. Walsh and Julie A. Welch • January 2012 • Northampton, Massachussetts

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank our many volunteers, the Montview neighborhood, the local permaculture community, the Northampton planning department, the Conservation Commission, interns, and supporters, without whom none of this would have been possible.

Index of Pages

16. Lease Agreement

1.

Executive Summary

17. Neighborhood Agreement

2.

Overview

18. Design Goals

3.

Overview Cont.

19.

4.

Context

20. Grant Application for Forest Garden

5.

Site Description

21. Forest Garden Plant List

6.

Site Conditions

22. CSA Information

7.

Aesthetics

23.

Soil Test Results

8.

Soils

24.

Interplanting Research

9.

Vegetation/Microclimates

25. Workshops/Fundraising Event Materials

Grant Application/Fiscal Sponsorship

10. Vegetation/Forest Garden

26.

11. Access & Circulation/Zones of Use

27. Smith College/Ward 3 Survey

12. Ecosystem Services Assessment

28. Fellowship Agreement

13.

29-32. 2011 Neighborhood Meeting Notes

Feed Northampton Plan

Montview Neighborhood Farm

Deepest appreciation to Lisa DePiano, Paige Bridgens, Molly Merrett and the entire Montview Neighborhood for providing us with the opportunity to learn from their innovative land use model and educational wellspring.

With great respect and gratitude, we thank our tireless professors at the Conway School for their guidance and for passing on their knowledge and skills to us so that we can carry them with us into our work each day.

Sean Walsh and Julie Welch

Conclusions & Recommendations

14. Appendix Table of Contents

33. Letters of Recommendation

15.

34. Reference Documents for Future Planning

2005-2011 Timeline

Executive Summary This study provides an examination of the process by which a neighborhood farm on urban conservation land was formed and the services it provides for the surrounding community.

The urban neighborhood farm on conservation land is an innovative model that demonstrates multiple uses and positive advantages for public access and stewardship of city owned land.

As challenges such as soil erosion, food security, and reduced ecological biodiversity require ever more innovative solutions, the neighborhood farm model is a useful tool for building community and land resilience in our cities and towns.

The Montview Neighborhood Farm model integrates solutions for these challenges into its core structure in addition to weaving in other vital components such as educational workshops, research, community building programs, and ecological design concepts. Montview Neighborhood Farm is a prototype that can be enhanced and learned from for years to come.

This document provides a useful record of how a neighborhood farm on conservation land can be generated and potentially scaled up or down to fit both larger and smaller sites in the community and region.

Ideally, the city of Northampton, and other cities, towns and neighborhoods in the region, can use the document as a guide to form their own local food production and educational stewardship programs on conservation land.

The document contains a record of the goals and guidelines established by the farmers and the community, grant funding efforts, fund raising and awareness generation methods, crops grown, research efforts, number of people the farm was able to feed, a record of educational workshops and programs for schools and the community, and a set of recommendations for future planning and stewardship.

Produce from the annual vegetable garden

CSA Share Pickup 2008

The Farm Stand 2009

Deep Rooted Daikon Radish Plants Help Decompact Soils

A FEW OF THE FARM GOALS Create a welcoming place of renewal for the community Demonstrate & research human powered, organic, micro scale farming Provide an educational site for classes and workshops Provide access to nutritious food for the neighborhood Improve the quality of the soil

The study consolidates various documents that demonstrate how the farm was conceived and formed, and how it has functioned since it was founded in 2005.

The study is intended to serve as a support document for the neighborhood farm to obtain grant funds for improvements to the land and implement education programs. Additionally, the study will be used as an educational tool in classes taught by the authors and farmers.

Montview Neighborhood Farm: A Case Study 2005 - 2011

Sean P. Walsh and Julie A. Welch • January 2012 • Northampton, Massachussetts

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Overview Montview Neighborhood Farm is part of a larger vision, in Northampton and the region, of sustainable neighborhood food production that strengthens communities and reduces dependence on fossil fuel.

The farm is a human-powered, no-till organic research and educational garden nestled in the heart of an old agricultural neighborhood. The site is located in an urban edge between the downtown and meadows district of Northampton, Massachusetts.

Montview Farm provides this urban community with biking and walking-distance access to fertile land and food growing opportunities in an area that has a great demand for shared open space. Most of the community gardens in Northampton have long waiting lists.

Since 2005, the farm has functioned as a hub providing the neighborhood and surrounding community with vegetables, fruit, medicinal herbs, nuts, flowers, education, recreation, common space, and a variety of ecosystem services, all of which enable resilience building opportunities for the land and community.

No-till Farming

Since leasing the land and farming it in the no-till manner, and planting crops that enrich their soils, the farmers have improved vital nutrients, and organic materials in the soil significantly.

The farm (at its peak) produced organically grown vegetables, herbs and fruits (strawberries, currants, jostaberries, and Asian pears) for15 families in the neighborhood.

Annual vegetables are grown on about ¼ of an acre, and another ¼ acre of perennial fruits, nuts, herbs and ground covers surround the annual vegetables.

For the first two seasons, crops were sold through an on-site farm stand. From 2007-2009 (3 seasons) Montview Neighborhood Farm operated the first CSA in downtown Northampton. MNF has been a catalyst and model for larger scale CSA’s to open and serve larger portions of the urban population.

A CSA farm opened next door in 2010 and now fulfills the need for an in-town CSA. In addition to catalyzing urban community supported agriculture initiatives, the Montview neighborhood farmers spearheaded and funded the 2010 publication of a valuable document called Feed Northampton that surveys a variety of local, organic food production opportunities for the city.

Building the soil for the annual beds using no-till methods. View facing west. 2006 “The farm has started, for me, building a new sense of the neighborhood, a new sense of community. We’ve come together over the farm and over the property that was being sold behind the farm and resisting having it just be condominiums. We really wanted it to maintain its agricultural character.”

— A Williams Street Neighbor. 2008 Quote from an oral history project for Public Anthropology. University of Massachusetts

No-till farming is a way of growing crops without disturbing soil through tillage and instead uses a sheet mulching method. Tillage is used by many farmers to remove weeds, mix in soil amendments like fertilizers and prepare soil surfaces for seeding. This can lead to unfavorable effects like soil compaction, loss of organic matter, disruption of soil microbes and other life, as well as topsoil erosion.

Part of the philosophy of sustainable agriculture includes reducing the use of fossil fuels in food production. Tilling with gas powered machinery such as tractors or roto-tillers increases the amount of energy used to produce food.

Rodale Institute White Paper: Regenerative Organic Farming: A Solution to Global Warming. 2008

Montview Neighborhood Farm: A Case Study 2005 - 2011

Smith College PRAXIS Interns

Elderberry Crop

No-Till Annual Vegetable Beds. 2010

Sean P. Walsh and Julie A. Welch • January 2012 • Northampton, Massachussetts

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Overview continued...

The Montview neighborhood’s ecological farming approach ensures healthy farming and healthy food by protecting soil, and water, promoting biodiversity, and not contributing contaminants to the environment.

Farming with biodiversity is the most effective strategy to adapt agriculture to future climatic conditions. A mix of different crops and plant varieties in one field is a proven and highly reliable farming method to increase land resilience to erratic weather changes.

Improvements to the Montview conservation land have progressed over time through organic gardening, hand scything, enriching the soil with mulch from donated leaves and an on-site composting system, and an increasingly productive, educational edible forest garden.

Education and research have been an integral element of the farm’s goals since it was founded. Smith College and the University of Massachusetts and several local schools have participated in workshops, internships, and tours of the site.

As part of their education mission, a one-year fellowship was established in 2011 with a student from the Allegheny Mountain School. The fellow will join the Montview Neighborhood Farm in 2012 in order to study and enhance sustainable food production and community development.

Mulched garden beds. 2007

Students from the Allegheny Mountain School are community builders, leaders and advocates for creating strong connections to our local food systems in our neighborhoods and schools.

This one-year fellowship is a funded position and the AMS Fellow will be engaged in full time work with the farm. The term of service is one full calendar year and a full-time commitment of at least 40 hours per week.

The fellowship program furthers the Montview Neighborhood Farm educational efforts and provides full time land management for the site as it transitions away from the CSA model toward a new model that meets the criteria and goals established by the neighborhood.

The Farm has set a precedent as one of the first organic, regenerative Citizen Agriculture initiatives in the area and acts as an educational model for similar projects across the city and region.

The sections that follow describe the site, its existing conditions as of fall 2011, an approximated basemap of the current site design, an assessment of the ecosystem values the farm provides, a timeline documenting the formation of the farm in 2005 up through its current state, a conclusion statement, and set of recommendations for future programs on the farm.

Medicinal herbs in Forest Garden. 2010

Montview Neighborhood Farm: A Case Study 2005 - 2011

Food Not Bombs Zine. 2006

Sean P. Walsh and Julie A. Welch • January 2012 • Northampton, Massachussetts

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Context Montview Neighborhood Farm is located in one of the oldest areas of the city of Northampton, MA., the Ward 3 district. The farm is situated between a dike, a residential neighborhood, other agricultural tracts, and the Mill and Connecticut rivers.

The area is near an entrance into Northampton from Interstate-91 and includes the Great Meadows section with its farms, wildlife, the Connecticut River waterfront, and the Three County Fairgrounds—the oldest operating agricultural fairground in the United States.

Small pockets of the early agricultural lands still exist in the area and are now protected by conservation regulations. Montview Farm is one of these rich, alluvial bottomland parcels.

The 3.2 acre parcel contains a designated wetland and a buried stream and has been managed by the Conservation Commission of Northampton since 2000.

The farm is on a low lying site in an area of the city that was a rich and abundant fishing site for native Americans and later a fertile agricultural area for early European immigrants.

Wms. St. Brook

Much of the agricultural land in this district has been lost to development. Dikes and other infrastructural changes have altered the hydrologic patterns in the area and some of its natural streams were buried by storm and wastewater drainage systems. Wetlands in the area were compromised over the years by pesticides and fertilizers used on the croplands and stormwater runoff.

1895 Map of Northampton. Origianl tract in red. Williams Street Brook is delineated.

Dike

Google Topography Map. 2011. Montview Neighborhood, MNF, & Town Farm.

Montview Neighborhood Farm: A Case Study 2005 - 2011

Google Map. 2011. Montview Neighborhood Farm in red square.

Sean P. Walsh and Julie A. Welch • January 2012 • Northampton, Massachussetts

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Site Description Montview Neighborhood Farm is located at the intersections of Montview Avenue and Henry Streets in a neighborhood just off Pleasant Street.

The Montview neighborhood is in a former agricultural area near the Connecticut River between the downtown and meadows districts.

The area, while somewhat residential, still has some agricultural tracts located nearby along Ventures Field Road.

The farm is a multi-use site of important value to the surrounding community and ecosystem. The parcel became conservation land in 2000, when it was sold to the city of Northampton by the Aquadro family.

The parcel forms a horseshoe shape around the Nash family home and property (formerly the Aquadro property). Access to the one-acre Nash property is from Montview Avenue.

Within the parcel, a one third acre soccer field abuts the farm site at the southeast corner of Henry Street and Montview Avenue. The Town Farm property, a CSA (community supported agriculture) operation, occupies the 1.2 acres just north of Montview Farm.

There are two wetland habitats on the parcel, one on the western portion of the site that has been designated as such by the city, and along the access road on the southeast edge of the site a wet meadow which experiences periodic pooling.

Residential sites surround three edges of the parcel.

An access road used by both MNF and Town Farm runs along the eastern edge and is paralleled by Ventures Field Road.

There are four access points to the parcel, three on Montview Avenue, and one from the access road off Henry Street. Three access points on Montview Avenue are pedestrian entrances to mown footpaths.

The entry point from the access road is accessible by car or truck and is used to make deliveries of strategic materials to the farm such as compost and planting materials.

There is no designated parking for the site. The neighborhood and farmers prefer, whenever possible, that automobile traffic be kept to a minimum for workshops and events at the site.

Basemap drawn at 30’ scale from city assessors map and Google Earth measurements. A formal survey conducted by licenced engineers is highly recommended. This is an initial basemap for approximating site design elements.

Google Maps. 2011. Montview Farm parcel in green.

Montview Neighborhood Farm: A Case Study 2005 - 2011

Sean P. Walsh and Julie A. Welch • January 2012 • Northampton, Massachussetts

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Site Conditions The site is relatively flat and level across the entire parcel with an average spot elevation of approximately 110’ above sea-level. Seasonal water table heights need to be measured on the site, and a formal survey of the site by licensed engineers is recommended so that contours and topography can be accurately documented on a basemap.

Thanks to the farmers’ sheet mulched beds and notill practices, the planted areas capture and disperse rainwater across the beds effectively and eliminate puddling. Wood chips on the surrounding paths retain excess water on the site.

There are two distinct wet areas on the site. One is a narrow strip of wet meadow adjacent to the access road, approximately 45’ wide by 260’ long. This area serves as a retention basin, mitigating floods by capturing storm water runoff. Water tends to pool in this area periodically and typically drains within 24 hours. Spot elevation in the wet meadow is 109’ with the access road and the soccer field on either side being approximately 1’ higher in elevation. This wet meadow has no official designation as a wetland.

The Williams Street Brook used to flow through this depression and drain into the Mill River, but was repurposed for stormwater drainage and buried in the 1980’s.

Both of the wetland, and the wet meadow areas need to be measured in an official survey in order to define appropriate wetland buffer zones.

Wetland Nash Lewis Property

There is an area at the center of the farm site that is potentially suitable for a well. This area has been marked and noted by the farmers. A buffer area around the well would need to be designated to meet legal zoning regulations if city regulations would allow for a well on the site.

Forest Garden

Annual Beds

Rain barrels capture water runoff from the shed roof and rainwater is used to hydrate the gardens in the summer.

The other wet area is on the northwest portion of the site and is approximately 90’ wide x 260’ long.

This area is constantly wet and is designated as an official wetland by the city and state. Spot elevation in the western wetland is 110-111’. Interestingly, the topography slopes downhill from the wetland to an area along the property boundary with spot elevations of 108-109’ before begining a steeper ascent up towards Williams Street.

Soccer Field

Wet Meadow

Zoomed in view of site facing north. Google Earth. 2010

This phenomenon of a relatively elevated wetland indicates a change in soil type and may also be related to a hydrological regime disrupted by the rerouting of the brook and the development of the dike and other infrastructure.

View into Wetland facing west.

Montview Neighborhood Farm: A Case Study 2005 - 2011

Sean P. Walsh and Julie A. Welch • January 2012 • Northampton, Massachussetts

Debris covered storm drain in the wetland.

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Aesthetics Montview Neighborhood Farm is flanked by residential tracts and neighborhood streets on the southern and western sides, a one-acre organic farm to the north, and an elevated dike road to the east.

When standing on the site, one can hear faint sounds of urban traffic in the distance mixed with sounds of resident children playing on the soccer field, chickens clucking, and occasional bleats from the goats on the adjacent Town Farm property.

Views of the Seven Sisters mountain range can be seen facing east from several points on the site.

Residents enjoy gathering spontaneously on the farm as they walk their dogs and watch their children play on the soccer field.

Colorful flags and sheets of sheer burlap float in the breeze between the black locust posts of the open air classroom and community gathering space.

Two mature Maple trees at the site’s westernmost entry point on Montview Avenue form a graceful archway into the wetland.

The gardens are lush in-season and the site has an immediate calming effect for visitors and neighbors alike. The farm is visible from the surrounding residential properties and neighborhood streets.

Access road entrance 2010

Resident chicken. 2007

Interplanted vegetables. Research plot. 2006

Montview Neighborhood Farm: A Case Study 2005 - 2011

The Gardens in growing season. 2010

MNF farm stand. 2011

Sean P. Walsh and Julie A. Welch • January 2012 • Northampton, Massachussetts

Neighbors enjoying chestnuts. 2007

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Soil Types 72° 37' 32'' 4687890

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Building living soil is a key goal for sustainable land and food security. Healthy soils provide sustained nutrients for all members of the ecosystem while absorbing and retaining water for longer periods.

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A recent survey of Northampton’s Ward 3 residents, conducted by the Smith College Landscape Studies Program and the Ward 3 Neighborhood Association, regarding the role of open space in defining neighborhood quality of life, revealed one of the top priorities in the district as “conserving as much farmland and agricultural soil as possible.”

See reference page for the survey in the appendix section of the document.

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Montview Neighborhood Farm has helped support the farming and soil conservation priorities and goals of their Ward 3 district, the city’s Open Space and Recreation Plan as well as their Sustainable Northampton Plan.

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Given the excellent results of the comparative soil tests, Montview Neighborhood Farm can serve as a model for regenerative soil improvement techniques on conservation land.

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The 2009 tests showed a marked 2.7% increase in organic matter, a notable increase in macronutrients phosphorus, potassium, and calcium, and an increase in the cation exchange capacity in the soils as a result of the organic farming efforts and the no-till method used by the farm group.

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Soil tests were conducted for the site in 2005 and again in 2009 in order to measure the impact of the organic and no-till farming practices.

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The soil types reflect the underlying geology of the area which is an alluvial floodplain underlain with glacial till. These alluvial bottomlands provide some of the finest agricultural land in New England.

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Soils in the more vegetated areas of the site are Limerick silt loam, typically found on alluvial flats, on 0-3% slopes and are poorly drained. Soils in the western wetland area are Handley-Winooski-Urban Land Complex, typical of developed floodplain areas, on 0-3% slopes and well drained.

Testing and monitoring of the soils in both the wetland and wet meadow habitats has been initiated as of the fall of 2011. Continued study of the soils and vegetation in these areas is recommended.

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Soils in the open areas on the site are predominantly Winooski silt loam, a soil typical for local floodplains, on a 0-3% slope, and are moderately well drained.

Soil Map—Hampshire County, Massachusetts, Central Part (Montview)

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Rich soil by the compost area. 2011

Montview Neighborhood Farm: A Case Study 2005 - 2011

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Map Scale: 1:3,360 if printed on A size (8.5" x 11") sheet.

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Interplanting research plot. 2007

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Soil Map of Montview Farm. NRCS 2011.

Sean P. Walsh and Julie A. Welch • January 2012 • Northampton, Massachussetts

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Vegetation/Microclimates Vegetation in the wet meadow next to the access road includes some young Black Walnut, Elderberry, Mulberry and Rosa Rugosa in a matrix of grasses and wildflowers.

The farmers designed and planted vegetated swales next to the meadow to enhance the water storage capacity of the basin.

The vegetated swales consist of Jostaberry, Nanking Cherry, Black Currant, High Bush Blueberry, Joe Pye weed, and ground covers of Dwarf Comfrey, Red Clover,Violets and Strawberries planted along a system of contoured mounds and basins.

An edible hedge, planted in 2010, along the edge of the soccer field will protect the vegetable plots and cold frame boxes from flying soccer balls as it matures while producing fruit, nuts, and spices. The hedge consists of Hazelbert, Juneberry, Spicebush, Elderberry, and Mountain Bush Honeysuckle. The plants were donated to the farm by a local nursery, Nasami Farms.

and other wetland indicator plants are also growing in this vitally important area of the site, a full plant inventory of this area is needed.

Forest Garden

Elm and Maple trees are present across the sight along with a Sassafras tree planted on the eastern edge north of the forest garden by a local family in memory of their daughter.

The Sumac is a pioneer species that grows in islands along the as yet unplanted northern edge of MNF that abuts the Town Farm property.

Microclimates on the site need to be studied and monitored across the year. General observational notes indicate that winter winds out of the northwest are somewhat blocked by mature trees on the western portion of the site, the center of the site is open and receives ample sun in the growing season, the eastern edge of the site is shaded by a mix of deciduous trees during the growing season but the beds still receive ample sunlight.

Edible Hedge

Vegetated Swales

Sumac, Catalpa, volunteer Black Locust, and Stinging Nettle are growing in and around the western wetland. Curly Dock, Red Osier Dogwood,

Wet Meadow

Design Concept Edible Hedge. Not to Scale

Installing the vegetated swales. Permaculture Design Course. 2008

Montview Neighborhood Farm: A Case Study 2005 - 2011

Section Sketch of Edible Swale from Edible Forest Gardens, Jacke and Toensmeir © 2005

Sean P. Walsh and Julie A. Welch • January 2012 • Northampton, Massachussetts

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Vegetation/Edible Forest Garden The northeastern edge of the site is a ¼ acre edible forest garden.

Using the forest as a metaphor, a forest garden consists of a diverse mosaic of productive plant communities mimicking the structure and functions of different stages of forest succession.

These plant communities mimic the properties, principles, patterns and processes of a natural ecosystem to build fertility, manage pests, and produce food and other useful products for humans and all members of the garden habitat.

The educational example provided by the edible forest garden at Montview Farm is highly replicable and a valuable resource to the community.

The farm’s annual vegetables are grown in 4’ beds on a central, ¼ acre portion of the site and consist of many fruits, herbs, and vegetables. Many student groups, interns from Smith College and workshop volunteers have helped establish the garden since 2005.

The crops at Montview Farm are an abundant resource throughout much of the year.

The beds in this garden are planted with a robust variety of perennial fruits, nuts, medicinal herbs, and berries. A plant list can be found in the appendix section of this document.

‘A permaculture forest garden is a perennial landscape that is four-dimensional, that grows through multiple seasons and provides an almost continual yield and habitat. ‘ (Adapted from Claudia Joseph, Environmental Programs Director Old Stone House, Brooklyn, NY). .

‘Forest gardens are generally comprised of big trees, smaller trees, vines, shrubs, herbs, root crops, fungi and groundcovers, all functioning in thriving relationships that reduce demand for water, fertilizer, and labor. ‘ (Adapted from Claudia Joseph).

MNF is using small trees in order to maintain views across the site.

Zoom in on basemap of educational edible forest garden

The abundant planting scheme and diversity of plants provide ample herbs food and nutrients for the the entire ecosystem and will enhance the resilience of the land upon which it is growing.

There is opportunity on the site to continue the garden along the edge all the way into the wetland portion of the parcel.

Sketch of forest garden concept. Adapted from Edible Forest Garden Volume 2.. Jacke and Toensmeir ©2005

Montview Neighborhood Farm: A Case Study 2005 - 2011

Sean P. Walsh and Julie A. Welch • January 2012 • Northampton, Massachussetts

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Access and Circulation/Zones of Use There are four access paths to the site: three pedestrian access points via Montview Avenue and one vehicular access point via the access road.

The two access points near the soccer field are where the farmstand was set up during the growing season.

The access paths throughout the farm gardens and at the access road entrance are wood chip and clearly delineate the planted areas. The paths allow easy access into the garden beds from all sides.

Measurements of existing pathways need to be obtained so that continuation of paths for the next phase can be implemented.

There are mown circulation paths between the soccer field, outdoor classroom, and wetland areas and the garden. The mown paths are maintained by volunteers in the neighborhood. The wood chip paths are maintained by volunteers working in the farm gardens.

open-air classroom and community gathering space.

Zone 3

A potential well sited has been designated within Zone 2 for ease of access to water to wash produce and water the beds when necessary.

Zone 3 is the wilder, less used area close to the wetland where less maintenance is required. Zone 3 is also the area best suited for wildlife habitat preservation and enhancement.

The sign for the site is hand painted and hangs from a locust wood post. It has weathered over the years and the neighborhood is working on ideas for signs to mark each entry point. A traffic calming sign was installed on Montview Ave. in 2010 to alert drivers that they are approaching an open space.

Zone 3

Zone 2

Zone 1 Maple Tree Archway Vehicle Access Point

The vehicular entrance via the access road provides the means to deliver strategic materials and is marked by a sign. The other entrances are not marked.

Farmstand Entrance

There is no designated parking for the site and visitors are encouraged to arrive on foot or by bicycle. Workshop attendees are encouraged to carpool whenever possible. Classes typically are smaller than 20 people.

2009 Design Concept. Not to scale.

The outdoor gathering space, located in Zone 2, at the center of the site is used for community gatherings, classes and demonstration workshops.

Zones of use for the site are roughly based on a permaculture site design concept in which elements are grouped based upon frequency of use. Zone 1 is the area closest to the access road and is where the compost bins are placed for ease of materials delivery and use throughout the site. Zone 2 consists of the edible gardens and hedges and is located near the access paths to the farm stand and

Boardwalk in wetland. 2011

Access Road Entrance Sign. 2011

Montview Neighborhood Farm: A Case Study 2005 - 2011 Sean P. Walsh and Julie A. Welch •

January 2012 • Northampton, Massachussetts

Traffic Calming Sign on Montview Avenue. 2011

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Ecosystems Services Assessment The renowned professor, biologist, and winner of the National Medal of Science, Edward O. Wilson states in his book The Diversity of Life, that “Biological diversity is the key to the maintenance of the world as we know it.”

Wetland ecosystems are under tremendous pressure and are among the most threatened and degraded systems across the planet. They are rich in plant and animal species that benefit local and regional genetic diversity.

The biodiversity of a site’s ecosystem is one of the primary factors that determines the health of our public, private, and conservation lands and the communities that surround them. Biodiversity in an ecosystem means the degree of variation in life forms within the system. A diverse ecosystem is more resilient and healthy.

The farmers at MNF have mimicked healthy ecosystems in their grouping of companion plant communities that improve growth for their neighboring plants and enrich the soils around them.

In fact, they have leveraged the value in this urban edge land by making it productive and useful while enhancing its biodiversity.

According to the U. S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, an ecosystem is defined as a community of people, plants, animals, and microorganisms interacting with one another and their environment i.e., water, soils, nutrients, and air.

The enriched soils enhance the crop yield, the nutritional value of the crops and the cation exchange capacity thereby allowing greater nutrient reserves for plant roots. Healthy soils are vital for robust ecosystems.

Ecosystem services are commonly defined as the benefits all members of an ecosystem obtain from it such as food, fresh water, wood, fiber, medicine, clean air, groundwater recharge, erosion control, pollination of crops, soil formation, recreation, education, health and well being, and habitat for wildlife such as nesting and foraging. Ecosystem services can also be defined as the services provided by natural processes that are required for human survival.

The farm provides a significant food and nutrient resource, medicinal herbs, pollinator habitat, recreation, education and an overall improved health and well being for the community.

These are just a few of the vital services the farm provides for the local ecosystem.

Healthy nutritious food for the community. 2011

Alluvial floodplains like the Montview Farm parcel are vitally important to the ecosystems in which they exist. They tend to be highly productive and fertile, and support the production of food, protect nearby water bodies by capturing and absorbing flood waters, and aid in erosion control and soil formation.

In the case of Montview Farm, its ecosystem services are many-fold. It contains a wetland that filters stormwater runoff before it enters rivers and streams, the wet meadow captures flood waters and protects other areas of the site from flooding and erosion.

Artwork from C3 in outdoor classroom. 2011

Montview Neighborhood Farm: A Case Study 2005 - 2011

Sean P. Walsh and Julie A. Welch • January 2012 • Northampton, Massachussetts

Healthy pollinator habitat. 2008

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Conclusions & Recommendations Montview Neighborhood Farm demonstrates the positive impact of citizen agriculture and stewardship on city owned conservation land. The improvements to the ecological integrity of the site have enhanced the ecosystem resilience for the foreseeable future.

A 2010 survey conducted among residents of the Ward 3 district showed that the top priority for open space in the area was to “conserve as much farmland and agricultural soil as possible.”

Other top goals of the district were to “protect the wetlands and wooded areas.” MNF has helped achieve multiple Ward 3 district goals.

The land on the site has witnessed geologic forces since time immemorial and experienced tremendous human impact in more recent times.

Through it all, this land has continuously provided sustenance for ancient and modern life forms. It still does so today even under the pressures of development.

As early as the 1930’s one scientist declared that “people have become a geologic force that is shaping the planet’s future.” (Vladimir Vernadsky, a Russian Geoscientist). In a 2002 article published in the New York Times, the author of the article, Andrew C. Revkin, wrote: “Communities and countries will face choices over the next decade that will impact quality of human life and the environment well into the 22nd century.”

That decade has just come to a close. The Montview community did their part during that decade from 2005 until now and made a positive contribution to the quality of human life and the environment in their district.

Recommendations Recommendations for the farm are general and require further definition by the neighborhood as they enter the next phase of programming for the site. Our recommendations are based on broad observations recorded during three site visits in November 2011.

Metrics Consistent data over a three-year period of time would provide the additional scientific support needed to verify the ecosystem improvements.

Consistent data is one of the most important priorities for scientists and economists alike as we calculate human and planetary needs for an ecologically sound future.

An assessment of the drainage system on the western edge of the site where the buried Williams Street Brook still flows is highly recommended.

The city drainage grate appears to be covered with debris. Ideally, a feasibility study for daylighting the brook could be conducted and perhaps restore the natural hydrologic flow in the area and better recharge nearby ground water.

Continued measuring and recording of crop yields in the annual and perennial gardens will help document the site’s capacity for food production.

Reference documents are listed in the appendix section for precedents and models that could be useful for Montview Farm planning.

Monitor Research efforts on the site were initiated in 2007 to explore the growth patterns of plant communities providing high sources of protein.

Additional research plots were established on the farm to study root establishment of perennial polycltures and nitrogen fixing shrubs. This is an excellent use of the site for educational research purposes.

Educate Educational programs are one of the key areas for any conservation site. A continuation of educational programs is vital to the health and well being of the site. Internships, fellowships and workshops empower the community.

Monitoring the conditions of the wetland is an important educational and stewardship component for this site. The wetland provides intricate ecosystem services and needs to be protected. Full understanding of how to enhance and protect a legal buffer zone around the wetland will ensure greater vitality for the overall site and better protect the larger water bodies nearby.

Test Soil tests of the wet meadow along the access road are recommended. Samples from the wetland on the west side of the parcel should be obtained, tested and compared to those of the wet meadow.

Conditions of both areas should be monitored over time and inform the design and maintenance regimes of both of these vital natural resources.

Assess An inventory of the plant community currently growing in the western wetland area is recommended. A design plan for how to enhance the plant community is essential to the long-term ecological integrity of the wetland and the overall site.

Montview Neighborhood Farm: A Case Study 2005 - 2011

The educational edible forest garden is an excellent living example of a productive, regenerative agricultural model. Smith College interns, U-Mass Amherst Soil Sciences classes, neighbors and fellows alike have learned from this site through garden tours and workshops since it was planted in 2006. The edible forest garden will produce food and nutrients for many generations to come if properly managed and preserved..

Review Easment language Certain lease and conservation easement terms could enable the farm to perform additional services, for instance, if structures such as greenhouse were allowed on the site, seasonal extension of crops could be achieved. If temporary solar electric fencing were allowed, livestock could graze on the site and assist in ground cover and weed management. Both of these and other recommendations can be found in the Bleiman Property Agricultural Plan cited in the references section of the the appendix of this document.

Reference & Planning Documents Several excellent documents endoresed by the Conservation Commission are listed in the appendix section of this doument. These documents can help inform future planning.

Recommendation Summary Research: Metrics/Monitoring/Testing/Assessing - 3-year data collection of ecosystem functions (including wetland health monitoring) - Continue to measure and record crop yields - Continued monitoring and documentation of results from perennial polyculture plantings (illinois bundleflower, yarrow) - Document social benefits to neighborhood (and beyond) (i.e. figure out a way to collect qualitative data about the impact of projects on the land) - Obtain, tests and compare soil samples from wetland on west side and wet meadow on the east side. Monitor conditions over time to inform design/management regimes - Create a plant inventory for wetland; establish plan for enhancing plant community - Assess the drainage system around buried Williams Street Brook; make sure drainage grate is clear - Look into existing feasibility study for daylighting the brook to restore hydrological flow, recharge groundwater Education - Continue collaborative academic programming and educational workshops - Make sure to educate leaseholders/stakeholders about wetland ecology and legal obligations CR Language - Clear definitions of language used in conservation easements so that everyone understands what’s legally allowed and what’s not

“In Nature Nothing Exists Alone.” Rachel Carson Silent Spring

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Appendix/Reference Materials

15.

2005-2011 Timeline

24.

Interplanting Research

16. Lease Agreement

25. Workshops/Fundraising Promotional Materials

17. Neighborhood Agreement

26. Executive Summary for Feed Northampton: First Steps Toward a Local Food System

18. Design Goals 27. Smith College/Ward 3 Survey 19.

Grant Application/Fiscal Sponsorship 28. Fellowship Agreement & Goals

20. Grant Application for Forest Garden 29-32. 2011 Neighborhood Meeting Notes 21. Forest Garden Plant List 22. CSA Information

33. 2012 Letters of Recommendation from NOFA & University of Massachusetts Soil Sciences Department

23.

34. Reference Documents for Future Planning

Soil Test Results

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Timeline -2005, A group of farmers from the neighborhood procured a three year lease and license from the Conservation Commission of the city of Northampton for the purposes of small-scale organic farming and educational workshops related to organic farming and building resilient communities.

-Late 2005, An agreement was formed between the farmers and the neighborhood.

-2005: Adjacent land next to the farm site was for sale. The farmers attempted to purchase the land, but a real estate developer outbid the group and purchased the land with a plan to build condominiums on the site. The neighborhood group gathered forces and was able to stop the development.

-2008-2011 The farm piloted an organic food scraps collection service (via bicycle) for neighbors as a means of studying the feasibility of composting on site.

-2009-2011: An experimental garden plot was established by Food Forest Farms to study perennial polycultures and nitrogen fixing shrubs, Illinois Bundle Flower seeds, and the resistance capacity of Sea Kale to the flea beetle.

-2007/2008: The land next door was sold to a young family who formed a CSA called Town Farm. Town Farm now serves a community of over 100 members.

-Early 2006: Goals for the site were presented at a neighborhood design charette. A site design plan was developed at the charette with community input.

-Summer 2007: Jackson Street Public School Tour -2007 Backyard Chicken Tour -2008: U-Mass Sustainability Class Tour & Workshop -Summer 2011: U-Mass Plant & Soil Science Class -Fall 2011: Amherst Commons School Tour & Student Project

-Late 2006: The farmers collaborated with a non-profit organization called Creative Thought and Action, Inc. on a grant application for a public, educational, edible forest garden. Creative Thought provided fiscal sponsorship for the farm.

-2010 and 2011: MNF hosted 2 interns each summer from Smith College PRAXIS program. “Praxis: The Liberal Arts at Work” pays stipends to Smith students who work at qualified, unpaid summer internships related to their career and/or academic interests.

-2006-2007:The neighborhood held Contra Dance events to raise funds for creating the farm. The farm was part of Garden Tour across the city of Northampton.

-Late 2011:An educational fellowship position was established for the year 2012 with the Allegheny Mtn. School.

-2006-2007: Dave Jacke planted a research plot to study beneficial insects on yarrow. Molly Merret designed and documented a test site of interplanted plant species in order to study and document how various combinations of plants provide benefits for one another, the soil and produce phased crop yields.

-2006-2007: The neighborhood group operated a farm stand on the site and sold their produce to neighbors from Northampton and adopted a CSA model that ran through 2009.

-Early 2007: A grant was obtained from New England Grassroots Environment Fund for the educational edible forest garden.

-2011 The organization Artist in Context funded a placemaking project in order for the farm to create a community gathering space for storytelling and music sharing as well as classes and workshops.

-From June-November 2011, the Montview neighborhoods met to discuss next steps for the site and formed a steering committee.

Discussions on the topic of establishing a formal cooperative or collective committee of neighbors who will oversee the next phase of the site when the new lease is signed. See meeting notes on pages 29-32.

-A presentation of this document and a review of the ecosystem services the land provides the neighborhood will be made to the Northampton Conservation Commission in February 2012.

-Spring 2007: Edible forest garden was installed. The garden was sheet mulched and planted by groups participating in educational workshops led by the farmers.

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Lease from Conservation Commission

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Neighborhood Agreement

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Community Input Session: Design Goals

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Grant Application Form and Fiscal Sponsorship Agreement

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Educational Edible Forest Garden Description for Grant Application

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Educational Edible Forest Garden Plant List for Grant Application

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Montview Neighborhood Farm CSA Information

Montview Neighborhood Farm was the first CSA in Northampton. The farm was a catalyst for other farms to become established, and provided a smallscale model that other farms followed and scaled up in size.

The goals of the CSA and the neighborhood farm were informed by those of the Sustainable Northampton and Feed Northampton Plans endorsed by the Conservation Commission of the city of Northampton.

Quote from Sustainable Northampton Plan: “Citizens of Northampton work toward “locally and regionally – the advancement of sustainable practices that manage land use for long-term benefits, reduce dependency on nonrenewable fuels, reduce consumption of resources without offsetting benefits, and improve our impact on the environment.”

Quote from Feed Northampton Plan: “There is little data showing how much local food is currently consumed in Northampton.The manager of the Big Y supermarket in Northampton reported that just 1% of all food stocked there comes from within 100 miles (Big Y manager, Northampton, MA).Thirteen CSAs from Hampshire County provide food to Northampton seasonally (www.mass.gov/agr/massgrown/csa.htm), each possibly supplying fifty shares to Northampton homes feeding 650 families with locally raised food (approximately 2,600 people). Drawing form these and other sources, it is likely that a small percentage of all food consumed in Northampton has been grown or raised locally.”

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Soil Test Results from 2005 and 2009 showing an increase of 2.7 % in Organic Matter from 4.8% to 7.5 %.

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Interplanted Research Plot Various plant combinations were selected for their root structure, above ground architecture, and harvest timeframes in order to study and experiment with which leaf and root structures work best with one another and how each plant type grows throughout the seasons. Results of the study were recorded.

“The sheet mulch method of garden bed preparation is quite labor and resource intensive, so our garden space started out small and grew slowly each season. When we planned the annual vegetable gardens, we knew we had very rich soil but also very limited space. We experimented with several biointensive methods of vegetable production, including interplanting and companion planting.

Interplanting is when 2 or more crops can be grown together in the same bed, optimizing space and irrigation efforts. Companion planting is when 2 or more plants grown together provide an additional beneficial effect for each other, such as deterring pests or improving flavor.

We kept track of our interplanting and companion planting attempts in a spreadsheet. We found that some combinations worked well and others not as well. The following chart describes the combinations that worked well. Our favorite combinations were carrots and radishes in alternating rows, and brassicas (such as broccoli and kale) planted in 2 rows with a row of alliums (leeks, scallion, onions) down the center.

The radishes are fast maturing and the carrots are slow maturing. By the time the radishes are ready for harvest, the carrots are still small and not in competition for space. The alliums down the center of the brassicas utilized unused space, and the alliums have pest deterrent properties that may have helped deter aphids and cabbage worms. Their roots also occupy different zones in the soil, brassicas are deep rooted and alliums are shallow rooted.”

— Molly Merrett Montview Farmer

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Workshop and Fundraising Event Materials

Building Resilient Communities: mONTView farm WORKSHOPS 2010 PERMACULTURE FUNDAMENTALS, April 3,10-5 Permaculture is a design system that provides for human needs while increasing the health of the ecosystem. It gives us a lens to obser ve and assess what is happening in the natural landscape and use those principles to design food, buildings and communities that work together to use less energy and produce higher yields. Students will walk away with a framework for understanding the connection between social and ecological health as well as a process for designing solutions that come from being able to “read” a landscape. Each fundamentals session is tailored to the par ticular season. Ask about discounts for taking all three. Sliding scale $60-$100, vegetarian lunch provided. With Lisa DePiano GARDENING 101, April 18, 10-12 Want to have your own garden but don’t know where to star t? In this workshop we will cover ever ything you need to know to get going. We will cover soil testing, site preparation, planting schedules, weed and pest management and more. With Molly Merrett

Fundraising Event Poster Educational Workday Poster

MUSHROOM LOG INOCULATION, April 24,1-4 Come learn how to grow your own shitake mushrooms. Take home a log of your own.

With Jonathan Bates PERMACULTURE FUNDAMENTALS, May 8, 10-5 (see above description) RAINWATER CATCHMENT, May 16,1-4 We can har vest rainwater off of our homes, garages, and even our chicken coops and use it to water our gardens while keeping it from overfilling our sewer systems and flooding our basements. Come learn how to calculate how much water we can har vest, learn safe har vesting methods and build a two barrel system.

MYCOSCAPING: MUSHROOMS IN THE EDIBLE LANDSCAPE, May 29 , 10-4 Even if you’re an avid gardener, if you are only gardening plants, you are missing out! There is a whole other kingdom to explore - and eat! How can we incorporate delicious, nutritious fungi in our veggie gardens, food forests, lawns, and landscaping? In this workshop, we’ll learn some of the options available to us, and even tr y one or two! We’ll learn how to look at mushroom crops through a holistic, permaculture lens, and find the niche in the landscape where they can peform useful ecological functions, even as they produce food and medicine for us. We’ll review common and less-common mushroom crops, and different cultivation techniques. We’ll also talk about how to be smar t and safe when dealing the mushroom kingdom. $60-$100 sliding scale. With Rafter T. Sass SPRING/EARLY SUMMER PLANT WALK, June 6, 1-3 Join us for a stroll around Montview Farm and learn how to identify the local edible and medicinal herbs, trees and shrubs growing abundantly right here in the Pioneer Valley! We’ll focus on methods of identification and har vesting, and discuss easy ways to turn these common “weeds” into powerful medicine!

BACKYARD COMPOSTING AND COMPOST TEA BREW, June 13, 1-3 Ever ything you wanted to know about building, maintaining and using your own backyard compost pile but were afraid to ask. Topics include bin size and construction methods, proper ratios of materials, to turn or not to turn, what to add and how, how to rescue a pile gone astray, when is it finished and the stor y to decomposition. We will end the workshop by learning how to brew and apply aerated compost tea.

PERMACULTURE FUNDAMENTALS, July 11, 10-5 HERBAL SALVE AND TINCTURE-MAKING, August 29, 12-3 Making your own medicine is fun, empowering and easy! In this workshop all par ticipants will have the oppor tunity to experience the medicine-making process for salves and tinctures from star t to finish. We’ll star t with a shor t herb walk around Montview Farm to decide what we want to har vest. From there we’ll process the herbs and make some medicine! Par ticipants will all leave with at least one homemade salve and one tincture.

Educational Workshop Calendar 2010

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Feed Northampton Plan Sponsored by Montview Neighborhood Farm Feed Northampton Plan: Excerpt from Executive Summary In Northampton, there is a growing awareness of the over-reliance on the global food system. The Northampton Food Security Group, an organization of local farmers and activists concerned about the future of Northampton’s food supply in the face of diminishing oil availability, climate change, and loss of farmland, asked the Conway School of Landscape Design to help them develop a comprehensive vision for local food that promotes food security, sustainable practices, small-scale farming ventures, and increased vitality in the local economy.

Northampton historically was able to grow much of its own food. Today there are several challenges that may inhibit Northampton’s ability to do so again. In the past fifty years, the amount of developed land within the city limits has increased by 50%. Much of this development has been on flat, cleared land that was well-suited for food cultivation, most of which housed former farming operations. People interested in starting new farms are challenged by a lack of affordable land that is appropriate for food production.

Homeowners are restricted by zoning laws that prohibit certain agricultural practices, notably raising livestock of any type on small parcels. Lastly, Northampton’s temperate climate has a shorter growing season than places like California or Florida, and consumers have come to expect an assorted selection of produce throughout the year. These social and economic challenges pose obstacles to boosting local cultivation efforts.

The specifics of Northampton’s natural and built environments pose additional constraints to agriculture.

Soil fertility, topography, and urban form all help determine what can be grown or raised, with what strategies and yields, and where. This report identifies alternative land and strategies for growing food in the agricultural, urban, suburban, and rural areas of Northampton, using unconventional sites, small spaces, and cooperative efforts that reduce fossil fuel input. The project suggests how more of the city’s food could be grown within its boundary and makes recommendations for supporting diverse local cultivation methods, the particular focus of this report.

Looking beyond cultivation, there are limited distribution systems in the Northampton that serve producers, distributors, and buyers. There is a lack of food system infrastructure such as processing centers, storage facilities, and waste management sites. Existing and potential sites in Northampton are suggested to serve as infrastructure nodes, supporting the various types of local food production recommended in this report.

This report does not attempt to envision the complete replacement of a complex global food system with local ones. However, the findings of this report may help Northampton initiate cultivation and postcultivation efforts to reduce residents’ dependence on the centralized food system in the transition towards greater participation in and reliance on its own local food system.

While the focus of this project is on Northampton, the tools used here to engage the public, analyze the land, and develop concepts for a local food system may be helpful to other communities that have similar goals of increasing self-sufficiency through local food production and consumption

The Montview Neighborhood Farm was a prototype example featured in the report. The plan was written about in The Advocate newspaper in 2010.

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Smith College and Ward 3 Association Survey

To the members of the conservation commission, I am writing to share my experience with the conservation commission in relation to Montview neighborhood farm. For a little over 2 years I spent one morning a week or more volunteering for the previous leaseholders of Montview neighborhood farm. At the time I lived on 39 west street and had no access to any land for growing food. Montview farm was my first experience with farming or growing food. It was the first time that I took a vegetable out of the ground and went home to cook it instead of buying it at a store.

Montview neighborhood farm is a valuable learning experience for someone like me who has never had the opportunity to grow food or understand the importance of growing food. The growing of food in your own backyard which is a main theme in the goal to leading a more sustainable lifestyle is out of the reach of the average low income renter both because of a lack of land space to grow food and lack of exposure to permaculture or even agriculture. The model of operation of Montview farm created a friendly and open environment for people who are interested in learning how to farm with limited means. In addition to that Lisa, Paige and Molly have shown an active interest and respect for the ecology of the land and for the use of sustainable farming methods which has in turn passed that interest to me and to others as well.

Montview neighborhood farm was a deciding factor for my girlfriend and I to move to where we live now, down the road from the farm. Where I live now I have land that our landlord is allowing Excerpt 2011 Letter from 3 neighbor us to from use for growing fooda Ward and we will be looking to plant food there as well as continue to volunteer at Montview. Montview neighborhood farm is both a valuable resource for the neighborhood and a reflection of the commitment of the local community to the land. Montview neighborhood farm not only presents a starting point for people to learn about growing food in Northampton but also a sense of community, home and stewardship of the land that will continue to be an important part of our culture looking at a more sustainable future.

Jesus Leyva 37 c Holyoke st, ward 3 Northampton MA

Montview Neighborhood Farm: A Case Study 2005 - 2011

Excerpt from Survey

“Here are the top five responses to Question 7 (among the 94 respondents who answered the question correctly): If you could tell the City three things that we needed in Ward 3 that would make it better from an open space and recreation point of view, which of the following would you choose to say?

1. We need to conserve as much farm land and agricultural soil as we can 2. The tree-lined streets are an important part of the Ward 3 experience and should be maintained and replanted when needed 3. The wooded areas should be protected because they provide natural play space for kids, habitat for wildlife, and give Ward 3 character 4. Protect the remaining wetlands in Ward 3

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Allegheny Mountain School Fellowship

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September 2011 Neighborhood Meeting Notes

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September 2011 Neighborhood Meeting Notes continued

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November 2011 Neighborhood Meeting Notes

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November 2011 Neighborhood Meeting Notes continued

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Letter of Recommendation

Northeast Organic Farming Association 37th Annual Summer Conference August 12-14, 2011 University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA www.nofasummerconference.org

Ben Grosscup Northeast Organic Farming Association/ Massachusetts Chapter 67 North Whitney St Apt 4 Amherst, MA 01002 Home Office: 413-549-1568 Cell: 413-658-5374 ben.grosscup@nofamass.org

Attn: Lisa DePiano 38 Henry St. Northampton, MA 01060

To The City of Northampton, I am writing in reference to the future of Montview Farm. I understand that there are some important decisions that City of Northampton officials need to make about the future use of the farm and I want to convey my knowledge, as the coordinator of the NOFA Summer Conference, about the enormous educational contribution that this farm and the people who are currently running it provide for the community.

The NOFA Summer Conference is organized by the Northeast Organic Farming Association. In 2011, we had our 37th consecutive conference on August 12-14. Since 2008, the conference has been held at UMass Amherst. Last year we drew 1,400 participants to the conference, and during each workshop slot, participants had at least 20 different workshops to choose from. Some of the workshops at our conference are tours of farms within driving distance of UMass. The off-site workshops are normally popular, but by far the most popular tour in 2011 was of Montview farm, where 40 participants from all over the Northeast gathered at the site to learn about “Permaculture in the City.” The presenters of the workshop were Lisa DePiano and Molly Merrett.

Among the comments we received on the evaluation were “Fun and inspiring.” Another participant noted that they found it very useful to see “permaculture practices in action.” Another person remarked how impressed they were about how many people came, “given the remote site and rainy weather.” Despite the challenges of that particular day, this person observed that people still really enjoyed it. Another person remarked on the presentation, “Very well done.”

Montview Farm runs many other workshops providing educational resources to the local community as well. What I see through the lens of the NOFA Summer Conference is that additionally the farm is also effectively demonstrating agricultural innovations happening in Northampton to people from all over the Northeast.

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Recommended Reference Documents for Future Planning of Civic Agriculture and Ecological Design

The Bleiman Plan was written for a parcel of land in the same area of Northampton as Montview Farm. The Bleiman document contains useful planning tools such a decision matrices for determining best attributes of a site, and suggested language for improved conservation easements that would enable lands like Montview Farm and others to utilize beneficial elements that would enhance organic farming and achieve greater regeneration of the land. The City of Northampton Open Space Plan quotes large sections of the Bleiman Plan and contains a great deal of language that is consistant with the goals of the Montview Farm. The Open Space plan provides a framework for further expansion of Montview Neighborhood Farm as a model that represents the City’s larger vision for equitable and innovative use of public open space. The Sustainable Northampton Plan supports all of the programs represented in the other three documents and reiterates the framework used to develop the Montview Farm stewardship, education, design, and food production programs. The Feed Northampton Plan was sponsored by Montview Neighborhood Farm and supports a sustainable, citizen agriculture movement already underway in the city and the region. The plan provides an excellent study of many aspects of the current food production systems in Northamtpon.Visit the addresses listed below to access digital copies of the plans.

http://www.northamptonma.gov/opd/uploads/listWidget/2904/ Open%20Space%20Plan%20as%20of%2012%2029%202010.pdf

www.northamptonma.gov/aboutNorthampton/Sustainability_Plan/ www.mosaicfarm.com/upload/Bleiman%20Management%20Plan.pdf

http://www.csld.edu/projects/student-projects/food-security-farmland-protection/

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