Northampton Community Farm Plows Forward
Grow Food Northampton has raised more than $200,000 toward the price of the Bean Farm in Florence, and has signed a purchase-and-sale agreement with the Trust for Public Land.
NORTHAMPTON — Grow Food Northampton, a non-profit organization formed earlier this year to encourage local agriculture, announced yesterday that it has signed a purchase-and-sale agreement with the Trust for Public Land to buy 117 acres of the sprawling Bean/Allard farm between Spring Street and the Mill River.
The Trust is working with the city and private landowners to purchase the entire 187-acre farm for $2.5 million. As part of an agreement crafted over the past six months, 117 acres of the farm will be sold to a local farming organization, 42 acres along the Mill River will go into conservation, and 24 acres will be developed as ballfields for the city’s Recreation Department.
Grow Food Northampton has so far raised over $200,000, and needs to raise another $462,000 by the end of January to buy the land, said Lilly Lombard, the group’s president. If Grow Food Northampton can’t raise all the money, the Trust will sell part of the land to another farming organization, Lombard said.
The group plans to start out by leasing 37 acres of the land to Nate Frigard and Jen Smith, a couple who plan to start a community-centered organic farm growing mixed vegetables, fruits and cut flowers.
Jen Smith and Nate Frigard will move from Wendell to Northampton to work 37 acres of the Bean farm.
In February, Northampton’s Community Preservation Committee voted to appropriate $990,000 toward the purchase price of the farm.
Grow Food Northampton is hosting a Barn Party Fundraiser on Saturday, Oct. 2, 4-8 p.m., at the historic Ross Homestead at 123 Meadow St., next to the Allard Farm in Florence.
The event will feature live music and dancing, cider pressing, speeches, local food, and a walking tour led by local historian Steve Strimer.
Mary Serreze can be reached at mserreze@northamptonmedia.com
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