Fall: food, farms, fiber

Dear Friends:

And just like that, summer's heat is once again giving way to the cool of another autumn in the Northeast. We look forward to seeing you in the community as we celebrate the bounty of the season, and thank all those responsible for it.

Photo: Don Perdue

Program Updates

Market Match: and then there were 10!

With the recent addition of the Williamstown Farmers Market, BAV is now supporting 10 local farmers markets through the Market Match Fund. The program, which provides cash grants to double SNAP (food stamp) benefits at farmers markets, is designed to increase access to fresh, local food for low-income families while increasing sales for local farmers. “The Williamstown Farmers Market is thrilled to have received this grant,” said Market Manager Leslie Reed-Evans. “We’ve made equitable food access a priority this year, having just implemented SNAP acceptance at the market. Matching dollars for SNAP purchases provides EBT card holders an opportunity to increase their buying power, while at the same time boosting the sales of vendors. We are most grateful for BAV's investment.”

In our present economy, the need for affordable, healthy food is especially great. Please consider supporting both local farmers and low-income families with a tax-deductible donation to BAV's Market Match Fund. Thank you!

Farmer and Food Business Spotlight: Nobletown Fiber Works

Actor Sam Waterston needs 500 pounds of wool spun into fiber. Water is being pumped up a hill. And the owner will be on a Broadway stage again tonight, in front of 1,200 fans.

It’s just another day at Nobletown Fiber Works.

Broadway actor and self-proclaimed “fiber evangelist” Lewis Cleale (pictured) is leading an effort to bring back the local fiber industry while making the region a destination for fiber tourism, shopping, and education.

Nobletown Fiber Works is a custom fiber processing mill in Hillsdale, NY where Lewis and his small staff turn raw fleece from sheep, alpaca, llamas and other animals into finished yarns of all types and blends. A low-interest business loan from BAV helped Nobletown purchase a pump system, tanks, and other infrastructure, but it’s Lew’s passion more than anything that’s pushing this venture forward.

For now, Cleale continues to perform eight times a week in “Book of Mormon” (he’s done more than 4,000 performances of the show!). His next act, however, will find him on his beloved Hillsdale farm full time, building his business, and practicing the “weird magic” of turning raw animal fleece into something wearable and beautiful.

Nobletown Fiber Works

9221 State Route 22, Hillsdale, NY 12529

(646) 285-4207

https://nobletownfiberworks.com/

Why We Give

“The Gilson Family Foundation continues to be so impressed by the work of Berkshire Agricultural Ventures. We love that BAV combines so many of the things that we support, from addressing food insecurity to promoting economic assistance to local farmers and businesses. BAV’s work is innovative and essential, and we are excited to expand our partnership in years to come.”

Peter Spina

Director, Gilson Family Foundation

(shown with his sister and Foundation President Michelle Schmidt)

Monitoring Farm Water Needs

July and August can be a mixed bag year to year. In some years, the rain ends in June, not to be seen again until November; in other years the rain never ends (looking at you, 2011!). This year we are on the drier side heading into autumn, and farms are doing what they can to ensure adequate soil moisture for forage and crop production. A great resource designed for farmers to monitor soil moisture is Cornell’s Climate Smart Farming Decision Tools, especially the Water Deficit Calculator. Using this kind of data can aid farm decision-making by optimizing irrigation use to reduce plant stress and improve yields. For more information, please reach out to Ben Crockett (ben@berkshireagventures.org) for 1-on-1 assistance with using these and other tools.

State grants for farmers

Many state governments – including Massachusetts, New York, and Connecticut – offer cash grants to farmers and food producers. A few of our favorite resources include:

The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC) offers a number of grants for dairy producers
The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) offers a Beginning Farmer Resource page on its website, which includes information on grants and financial assistance
The Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems recently published the seventh edition of Funding Sources For Food-Related Businesses, which includes information on crowdfunding and start-up funding.

Keep in mind that BAV is here to help your farm or food business explore grants, equity investments, and other funding! Contact Dan Carr at dan@berkshireagventures.org.

The Center for Food Studies at Bard College at Simon’s Rock will present its 9th annual ThinkFOOD conference on Saturday, October 15. This community event offers both in-person and virtual workshops designed to “give you new perspectives on food, farming, and resiliency from those who work the land,” and features a keynote address from Karen Washington of Rise & Root Farm and Black Urban Growers. BAV will be there, and we hope to see you, too! Registration and more information here.

In the News

In a recent op-ed published in the Berkshire Eagle, BAV’s own Glenn Bergman discusses the issue of land tenure for farmers, and how a problem of this size and scope calls for big, radical solutions.