Town of Bolton Agricultural Commission
Meeting Minutes
Date: 10 January 2011
AGRICULTURAL COMMISSION
63 Main Street
978 779-2297 or 779-3308
A meeting of the Bolton Agricultural Commission was held on 10 January, 2011 at Town Hall. The meeting
was called to order at 7:35 pm. Commission members in attendance: Barbara Parente, Richard Pelletier, and
Betsy Taylor-Kennedy. Absent: Sue Storbeck, Eric Schartner
The 16 November minutes were read by members, corrected and approved as corrected.
Reports from liaisons to Town Boards/Commissions
§
Board of Health (Storbeck) no report
§ Planning Board (Open)
§ Board of Selectmen (Pelletier): The BOS have approved Eric Schartner as a member of the AgCom.
§ Conservation Commission (Parente): No response to our revision of the section of the Houghton
Farms homeowner’s covenant pertaining to agricultural use.
§ Conservation Trust (Taylor-Kennedy): No update; next BCT meeting on 11 Jan. 2011.
Complaints/Requests for Site Visits
§
None
New Business
§
2011 Budget: The committee roughed out an expense plan for the FY11 budget of $1800 as follows:
Farmer’s Dinner
Meal $300
Spring Ag Sale $200
Bruce stipend
Josh music
Ag Row at Bolton Fair (if spent before June 30)
hay ?
tent rental, $300 (20’ x 20’ from Callahan’s)
booth fee $150 for 20’ x 10’ space (from 2010 Bolton Fair website)
Right-to-Farm signs $680 (4) or $340 (2)
TOTAL $1630
§ Post future meeting dates (Betsy)
§ Spring Ag Sale The group discussed timing for a spring event at Great Brook Farm. Easter is near
the end of April this year, so an early April date may be appropriate. If there is room it would be
nice to include 4-H group exhibits (encourage young farmers and also bring those families to the
sale). Along with the exhibitors who have participated before, it would be an ideal time for Jo-Barb
farms to promote their meat and compost, and maybe Steve Hastings would have some lamb for
sale. Same format as 2009—displays and music in the café. Barbara to check with Bruce about
possible dates.
Old Business
§
A Taste of Bolton: Date proposed is August 7, 2011. Rich presented a scenario of a meal, prepared at
J’s, featuring food all purchased from Bolton farmers. Farmers would be paid a fair price for their
products. Tickets would be $125, including the meal and a $50 donation per ticket to an organization
(Bolton Local, BCT, etc). AgCom and Bolton farms would have displays and info. The group had a
discussion of a fund raising event vs. promotion of individual farm products. Since AgCom cannot
fund-raise, we would need to partner with Bolton Local, BCT or the like. Bolton Local has already
expressed an interest in partnering for an event. Betsy to check with BCT to see if they are interested. It
will be important to have a specific fundraising goal for people to feel connected to.
§ Farmer’s Dinner: Rich to check March 15 for Farmer’s Dinner at Bolton Orchards. Approx. 20
people.
§ Agricultural Holiday Sale: Barbara and Sue to gather feedback from participants of the November
weekends at the Winery. Susan Miles sold more woolens at the Winery than at the 2009 sale; the
Winery had more visitors.
§ Community Compost project (Coolidge Farm): Betsy looking for plans of the APR so that the
property boundaries can be defined.
§ Farm Stand directional signs: No news from Jennifer (Town Planner) on the status of the way-finding
grant.
Future Meetings/Events
Next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 15, 2011 at 7:30 pm at Town Hall.
Tuesday, March 15: Farmer’s Dinner
The meeting was adjourned at 9:05 pm.
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