From the most recent edition of the Rye Eats Local Newsletter comes an update on the Goss Farm work:
The Local Food movement is alive and well in Rye. We have successful summer and winter farmers’ markets, a school community garden at the Rye Junior High, and now we have the Goss Farm restoration to add to the resurgent agricultural movement in Rye.
For more than two years a task force of the Rye Energy Committee has been meeting with hopes of establishing a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) in Rye. With the town’s purchase of the Goss property, land has finally been made available.
As many of you know, the Goss Farm was purchased with Rye Conservation Commission funds with a matching grant from the NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service) which is part of the United States Department of Agriculture. The grant stipulates that the land be used for agricultural purposes.
Recently, the Rye Energy task force known as the Goss Farm Task Force was moved under the umbrella of the Rye Conservation Commission to streamline efforts on the Goss property.
This fall, the Rockingham County Conservation District was awarded additional funds from the NH State Conservation Committee (Moose Plate) Grants to amend the soils on the Goss property and to control invasive species, a critical first step in getting the land ready for farming. Work is also needed on the barn and the Conservation Commission is pursuing funding for that purpose.
It is our hope to have a CSA up and running on the Goss property by spring of 2012. The CSA will start small, with approximately two acres under cultivation. We welcome input from the community on how a CSA might best suit the needs of the residents of Rye.
We are currently searching for a farmer/manager for the CSA. We are also looking for reasonably priced rental property in Rye where the farmer could live. If you have any questions or know of a farmer or rental property in town please contact Mimi White @ 964-6586, mimiwhite@earthlink.net.
The CSA is one component of what will happen on the farm. The Goss property is also being considered as a site for community gardens, a farm stand, a restored apple orchard, blueberry bushes and other community agricultural activities.
Sally King, Annette Lee, Mel Low, Roger Philbrick, Tracy Ritzo, Mimi White, Steve White and Brandon Smith advisor, the Goss Farm Task Force.