Farming could return to Samuel Staples Elementary School land

Written by Brad Durrell
Thursday, 05 November 2009 17:50

The land where the new Samuel Staples Elementary School is located, known as the Morehouse Road property, was farmed for many generations before the school was built.

Now parts of the property could be farmed again.

“I’m excited about it,” said Sal Gilbertie, one of the local farmers and agricultural enthusiasts interested in pursuing the project.

The idea is to farm two parcels in front of, and on the side of, the school.

Parcel A is 1.67 acres and is in front of the school, along Morehouse Road. Parcel B is 2.25 acres and is at the corner of Morehouse and Banks roads.

A third parcel, C, is on the side and likely will not be used for farming in the near future due to questions about whether it was used for farming in the past and about its possible archeological value.

While the proposal has yet to be finalized, town officials have given permission for local farmers to “turn” — or till — the land and seed it with a winter crop such as rye. That work now has been done, and was preceded by public works crews cutting down growth — such as high grass, shrubs and tree seedlings — that had sprung up during the past few years.

In the future, town officials are likely to make an 8-24 referral to allow active farming on the site. An 8-24 referral is when the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) gives an advisory opinion on a proposed use for municipal property.

Proponents, led by Easton residents Gilbertie and Will Tressler, have made presentations to the Easton Board of Education, Board of Selectmen and P&Z. Gilbertie owns an herb farm on Sport Hill Farm. Tressler is a longtime proponent of maintaining Easton’s rural character.

The school board has unanimously passed a resolution that “supports the concept of farming a portion of the SSES site.” The Board of Selectmen also has unanimously approved the concept in the past. P&Z members appear to support the idea as well.

“A lot of people in town want to see this happen,” Gilbertie said.

The concept was first suggested by Tressler two years ago. “I just don’t want to see the land lay fallow,” Tressler said, “and I’d like the farming activity to be visible.”

Gilbertie said many people support the idea. “There are a lot of volunteers interested in getting this off the ground, but we couldn’t do anything until we got permission to plow,” he said.

The parcels could be used for different kind of farming — educational purposes connected to the school; community gardening by the public; commercial gardening by local farmers; and to produce vegetables for school lunches.

The site previously was known as Buster’s Farm, operated by Buster Cocivi, and also was farmed for the Miro family.

It’s uncertain if all of Parcel A could be used due to its proximity to new recreational fields.

There is a separate and unrelated proposal to use land behind the school to plant trees that would be maintained by Staples students.

According to an action plan presented by Citizens for Easton, an organization that backs the idea, active farmland would “complement the barn-style school, reinforce Easton’s image/heritage as an active farm community, and offer school pupils a daily connection with the land.”

The action plan states that farming the property would generate money to the town from leases, provide an educational asset for teachers, expose children to careers in farming, and create eco-friendly landscaping for the school.

In addition, some produce would be grown that could be used at the school as part of the Farm to School program that uses locally grown items in school lunches.

The action plan proposes a volunteer management team be formed to oversee the farmland. The only potential major cost would be insurance, according to the plan, and that could be counterbalanced by the leasing income.

Someone already has offered to donate deer fencing to go around the parcels, according to proponents.

“We’ll make it happen,” Gilbertie said.

With the tilling and planting of winter rye completed, the parcels should be ready for plowing and then planting in the spring if permission is granted, Gilbertie said.

He envisions creating 20-foot by 20-foot square plots that could be used by students, families and others in the community.

One issue will be securing a water source to use on the parcels, especially Parcel B.