to the Chatham Keep Farming website.
The goal of Keep Farming is to maintain a sustainable agricultural community in Chatham, New York. This means that we are making a long-term commitment to being a farm community.
The Chatham Agricultural Partnership, a group appointed by the Town Board to oversee the implementation of the Keep Farming recommendations, has recently completed the draft Chatham Farmland Protection Plan. We received a grant from NYS Ag & Markets for this purpose. The plan is consistent with and builds on the recommendations that came out of the Keep Farming study which are included in the town's revised comprehensive plan. Many things have changed since the original study, of course, and this planning process helped us step back, reassess, and make modifications where needed.
Farm Film Fest 5 A Success!
Sunday, March 17, The Chatham Agricultural Partnership, The Chatham Film Club, and the Columbia Land Conservancy presented the fifth Farm Film Festival at the Crandell Theatre. See pictures from the event.
The festival featured films focused on farms, farming, and farming issues. Admission to the festival was free, and attendees brought a non-perishable food item for Chatham's Silent Food Pantry. Following the screenings a Meet Your Maker Reception was held at Peint O Gwrw. Thank you to all who attended and to all who helped out in their own way.
Capital Region Sustainability Plan Food and Agriculture Committee Looking for Your Input
The Capital Region Sustainability Plan is a coalition effort to develop a sustainability plan for the Capital Region and improve the economic and environmental health of our community. CAP member Tom Crowell is chairing the technical committee for Food and Agriculture in the plan.
In the next few months, the committee will be putting together strategies that will become recommendations for a plan for the Capital Region, including Columbia and Greene counties.
The project is part of the Cleaner, Greener Communities program, a major environmental initiative announced by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo last year. Contribute to the regional planning process on web-based, interactive maps.
According to Tom Crowell, "Your participation will help us create a regional plan that reflects the values and vision of you and your community. We want to make sure you can stay in the loop on upcoming meetings, get the project reports, and comment on the draft plan before it is finalized. We invite you to sign up to receive the email updates: Subscribe to the newsletter.
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