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“Bringing Us Together: A Project to Develop and Strengthen the Connections to Our Farms”

“Bringing Us Together: A Project to Develop and Strengthen the Connections to Our Farms”. Rehoboth has beautiful scenery, good schools, great highway access, and is near to major employment centers, making it highly desirable as a bedroom community.

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“Bringing Us Together: A Project to Develop and Strengthen the Connections to Our Farms”

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  1. “Bringing Us Together: A Project to Develop and Strengthen the Connections to Our Farms”

  2. Rehoboth has beautiful scenery, good schools, great highway access, and is near to major employment centers, making it highly desirable as a bedroom community.

  3. Changes in Rehoboth Land Use, in acres, 1951-1999

  4. Since its inception in 2003, the Rehoboth Ag Com has…Established the Rehoboth Farmers Market

  5. …Created a direct marketing brochure

  6. … Secured passage of a Right-to-Farm Bylaw at Town Meeting

  7. …Installed “REHOBOTH… A Right To Farm Community” signs at major entrance points into town

  8. “I didn’t know I was building my dream house next to a farm!!”

  9. SARE Grant Application Components One page allowed for each of these questions: • What is the problem and why is it important? • How will your project address the issue? • What will your methods be? • How will you measure your results? • How will the results make your community more sustainable? • How will you disseminate your project results? • Who is the project leader? What is the nature of the lead organization? • Who are the key collaborators? Detailed project budget with supporting documentation.

  10. Rehoboth SARE Grant Project MAJOR COMPONENTS: • Develop address list/inventory of farms • Conduct Needs Assessment Survey • Produce educational/marketing brochure • Create interactive GIS maps with farm info.

  11. GIS Map Detail Showing Parcel Boundaries, Streets, & Surface Water.

  12. Regional Planning Agency: SRPEDDSoutheastern Mass Planning & Economic Development District

  13. Mass. Regional Planning Districts • Berkshire Regional Planning Commission • Boston Metropolitan Area Planning Council • Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization • Cape Cod Commission Information Center • Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission • Franklin Regional Council of Governments • Merrimack Valley Planning Commission • Montachusett Regional Planning Commission • Nantucket Regional Planning & Economic Development Commission • Northern Middlesex County Council of Governments (NMCOG) • Old Colony Planning Council • PVPC-Pioneer Valley Planning Commission • SRPEDD-Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District

  14. Building the Inventory Step One: Where are our farms? Information/Address Sources – Most in Town Hall • Chapter 61 Land (Assesor’s Office) • Chapter 61 A Land (Assessor’s Office) • Piggery Permits (Town Health Dept.) • Stable Permits (Town Health Dept.) • Farm Excise Tax Address List (Tax Collector) • Nonprofit Organization Mailing Lists • Sign-Up Sheets at Ag events

  15. Sign-up Notebook

  16. Step Two: Get More Information from the Tax Assessor’s Office This is Public Information • Map/Lot ID numbers (needed for GIS mapping) for all parcels owned by each operator • Acreage of each parcel • Land Use Code for each parcel (single family, swamp, etc.) Ask for the print-out describing what each code means. Other useful information can be obtained from farm operators.

  17. Major Areas Covered by Survey • Information about the farm (1 page only) • Best/Worst aspects of Rehoboth as location • Prioritizing needs/challenges facing farms • Farm succession – are plans in place? • Farms’ history/relationship with various nonprofits • Education and training needs • Computer usage • Interest in participating in future AgCom initiatives • Open-ended area for any “last thoughts” • Return address with postage

  18. Get as much free publicity as you can.

  19. Advance Notice via Postcard

  20. “Computerizing” Your Survey Results

  21. CONTACT INFORMATION junebhouse@comcast.net (508)252-3621

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