The City, through the Conservation Commission, licenses the use of farmland that it owns as part of conservation areas, managing the property based on local needs.
The purpose of these policies are to manage the properties:
1. Consistent with the City’s Open Space, Recreation, and Multi-Use Trail Plan.
2. Support local farmers to the extent possible.
3. Encourage best management practices appropriate to the parcel to be farmed and prefers organic farming except when infeasible; each license will be reviewed and approved by the Commission.
4. Support neighborhoods and public access to public land.
5. Preference to sweat equity improvements from agricultural land license holders instead of cash license payments.
Public land available to farming and related best management practices:
1. Mineral Hills Greenway farmland: Best management practice: Transition to no-till agriculture OR organic.
2. Mineral Hills Greenway maple sugaring: Best management practice: Traditional taps and buckets only.
3. Connecticut River Greenway farmland: Best management practice: Organic farming only.
4. Meadows Greenway at Montview: Best management practice: Neighborhood organized only.
7. Meadows Greenway at Manhan Road: Best management practice: Organic farming only.