I was surprised to drive by this sign today. Farming in Belmont!!! Where?
Belmont is “a town of homes” - suburbia - 5 miles from downtown Boston. Not much open land, even less farm land. Our lot is 1/8 acre at most, like those around us, and unfortunately much of the soil lead contaminated, like all New England suburbs. To my knowledge, we have one last “working” farm - a 5 acre parcel called Sergi Farms, 1 mile from my house. But I don’t think their crops pay the rent, which is high here. And I don’t think you can call us gardeners at the community plots “farmers”. Farmers make a living at farming.
So, yes, there are challenges facing farmers in Belmont (all 2 of them). Main challenge: farmland. Opportunities: I don’t know.
It turns out that the presentation at the library will be a panel discussion with the Asst Commissioner of Mass Dept of Agricultural Resources, two owners of Sergi Farms, and an avid Belmont gardener who keeps bees and chickens. If I have time, I’ll stop by.
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