–Announced on January 5, 2024

The East Quabbin Land Trust is pleased to announce a micro-grant program targeted at promoting farming in our region. The goal is to inspire our local farmers to continue doing their great work in sustaining our communities and improving the quality of life in the East Quabbin region – including Barre, Hardwick, New Braintree, North Brookfield, Oakham, Petersham, Ware and West Brookfield.

Grants will be awarded in two categories:

  1. Farm succession planning and farmland conservation; and
  2. Regenerative farming practices focused on fruits, vegetables and meats directly consumed by residents of our region.

We expect to award between two to four grants each year for the next five years – between $2,500 and $10,000 each, though most grants are expected to be $5,000 or less.  These funds can be paid to the farmer or directly to the service provider.  That might mean paying a surveyor or lawyer assisting with transferring the farm to the next generation, or the contractor installing fencing or a well to enhance farming practices that build soil health, wildlife habitat, and protect water quality. Other practices might include activities associated with moving towards no-till farming, using cover-crops and filter strips along stream and wetland corridors.

Prior year grant awardees are eligible to apply, however preference may be given to first-time applicants.

To apply for an East Quabbin Farm Micro-grant please send a letter to Cynthia Henshaw, Executive Director, East Quabbin Land Trust responding to the following questions. Your letter can be emailed to [email protected] or mailed to PO Box 5, Hardwick MA 01037. Please submit your request for funding by Monday, February 19, 2024.

Letter of request should include the following information:

  • Applicant name, farm name, address and contact information
  • Summary statement about requested purpose and amount (40 words or less)
  • Description of current farming practices (250 words or less)
  • Description of funding need and expected change to farm or farming practices (500 words or less)
  • How your proposed project can be modified if partial funding is awarded (100 words or less)

A short interview may be requested of finalists before grant awardees are chosen.

For more information or questions, please contact Cynthia Henshaw at [email protected] or (978) 895-6984. This opportunity is available because of a generous multi-year commitment from an anonymous foundation.

Announcing the 2023 Awardees:

The inaugural round of farm micro-grants was awarded, supporting the efforts of six area farms to build their capacity and support regenerative farming practices.  Things like rotational grazing, no-till farming, cover cropping, building soil carbon through addition of compost and maintaining a healthy microbiome are all important farm practices to support. Regenerative farming increases soil health and productively for the long-term, increasing water infiltration rather than surface runoff and flooding, mitigating climate change impacts in our local communities.

Overall, requests came from nine farms seeking nearly $70,000 in support.  The full $20,000 available was awarded, with a bonus microscope donation (thank you Tim J.)!  This micro-grant program was made possible through a generous grant from an anonymous foundation.  If you’d like to contribute towards expanding the amount of funding available for our local regenerative farms, please contact Cynthia at [email protected] to discuss a donation.

  • Many Hands Organic Farm, Barre – $2,000 plus microscope. The microscope is to study the microbial profile of their growing soils. Funding is also focused on developing on-farm lactobacillus and compost teas as soil amendments for the farm. The use of the microscope and soil amendment knowledge will be shared with other farms to improve regenerative practices broadly.
  • Waugh Farm, New Braintree – $4,068. The funds are part of the need to expand fencing for their growing Hereford herd. Ultimately, the plan is to graze on sixteen acres.
  • Rock Harvest Farm, New Braintree – $1,300. Converting to no-till/low till farming practices by creating raised beds requires good soil fertility. The funds are targeted towards rental of a dump trailer that’s essential for bringing compost, wood chips and other organic material onto the farm.
  • Free Living Farm, Petersham – $4,564. The farm will purchase a mechanical compost spreader and quality compost to further the evolution of the farm’s regenerative and biological practices.
  • Noel’s Farm, North Brookfield and Petersham – $4,000. The funds are targeted to increase soil health through compost and cover crop use, and establish irrigation of additional acres in Petersham.
  • Golden Goose Geoponics, Ware – $4,068. Creating mobile livestock containment pens is the next step in producing healthy livestock by allowing rotational grazing as a key farming practice. These pens are especially important for use in overgrown fields filled with invasive plants.