How important is farming to our local economy? What can our community do to better support agriculture? Volunteers of Keep Farming aim to find out.
Their 2011 survey of Northampton’s farmers revealed that the majority of our farmland and managed forests (representing 18% of our total land) is used for hay, feed corn, and pasture. Northampton farmers also grow dozens of other vegetables, fruit, flowers, and bedding plants. They raise many kinds of livestock and produce honey, maple syrup, eggs, wine, fruit products, pickles, wool, meat, Christmas trees, and firewood. While the “buy local” movement has helped support our farmers by increasing market options and public demand for local produce, farmers expressed ongoing challenges such as the rising costs of fuel and land.
Keep Farming is an initiative of the Glynwood Center of Cold Spring, NY. Glynwood is providing assistance to Northampton’s citizen volunteers so they may gather useful information to guide the City in supporting a vibrant farm economy.
