Land Conservancy disburses thousands in climate grants

“We will use the animals to do weed control and pruning and soil improvements with reduced chemical input.”
Dr. James Shepherd, owner of Smokedown Farm in Sharon

SHARON — Four working farms in the Northwest Corner are among the Northwest Connecticut Land Conservancy’s (NCLC) first round of eight grantees receiving a total of $114,000 for the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices.

Among the grantees are Smokedown Farm in Sharon ($30,000); Beavertides Farm in Falls Village ($17,000); Northwest Corner Farm in Winchester ($14,000) and Canaan View Dairy/CowPots in East Canaan ($5,000).

NCLC’s Building Resiliency Program is made possible through a grant from the Connecticut Department of Agriculture’s Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry (CSAF) program.

“NCLC seeks to ensure that as many working farms as possible benefit from this funding,” made possible through two rounds of grants, the second round slated for Oct. 1 through Nov. 20, according to Amanda Branson, NCLC’s Director of Operations & Finance.

Rotational grazing of livestock

During a visit to Smokedown Farm last week, Dr. James Shepherd, who runs the 175-acre family-owned farm with his wife, Katherine, explained that the $30,000 grant will be used to purchase fencing to enhance rotational grazing of sheep and American Aberdeen cattle around the farm’s 9 acre hopyard and additional pastures.

“Part of this climate resiliency grant is auspiciously for rotational grazing,” by adding more fields to the pasture and bringing the farm’s 9-acre hopyard into the rotation, he said. “Then we will use the animals to do weed control and pruning and soil improvements with reduced chemical input.”

As he spoke, hoofbeats and clouds of dust grew closer as the farm’s 200 stampeding sheep, including 100 ewes, were led from one field to another by Pippa, an energetic year-and-a half-old Border Collie.

Reducing Greenhouse gas emissions

The Freund family farm’s Canaan View Dairy/CowPots operation received $5,000 to conduct a feasibility study, the first step in receiving funding for a new anaerobic digester to replace its antiquated machinery.

Anaerobic digesters reduce greenhouse gas emissions by capturing methane from livestock waste. They provide a renewable energy source that can decrease the farm’s reliance on fossil fuels and lower operational costs.

“Our anaerobic methane digester was installed in 1997. It is the longest continuously operating digester in the country,” said Amanda Freund, who oversees the CowPots facility. “After 27 years, the costs, time and skills needed to keep it in operation are extensive.”

She explained that the planned site for a new digester would also make it possible to deliver the heat energy to the CowPots operation’s ovens to dry their finished product.

“We designed our factory to have zero waste stream. This project would allow us to further close the loop so that the energy required for heat and drying would be provided by the cow manure, reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.”

Support for a silvopasture, windbreak

Falls Village’s Beavertides Farm was granted $17,000 to develop a silvopasture through the purchase of tree seedlings and establishment materials, and to enhance rotational grazing of their sheep and beef cows through fencing.

The integration of forestry and rotational grazing enhances biodiversity and allows pastures to sequester more carbon. Silvopasture also improves livestock health through protection from extreme weather patterns.

Northwest Corner Farm in Winchester will receive $14,000 to establish a windbreak to protect the hilltop farm, and develop and expand pollinator habitat. The plantings reduce erosion, enhance soil health and provide food and shelter for wildlife and pollinators.