Northwest Corner farmers aided by climate-smart grants

KENT — Seven farms in the Northwest Corner have been awarded a combined total of $100,000 in the second round of Northwest Connecticut Land Conservancy’s climate-smart agricultural and forest grant program.

The initiative provides direct funding to farmers to enable them to adopt practices that enhance sustainability, productivity and climate resilience. In total, 15 awardees from across Litchfield County and northwestern Fairfield County received a combined $212,000 in the program’s second round.

“It’s very motivating to have been awarded an agricultural grant from NCLC,” said recipient Sheri Lloyd of Carlwood Farm, whose fifth-generation family farm will receive $10,000 to purchase seeds and soil amendments for crop rotations.

The project aims to reduce compaction, controls erosion and improve soil biology.

“We are looking forward to making some crop rotations to continue focusing on soil health and sustainability while being able to provide forage for our cattle,” said Lloyd.

In March 2023 the Kent-based land conservancy received an award of $750,000 from the state Department of Agriculture through the Climate Smart Agriculture & Forest Grant program. The program allocated $7 million to agricultural and conservation entities, and NCLC was one of 12 recipients selected for an award.

In 2024 the land conservancy announced 10 implementation grant awardees, and after a final competitive grant round last fall, 15 additional sites were selected.This year’s cohort includes beef, dairy, poultry, fish, forestry, vegetable, fruit and flower farms across Litchfield County and northwestern Fairfield County.

“Connecticut’s farms are in the top three for most at risk of loss in the country,” said the land conservancy’sExecutive Director Catherine Rawson.

“Connecticut’s agricultural producers are committed to being part of the climate change solution through on-farm energy, soil health and carbon sequestration projects to further increase their sustainability and resiliency,” said Bryan P. Hurlburt, Connecticut Department of Agriculture commissioner.

High temperatures, more frequent and severe drought and more intense and damaging storms with associated flooding and power outages have been “huge challenges” for the Falls Village-based Adamah, a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm, said director Janna Siller, who noted that CSA shares are still available to the public at fvcsa.adamah.org.

“The $16,000 we’ve been granted from NCLC will help us adapt by purchasing supplies to improve our resilience to these challenges through greenhouse, field production and irrigation improvements like shade cloth, temperature-neutral insect netting, greenhouse climate control, automation, high tunnel ventilation, a generator for the greenhouse heating system, irrigation upgrades and an electric mower.”

The distribution of the grants, for which the Falls Village farm is “incredibly grateful,” said Siller, comes at a time of great uncertainty for farm businesses.

In addition to Carlwood Farm and Adamah, other Northwest Corner farm grant recipients include: $24,000 to Canaan View Dairy LLC in East Canaan; $30,000 Conundrum Farm in Kent; $8,000 to Howling Flats Farm LLC in North Canaan; $9,000 to The Stead Farm LLC in Barkhamsted; and $3,000 to Wright Farm LLC in Goshen.

The Building Resiliency program also includes funding for 22 climate-smart agricultural assessments conducted by Berkshire Agricultural Ventures.

Later this spring, NCLC plans to celebrate Building Resiliency awardees and program partners with an on-farm celebration.

“Small farms serving local customers like ours have long relied on federal grants like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the Conservation Stewardship Program, both of which are federal programs that have supported farmers in serving local customers while mitigating climate change and preventing pollution.”

She further noted that federal funding for those programs and many others supporting local farm economies “have been frozen for months and are under threat of drastic cuts in the federal budget.”

In addition to Carlwood Farm and Adamah, the following Northwest Corner farm grant recipients include:

Canaan View Dairy LLC in East Canaan, which will receive $24,000 to purchase a dragline toolbar. This equipment promotes efficient manure application, which reduces nutrient loss and fuel consumption, decreases greenhouse gas emissions and improves soil and water quality.

Conundrum Farm in Kent will receive $30,000 for energy efficiency upgrades in the greenhouse, including establishing an airtight seal, ridge vent and automation software. These upgrades will lower the greenhouse’s energy consumption while improving growing conditions for year-round production.

Howling Flats Farm LLC in Canaan will receive $8,000 for an electric mower and trimmer. This equipment will reduce fossil fuel use and soil compaction while supporting the increased maintenance needs of the farm’s newly planted silvopasture.

The Stead Farm LLC of Barkhamsted will receive $9,000 for mobile chicken coops to enhance multispecies rotational grazing, a process which improves soil health, enhances biodiversity and controls weeds and parasites, increasing pasture and animal resilience and improving carbon sequestration.

Wright Farm LLC in Goshen will receive $3,000 to plant pollinator habitat. Pollinator-friendly plantings support biodiversity, enhance ecosystem services essential for food production and promote carbon sequestration.

In addition to the farm grants, The Building Resiliency program includes funding for 22 climate-smart agricultural assessments conducted by Berkshire Agricultural Ventures.

NCLC announced 18 assessment awardees in the fall of 2024, and since then, has awarded four additional farms, including the Sharon Land Trust’s Mary Moore Preserve. The land sits on the southwestern reach of the Red Mountain range and offers three miles of trails through farm fields, forests and boulder fields.

Later this spring, NCLC plans to celebrate Building Resiliency awardees and program partners with an on-farm celebration.