Agriculture Working Group
Wednesday, December 11, 2013 Meeting Summary
Aiki Farms, Ledyard, CT
Working Group Members Present: Josh Stoffel, Bob Burns, Bill Sokol, Richard Fu, Cindy Barry, Emely
Hendl
United Way Staff Members Present: Dina Sears – Graves, Madeleine Daepp (VISTA), Sarah McDermott
(VISTA), Joe Attwater (VISTA)




The morning started off with omelets and sprouted seed-salad
Josh and Joe updated the group on the current status of the School Garden project. Conn
College students continue to make calls, and Cindy will send Josh a list of schools that have
already responded to the school garden survey
Food Hub
o It was suggested that the group hold community conversatino needs with institutions as
well as with producers
o Lopresti farms is involved with farm to school through Ledyard Schools
o Cindy mentioned that she has started spreadsheets that show what/how consumers
are buying and what/how producers are producing
o Richard mentioned that he and a few other businesses, as well as the USDA, are looking
into a possible online food-to-institution hub
o Bill mentioned that many farmers don’t have the energy or time to do direct marketing
o Joe contacted UCONN extension, who told him that the Hartford Food System just did a
food hub feasibility study for the Hartford Regional Food Market. Joe will try to obtain
this study, and see how it might link to a study in New London County
o Josh said he might be able to get a sophomore to do a two year food hub study as their
required study
o Madeleine will send Josh some of the food hub feasibility studies she has found; you can
find them at
Indicators
o The steering committee approved the implementation plan, so the next step is to
determine indicators
o Cindy suggested looking at intensity of gardens as an indicator (thinking of garden,
garden incorporated into curriculum, etc.)
o It was noted that there will be both short and long-term indicators
o

The group will split up into three sub-groups, each determining indicators for the three
strategies:
 Gardens – Cindy, Bob, Josh, Dina, Joe
 Local sourcing – Bill, Bob, Richard, Cindy (as it pertains to the USDA grant), Josh,
Dina, Madeleine, Joe
 Local access – Emily, Josh, Sarah, Madeleine, Joe
o Each group will be responsible for determining indicators (measurable’s) for each
initiative under their strategy. It should be noted that determining these initiatives and
indicators does not mean the group is responsible for carrying out the initiative
Farm to School Grant
o The farm to school grant will require some sort of conversation with farmers around
farm to school
o The grant will provide access to feasibility studies, the USDA farm to school portal, and
more resources
o Some of the things the grant will fund: procurement network, meetings, tastings, Farm
to Cafeteria trip in Austin, and Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food, among other things
o The grant will fund a two year farm to school coordinator through FRESH New London,
who should be starting towards the end of January
o The grant will also fund a farm to school procurement network, to connect farmers and
schools. More work will be done on how this network will be executed, how to connect
producers and consumers
o The money will not to help support CT Fresh
o The Department of Agriculture and Department of Education have different Farm to
School programs
o How do contracts between schools and food service providers work? How flexible are
they?
o Could schools be used a drop off point for CSA’s, with parents and teachers as the CSA
members? Cindy mentioned that the mobile food pantry makes stops at two schools
o Policy work needs to be done to make it easier for schools and institutions to purchase
locally. Cindy mentioned that Bridgeport focuses on local policy, such as zoning
o Bill mentioned that farmers always have excess, but the problem is coordination, which
is an even bigger issue than cost/price or supply
o Bob pointed out that the nutritional quality of the food also has to be taken into account
o Josh, Joe, and Cindy will meet to determine how the grant fits in with the work of the
council and what the council’s role will be
Next Meeting Date: Wednesday, January 15 at 9 am, at Aiki Farms (769 Shewville Rd., Ledyard, CT)