[0:00] All right. Hello everyone. Welcome to
this belated February meeting of the
[0:06] agricultural commission commission.
Today is Wednesday, February 18th.
[0:12] Uh this meeting is being recorded by the
agricultural commission. If any other
[0:15] persons present are doing the same, you
must notify the chairperson at this
[0:18] time. So at this time, I'd like to call
this meeting to order.
[0:26] Um,
super quick, super easy roll call at
[0:30] this point. Uh, Denise, are you here?
>> That's debatable.
[0:35] » Are you here?
>> I am here.
[0:36] » And Sid is here. Um, so we did just a
couple minutes ago, Lou, if I don't know
[0:41] if you saw the email from Greg.
>> Um, so he just a couple minutes ago
[0:45] emailed to let us know that he had to
resign. So, okay, that is just the three
[0:49] of us.
>> Wow.
[0:51] » We have a quorum.
So, we can proceed.
[1:00] » Uh, as far as public comment goes, no
discussion or comments will be
[1:03] entertained unless requested upon by the
chairperson of the border committee.
[1:08] I've not requested any public comments.
Um, Elizabeth Net mentioned that she
[1:13] might try to zoom in, so if she stops
by, it'll be cool to see her. If not, so
[1:20] be it. Yeah, no one at the moment on
Zoom.
[1:23] » Uh, review and approval of previous
meeting minutes. So, these are the
[1:28] minutes for December 3rd, 2025.
Um, can I get someone to read these,
[1:33] please?
I can read them. Thank you.
[1:39] » Okay. Egg miss commission minutes from
123 532. Chairperson statement 532.
[1:46] Meeting call to order 533. Roll call of
members. Um 533 also public comment. No
[1:54] public comment was entertained. 533 also
review and approval of minutes for the
[2:00] 101 meeting. They were moved by Sid.
Seconded by Liz. We all voted in favor.
[2:07] 535. There was a discussion of the noise
ordinance research being undertaken by
[2:11] residents of precinct 7. Dates of
upcoming noise ordinance meetings noted
[2:15] and plans were made to attend. Making
sure that language of the noise
[2:19] ordinance respects farm work noise from
the Greenfield city code. The right to
[2:24] farm is hereby recognized to exist
within the city of Greenfield. The above
[2:27] described agricultural activities may
occur on holidays, weekdays, and
[2:31] weekends by night or day and shall
include the attendant incidental noise,
[2:35] odors, dust, and fumes associated with
normally accepted agricultural
[2:39] practices. It is hereby determined that
whatever impact may be caused to others
[2:43] through the normal practice of
agriculture is more than offset by the
[2:46] benefits of farming to the neighborhood,
community, and society in general. The
[2:50] benefits and protections of the chapter
are intended to apply exclusively to
[2:54] those agricultural and farming
operations and activities conducted in
[2:57] accordance with generally accepted
agricultural practices. Moreover,
[3:01] nothing in this chapter shall be deemed
as acquiring any interest in land or as
[3:04] imposing any land use regulation, which
is properly the subject of state
[3:08] statute, regulation, or local zoning
law. Nor is it intended hereby that the
[3:13] creation of an implementation of this
chapter supersedes, replaces, modifies,
[3:17] alters, or changes any existing or
future Greenfield city ordinance or
[3:21] zoning ordinance or state or federal law
related to agricultural uses within
[3:26] Greenfield.
544. There was a discussion of the
[3:30] Greenfield Conservation Commission's
request for a letter of support for
[3:33] their applications for the Community
Preservation Act fund. Um, and we all
[3:38] voted in favor of that. 546 updates and
planning for Greenfield Market Farmers
[3:44] Market appearance. We reached out to
MDAR to request some farm swag. There
[3:48] was farm related zoning law handouts
that we thought we could maybe get
[3:52] Copycat to donate a map of Greenfield to
mark local a projects and um scheduling
[3:59] someone to man the booth during the
markets. At just 559 we went back to the
[4:05] right to farm and noise ordinance. And
then at 604 there was discussion of
[4:10] flyer distribution pending SID making of
flyer. 605, uh, we filled in members who
[4:16] had been absent about ongoing grievances
at Leiden Road in Greenfield Greenery.
[4:21] 612, we talked about the right to farm
signs. 6:15, we ended the meeting.
[4:28] » Great.
Uh, could I please get a motion to
[4:32] accept these minutes?
>> Seconded.
[4:36] In favor? All in favor? I
[4:44] All right. So, for new business, before
her resignation, Elizabeth Net um asked
[4:50] us to touch back on the new situation
with animal control here in Greenfield.
[4:56] Um so, we have detailed instructions
here for contacting animal control when
[5:00] you need them. So, the first and most
important thing is that the Greenfield
[5:04] PD doesn't have an in-house animal
control officer anymore. So, if we have
[5:08] an issue uh that we need help with, we
have to contact the Franklin County
[5:11] Sheriff's Office. Uh this can be done
over phone by calling 4137747340
[5:18] or we can email them at animal control
fs fcso-mma.
[5:25] us.
Um their website I have listed here for
[5:30] more information. Uh it's fcrard
dogpanel.org.
[5:35] And uh for anyone who
uh doesn't remember this or needs to
[5:40] refer back to it, all of this
information is on the city of Greenfield
[5:43] website under departments animal
control. So super easy to find. Um does
[5:49] anyone have any further thoughts on
animal control?
[5:53] No.
Um I know before the meeting we
[5:57] mentioned um that there were maybe some
issues with whether or not the sheriff's
[6:01] office was available. uh like maybe they
had too many things going on at once. So
[6:09] that might be something to keep an eye
on. And I've I've called them and
[6:12] introduced us to them and said hit us up
if you ever need anything.
[6:18] Um, so if we're happy with that, I will
move on to point number two,
[6:24] um, which I wrote, uh, when we were
going to have this meeting on the 4th,
[6:29] drafting of statement for submission
during the February 12th public forum on
[6:33] the proposed noise ordinance for
Greenfield. Um, my questions were, is
[6:39] drafted proposal available for public
viewing yet, and who is planning on
[6:42] attending this meeting? Uh, answer to
question A, uh, there's not one. this is
[6:47] fully like in research collection stage.
Uh so I zoomed into this meeting.
[6:54] Um and it turned out that there was not
like a public comment section. So you
[6:58] could like
>> submit a statement anyway. Um it was
[7:01] like you would go to tables and
collaborate with the other people at
[7:06] your table and then as your table you
would submit to the board. So um but
[7:10] what I learned from zooming into the
meeting is that um basically what
[7:13] they've done is uh these people from
precinct 7 whose names escape me um just
[7:20] went through and they downloaded
basically every noise noise ordinance
[7:24] for every city in Massachusetts and
they've been going through and figuring
[7:28] out like how they overlap and what works
for where and how does it interact with
[7:34] right to farm law and with event spaces
and all of that. Um
[7:41] um so personally I'm I'm feeling very
positive about how this is going to
[7:46] interact with our right to farm law. Um
they specifically
[7:50] made the statement in the meeting that
um the noise ordinance is not like a new
[7:55] law that's going to make things like not
against the rules or anything anymore.
[8:00] It's just a way that they like basically
they want to set a precedent so that uh
[8:05] as they do new things these they are
thinking about doing it all to the same
[8:11] standard. Um makes sense.
>> Yeah. And um like we saw in the minutes,
[8:17] I I pulled the right to farm code from
the Greenfield city code. And it's very
[8:23] specific that like holidays, weekdays,
weekends, night or day, the incidental
[8:29] noise is
what it is. Um middle of the night.
[8:33] » Yeah. Yeah. So I'm I'm planning on
keeping up to date with that. Um just in
[8:38] case anyone anything pops up that seems
concerning. But um the
[8:44] » and these are just like citizens in
precinct 7 that were doing that.
[8:47] » Yeah. Cool.
>> Um so it was originally in response to
[8:51] noise from the fairgrounds, but the more
that they did the research, the more
[8:54] that they were seeing that like noise
ordinances, they address event spaces
[8:58] and they also address like normal
business operation and traffic and loud
[9:03] engines and
>> all kinds of things like that. Um they
[9:06] have brought it to
um appointments and ordinances and the
[9:11] community relations committee
commission.
[9:14] » That's correct. Community relations
committee
[9:16] » committee. Yeah.
>> Um just to kind of like give them the
[9:20] lowdown on what they're doing. And
everybody on the community relations
[9:23] committee um including
[9:28] a couple city councilors and the mayor
were like this sounds great. Let's keep
[9:33] going with the research. and then when
we get to some kind of point where we
[9:38] feel happy with the research, we'll turn
it over to appointments and ordinances
[9:41] and we can try to draft something. Um,
but for the time being, it's very it's
[9:46] in the research phase. And the ladies in
precinct 7 are like very specific like
[9:51] we don't want to sit here and tell
anyone like what's best for the whole
[9:54] town,
>> right?
[9:55] » So, um I I felt very optimistic after uh
sitting in on that meeting. Um, but if
[10:01] anyone has other concerns, I would be
happy to hear them. And obviously,
[10:06] not that I think we get like a huge
viewership out in the world of green
[10:10] fields, but
but that's the sort of thing that uh,
[10:15] you know, our neighbors could bring to
us too, I think, if they were worried
[10:18] about. Um, anyone have any further
thoughts on point two?
[10:29] M
>> okay then I'm going to go ahead and move
[10:34] on to three
um which is Elizabeth Net and now also
[10:41] Greg Kootwear.
[10:46] Um I will say this could not have been
reasonably anticipated by the chair at
[10:50] the writing of this agenda because it
happened just now.
[10:54] » Yeah.
Um, so their resignation from the
[10:58] Agricultural Commission. Um, neither of
them are here to say thank you to, but
[11:03] I'm very thankful for all all their hard
work and service. I know Elizabeth Nut
[11:07] basically restarted this commission. Um,
and Greg has been on it from almost the
[11:13] beginning, right? I know it was
originally Elizabeth and Dave and
[11:18] » and me.
>> And you? Yeah.
[11:20] » Okay. So, for a while.
>> Yeah. Yes.
[11:23] » Yeah. Um, Elizabeth said that she was um
[11:30] she was um spending a lot more time
working with her animal rights group
[11:34] » and so she was feel like it was eating
into her
[11:37] » uh mental bandwidth and Greg was just uh
elected president of the beekeeping
[11:42] association.
>> Well, that's an issue.
[11:44] » Yeah. Um and he's just like super
swamped with that.
[11:50] » How dare he?
>> Yeah. Honestly, right.
[11:54] uh personal improvement, personal
growth.
[11:58] Um so my I don't know how to go about
this um because I don't think that the
[12:06] open seat that I filled was publicized
pretty much at all.
[12:10] » No, I think for the most part I
suggested to both of you that you
[12:16] » with uh Exactly. So, um I'm curious if
we could have like the city of
[12:22] Greenfield post something on the
Facebook page that we've got open
[12:26] chairs.
>> I think we'll we'll be posting soon
[12:28] about all of the
>> Okay, awesome.
[12:30] » various openings, right?
>> Yeah.
[12:32] » Um
on one hand, it would be nice to have,
[12:36] you know, more people farming. Yes. On
this, but I also realize how busy they
[12:40] can be. Yeah.
>> I can text my neighbor who's got a beef
[12:43] farm and ask if he's at all interested.
[12:49] But it's tough.
>> Yeah.
[12:51] » Yeah. Um well, so obviously the city at
large will see it when that larger post
[12:58] goes out. But I was also curious if we
had like
[13:03] any ideas if we if we had anyone who we
thought would be a good fit that we
[13:07] wanted to reach out and invite
specifically if that's allowed.
[13:13] » It's my neighbor Brian Cleberg.
>> Okay.
[13:15] » Farms. And so I'm I can reach out to
him.
[13:18] » That would be awesome.
>> Excuse me. I hate that word. I can
[13:20] contact him.
No,
[13:23] » he definitely
>> dates me because I can remember that
[13:27] AT&T commercial. Reach out and touch
someone.
[13:29] » Oh my gosh, I had thought about it that
in a minute.
[13:32] » Yeah.
>> Um I think it would be really awesome if
[13:35] we could get someone involved with the
farmers market.
[13:38] » Oh, that's a good idea.
>> Or like the the Greenfield co-op or
[13:42] something like that.
>> That's a very good idea. like someone
[13:45] from one of those.
>> Yeah. Or like a
[13:50] if not a managing member than just
someone who's like involved.
[13:54] » Whoever it is has to live in Greenfield.
>> Yes.
[14:00] And they can't own land in Greenfield,
right? They have to live in Greenfield
[14:04] as well. Is that correct?
[14:09] » All members shall be Greenfield
residents whenever possible. members
[14:13] should be involved in farming in this
community or have some background
[14:16] knowledge of agric agricultural pursuits
in Greenfield.
[14:20] » Okay.
>> Yeah. So, restorm on for a bit and he
[14:28] couldn't manage to make the meetings.
>> Yeah.
[14:30] » Yeah.
>> He was pretty busy
[14:32] » and he had a couple kids.
[14:36] » Yeah. I think um
[14:41] I don't know. I don't know.
[14:52] That's tough, huh? We could um
do the the just make a note about the
[14:59] open chair and post it at the egg light,
too.
[15:04] I don't I don't know
us what the vetting process is like for
[15:11] new members or if we want.
>> You just have to um
[15:16] » send them a letter saying you're
interested in what you're
[15:19] » right. What it's really pretty
straightforward.
[15:24] » What if we get like more than one person
flying? Then we will rejoice.
[15:28] » That would be awesome. Yeah. Yeah.
>> If we have two.
[15:32] » That's true. Yeah. And and it's up to
but not limited to five members, right?
[15:37] » It's five. Yep. And the mayor will the
mayor reviews any
[15:42] » Gotcha. Yeah. And then makes
appointments.
[15:44] » Cool.
Um
[15:48] Okay.
So, if you can reach out to your
[15:53] neighbor,
>> I will. With just a ping, that would be
[15:55] » Huh. Sorry. Sorry. If you can contact
your neighbor.
[15:58] » Every once in a while, we text to each
other. So,
[16:01] » he lets me know when he's going to shoot
off his guns so that my dogs are not
[16:04] outside.
>> Art.
[16:06] » Um, I can try to get in touch with um
Greenfield's Market and see if anyone
[16:14] any of like their member owners or
anything would be interested in joining.
[16:18] Um, maybe post a note there and I could
post a note at Egway. Lou, would you be
[16:23] willing to try to reach out, try to
contact
[16:28] um Sorry.
um like the larger farmers market
[16:35] umbrella like oh the the vendors you
mean or because I think a lot of aren't
[16:40] from green in the midst of
>> Yeah that's what I'm thinking
[16:47] » market manager
>> right
[16:49] » about looking at CISA you know people
people who are affiliated with CISA
[16:55] » that's a good idea
>> you can take a look at their I just
[17:00] Yes, I want and um I I want I almost
want to get Hannah on. She's not going
[17:07] to be market managing,
>> but but I think she lives in
[17:10] Northampton.
That might be true.
[17:15] » Then look at the CISA website and see,
you know, who is listed with them that
[17:19] lives field.
>> That'd be cool. Yeah. Okay. Okay. So
[17:22] maybe instead of the Greenfield farmers
market say CISA and in that case
[17:29] would you take either list of people on
the uh Greenfield um
[17:37] Greenfield Cooperative Farmers Exchange.
Do they have a list of people?
[17:40] » Kind of. It's not really kept up to date
and I don't think it's exhaustive.
[17:45] » Yeah.
>> Um but I think maybe posting something
[17:48] there is
>> Yeah. Yeah.
[17:50] » Yeah. I think that's a good idea
>> enough. Okay. Nothing.
[17:53] » All right. So then
Denise, if you want to get in touch with
[17:59] Brian and
>> I look at the CISA.
[18:02] » Yeah.
>> Then I can just post a not Greenfield's
[18:05] Market and I I can't send out a list of
Greenfield CISA members to them outside
[18:11] of the meeting. Is that correct?
>> Um,
[18:13] » and if I had done my conflict of
interest, I would know.
[18:17] » That's not conflict of interest. That's
open meeting law. Um, so I would say if
[18:23] you want to work on this as a group,
maybe think about two of you
[18:28] volunteering to work on it together and
then you're free to talk about it as
[18:30] long as you don't a quorum
>> outside of Okay, cool.
[18:33] » Yeah.
>> All right.
[18:35] » Well, I will email one or the other of
you.
[18:38] » Perfect.
>> Okay.
[18:42] » Um, actually, it would be very helpful
to me if the two of you could tackle
[18:45] that. Um because I'm working on some
graphic design for the farmers market.
[18:49] Okay.
>> For our stand.
[18:51] » Okay. Do I have your email address?
>> You do have my Well, yeah. Yeah, because
[18:57] we've been on many emails together.
>> Yeah, that's right.
[19:06] Okay.
[19:09] All right. I feel happy with that.
Yep, I do. Is that right?
[19:16] Mhm.
>> Okay.
[19:21] » Okay.
>> And we're sharing on Friday, so I
[19:24] probably won't get to it until after
that.
[19:26] » That's super fair.
[19:30] » I uh we have plenty of time to get
someone applied and sworn in because
[19:34] » But I will I will text Brian at all.
>> Who's cheering for you?
[19:39] » Aaron.
>> Oh, nice.
[19:40] » Yeah, you're welcome to come if you're
free. Okay, I'll think about I just I
[19:45] just did a shooting day on Sunday.
>> With whom?
[19:50] » It was Vermont Shepard.
>> Okay.
[19:54] » Yeah. With Kevin with Blades.
>> Oh, yeah.
[19:57] » Oh, that's cool.
>> He's fairly elderly now, isn't he?
[20:00] » Yeah. Still discussion of
um Okay, next page. We are swinging into
[20:09] old business.
[20:12] Um, update on the right to prom signs. I
have a real actual update on these
[20:17] actually. Um, so the sign on French King
Highway near Gil Road has been approved
[20:24] by DPW and Glenn says it can be
installed as soon as the ground thaws.
[20:29] » Never the way things are going.
>> Yeah.
[20:32] So when I learned that, I reached out to
Hail Signs and asked Sherry if they
[20:37] could print one of the signs and then I
could deliver Dicklland's office right
[20:41] away in April to be like, "We're ready.
Let's go."
[20:44] » Yeah.
>> Um and then I realized that Jonathan was
[20:47] also communicating with Hail Signs
separately in a separate email chain. So
[20:51] we have consolidated those email chains.
All three signs are paid for and they're
[20:56] going to start working on printing
and then DPW can come pick up the signs.
[21:03] » So, they're going to hold on to them.
The two signs that are still waiting on
[21:08] Massachusetts
do
[21:14] approval.
[21:17] Uh Ian Hodgegden with Greenfield DPW did
respond to me. He said he is still
[21:23] working with DPW to complete our
application for those locations. He says
[21:27] he still has work to do on that end and
then also the state will just take some
[21:31] time.
>> Okay.
[21:32] » So, still waiting on those, but I was
really thankful to get like a concrete
[21:36] anything. Okay,
>> good.
[21:39] » Um
[21:44] uh any further notes on the right to
farm signs?
[21:49] Uh oh, I also asked for a proof on the
right to prom because um you guys had
[21:53] decided on the sign uh before I joined
the committee. Um and they just look
[21:58] like the old ones, the old one that we
have and it's cute and it's clean and so
[22:02] awesome.
[22:06] So, our last piece of old business
uh review setup for our educational
[22:12] booth at the Greenfield Winter Market on
37 2024.
[22:17] I can go there. Yeah.
Um, so I am available to table for this.
[22:23] I'm planning on tableabling for this.
I'm still planning on
[22:27] bringing like
>> What time is it?
[22:30] » 10 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
>> I can come down for part of the time.
[22:33] » That'd be awesome.
>> As long as there's somebody else there.
[22:37] » Yeah.
>> Beautiful. And that's at the
[22:41] » at the library.
>> Yep. Um, so the farmers market sets up
[22:47] by the one entrance for the library and
then close to the kids section of the
[22:53] library like right at those doors is
where we'll be set up um with like the
[22:57] other community
>> um
[23:01] bodies. I just was talking to
[23:08] someone
[23:18] Pamela at the library and
uh we'll be there with the community
[23:25] preservation commission.
[23:29] So fun.
[23:35] Um,
[23:38] so as far as what that setup is going to
look like, um, Lou forward me some
[23:43] really great graphics from MDAR. Um,
which I'm going to use and maybe do like
[23:50] a trifold board or just on the table,
whatever I have room for. Um,
[23:57] and then this is going to go up on an
easel on the table so everyone can see
[24:00] it from far away. And then
I've got
[24:06] a little print out for each
one of uh Greenfield zones zoning
[24:13] » okay
>> districts
[24:15] um with all of the relevant state law
and city law for how farming interacts
[24:23] in that zone. So the idea is you go you
what you know you mark your favorite
[24:28] farm on the map and you figure out where
your house is on the map and you see
[24:31] what zone you're in and then you can
take your little handout for your zone
[24:35] and you can see what laws what you're
allowed to do in your yard for farming.
[24:41] Um and I reached out to MDAR and they're
sending us some like farm swag which
[24:45] should arrive here sometime this week.
Next week. Nice. Um so that'll be what
[24:51] time do we need to be there to sign up?
Nine. Nine. Okay.
[24:57] That's too bad. I won't be able to do my
lesson that day.
[25:20] And is there parking around the library
behind it? Right.
[25:24] It
>> does tend to fill up.
[25:26] » Yeah.
Okay.
[25:30] » One of the few lots in town.
[25:39] So that I mean that's pretty much
everything I brought,
[25:44] but we'd be we'll end up half hour early
unless anybody has anything they were
[25:49] thinking about or anything that I'd
specifically like put on the agenda for
[25:52] next meeting or anything about the next
meeting. Is it supposed to shot blanks?
[25:59] We're going to give you rounding.
>> Right. You said you landing late. I
[26:04] remember.
>> Yeah. Um,
[26:07] » and I got a list of when everybody's
due. Not that that makes any
[26:11] has any relation to the real world.
>> Um, and I do have the ability to check
[26:16] on them from afar. So,
>> okay.
[26:18] » I need to.
>> Well, in theory, we're supposed to meet
[26:24] April 1st.
April fools.
[26:27] » Yes.
>> Okay. Okay, I put it online.
[26:34] I guess whether or not we meet will be
dependent on if we get a new member and
[26:40] whether or not we all can. Yeah. Yeah.
>> Yeah. I should have made a list and
[26:46] looked at it about it. I mean, I have a
list at home. Doesn't And there may be a
[26:51] bunch of them. I mean, the chances of
them lamming at 5:30 on April 1st are
[26:57] pretty slim.
I wouldn't stress about it yet.
[27:03] I've been um feeling a little bit like
now that
[27:08] the signs are like out of our hands, we
don't have really anything to talk about
[27:12] for our whole hour. So like
[27:17] I think uh when we do get to April, I'm
going to try again to reach out to those
[27:22] two people with the grievances because
the weather's going to start to warm up
[27:25] and maybe like smell issues are going to
come back again. So they might talk a
[27:29] little bit about that.
>> It's kind of tough marijuana smell to
[27:34] understanding.
>> Yeah.
[27:39] » Yeah. Yeah.
[27:47] These are going to be great notes. You
guys are going to love them.
[27:51] » Thank you for taking them seriously.
Thank you.
[27:54] » I send them to you. So to sit, yeah,
they have to be approved at the
[27:59] following meeting and then
>> Okay.
[28:01] » Yeah. You can just drop them in that
Google Drive, you know, make copies of
[28:06] what you're doing.
[28:16] » Good talk, guys. Yeah.
[28:26] Okay. All right. Uh, can I can uh So
move.
[28:31] » Yeah. I'd like to request a movement to
end the meeting.
[28:34] » So moved
>> wonderfully. I wonderful. I second that.
[28:37] All in favor?
>> I I Right.
[28:41] » Thank you.