Event Announcement: How Important is Farmland in Your Community?

What?: The Importance of Farmland in Your Community

When?: April 2, 2009, 7 - 8:30 pm

Where?: Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center Auditorium , 455 Research Drive Mills River, NC 28759 (Directions)

Who should attend?: Residents (general public) of Henderson and Transylvania Counties who are concerned with farms and farmland

About the program:

Farmland is important to residents of Henderson and Transylvania Counties. At this meeting we the findings of two three-year studies on the value of farmland and ways to keep farming prosperous in your community will be discussed.

The Farmland Values Project is led by Leah Greden Mathews at UNC Asheville and the Farm Prosperity Project is led by Jeanine Davis at the NC State Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center in Mills River. At the meeting the team will:

1. share results from surveys and focus groups about what local residents and visitors value about farmland, including their willingness to contribute to local farm protection efforts. Results confirm the importance of farmland for maintaining residents’ quality of life, access to local food, and the scenic beauty of our region.
2. explain how the coordinators worked with local farmers to develop tools to help farmers make decisions about their farms, how to preserve them, and what to grow.
   
3. discuss the research that has been conducted on organic and heirloom tomatoes.

What to do if you want to attend: Walk-ins are welcome, but the team can plan better if you call ahead. Please call Terri Schell at 684-3562 to let them know you are coming.

Read about the meeting that took place in Haywood County in Disappearing Farms and Saving Farms.

More information is available about these projects at http://www.unca.edu/farmlandvalues and http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/specialty_crops/farmprosperity/index.htm.