where we've been
a timeline of the West Branch Commons project (so far!)
West Branch Commons has unfolded in a manner that will be familiar to other community organizers: slowly. There is no rushing these types of projects, especially when they rely on the time of volunteers - especially when those volunteers are mostly farmers.
(for more context, revisit our introduction post from earlier in July!)
Between the lines are countless hours of building trust, forming new partnerships, getting dirty, and note-taking. Future editions of this newsletter will dive deeper into the four years of entries on this timeline - if you want to hear more about Tom’s family history, what it’s like to work with aspiring attorneys, or more about the Catskills farming community, make sure you’re subscribed!
Here is an abbreviated timeline of West Branch Commons’ organizing process:
Spring 2021 - Tom has 2nd heart surgery; neighboring farms (Berry Brook, Star Route) and Jerry Cosgrove of American Farmland Trust begin talking with Tom about planning for his land transfer. Tom is excited about a commons model.
July 2021 - First public community meeting at Bushel Collective in Delhi, NY to gauge interest in the project and gather ideas and needs.
September 2021 - Iridescent Earth Collective (IEC) is asked to join the project as anchor lessees. Francis Yu joins the team as Project Manager.
May 2022 - The 607 CSA and Star Route Farm form the new nonprofit, Catskills Agrarian Alliance, to continue to carry out their work of food aggregation, distribution, mutual aid, and land access. West Branch Commons officially becomes an inaugural program of CAA.
Summer 2022 - IEC farms alongside the farmers at Star Route Farm. First edition of a formal Project Proposal is developed.
November 2022 - Second major community meeting at Bushel. Community recruitment for board of directors begins.
December 2022 - Work with Pace University Food and Farm Business Law Clinic begins. Pace leads us through determining what type of legal entity would best fit our needs.
January 2023 - Biweekly meetings begin with prospective board members/organizations.
April 2023 - American Farmland Trust acquires River Haven Farm to temporarily hold while we raise funds to purchase the property. Community event at Hamden General to share this news.
Spring/Summer 2023 - IEC begins to develop a Community Farm/Welcome Center and mutual aid food distribution.
June 2023 - Name change to from “Greater Northern Catskills Agrarian Commons” to “West Branch Commons”
August 2023 - Organization retreat - focused on creating a mission statement and communications strategy, and the beginnings of fundraising.
Fall 2023 - Serra Vida Farm is formed as the second anchor WBC lessee.
February 2024 - WBC communications plan is created. Sea Matias designs our logo - depicting the historic Hamden Covered Bridge.
March 2024 - WBC Organizing Committee meets with AFT project stakeholders to solidify a three-year acquisition plan.
Spring 2024 - IEC completes a mini renovation of the mobile home on the farm to use as a gathering space.
Fall 2024 - WBC works with Pace Law Clinic to create a template long-term ground lease.
November 2024 - WBC team visits Chester Ag Center, another agricultural community land trust for exploration and learning.
April 2024 - Pace Law Clinic files for WBC as a 501(c)3 nonprofit. Our first Board of Directors is voted in.
Summer 2024 - WBC hosts a series of workshops on the community land trust model sponsored by American Farmland Trusts’ Regional Navigator Program.
February-May 2025 - WBC works with the School of Visual Arts to create communications assets, including a pitch deck and story development.
May 2025 - WBC receives two major grants - a 2-year Northeast SARE grant, and a grant through the North Star Fund. Rhiannon Wright moves from a volunteer role to a paid coordinator position for WBC.
Summer 2025 - Fundraising planning ramps up. Community Down Payment campaign is published. Events are planned with Queer Aperitivo, Wayside Cider.
2025 and beyond - the story will continue to unfold. Our next steps are ambitious: raise $950,000 to buy the farm, make crucial repairs to aging farm infrastructure and housing, and get WBC off the ground. Support our “Community Down Payment” campaign to help us to raise 20% of our project costs through grassroots community support!
Next time: meet the team! We’ll spotlight our project work team, who have made the milestones of this timeline possible.
