The Future of Whippoorwill Farm

Maybe you know it as Thimble Farm, or its current incarnation, . Regardless of what you call it, you know that the nearly 40-acre parcel off Stony Hill Road is farmland.

It’s almost always been that way.

Now a group of dedicated individuals are banding together to make sure it stays that way.

Tonight, at 7 p.m. those individuals will hold a public meeting at the , at which they’ll discuss potential ways in which that land can be preserved in perpetuity for local farming.

The Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society, in collaboration with Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation, Island Housing Trust, The Farm Institute, Vineyard Conservation Society, Island Grown Initiative and Whippoorwill Farm CSA hope to place the farmland under nonprofit ownership. The farm would then be leased long-term to local farmers, provided that the crops produced be intended for island consumption. The organizations involved—which are operating under the moniker of the MV Farm Project—also hope to repair and upgrade existing farm buildings and develop housing for farm workers and their families.

The plan, as it stands, would give Whippoorwill farmer Andrew Woodruff right of first refusal.

“The project’s success will result in giving current and future Island farmers access to an intact farm: productive, fertile crop land, employee housing, a greenhouse for production for fresh produce during an extended season if not year-round, and a place for community educational and young farmer internship programs,” according to the MV Farm Project.

The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank owns an Agricultural Protection Restriction (APR) on the property, which prohibits subdivision or residential development of the land. However, the APR does permit a range of other agricultural uses, such as equestrian estates. That makes the land potentially very valuable—too valuable for farmers to afford, should it be put on the market.

The land is currently owned by Eric Grubman, who purchased the land in 2007 when it was under threat of being turned into a private estate. Grubman leased the land to Woodruff, giving the Island community time to develop a long-term plan for the farmland’s future.

The MV Farm Project says that Grubman supports its effort, and has agreed to make a significant donation to ensure its success.

Those unable to attend the informational meeting tonight are nonetheless invited to offer their skills to the Farm Project’s efforts. Organizers say they need help with marketing, publicity, fundraising, real estate or legal and tax matters, and are seeking volunteers to man an informational booth at the Agricultural Fair in August.

To contact the MV Farm Project, call 508-693-5995 or mvfarmproject@whippoorwillfarmcsa.com.