Land Trust To Visit Farms Of 2 Boesch Applicants

Farmers and their supporters came to the EG Land Trust meeting Tuesday in hopes of gaining the lease at on South Road. Members did not choose an applicant that night, but it did narrow the field, from four to two.

"Based on the qualifications outlined in the request for proposals, we felt that two proposals best met the criteria. The Land Trust voted to move forward with site visits and interviews with Luckyfoot Ranch, specifically Matthew Thibodeau, and Patrick McNiff, of Pat's Pastured,” Land Trust Chairman Steve Whitney wrote in an email Tuesday night.

Both Thibodeau (whose proposal includes his father, Kevin) and McNiff are vendors at the East Greenwich Farmers Market.

The conference room at Town Hall was full Tuesday night, with applicants talking about what they would do at Boesch Farm, which until late spring was being leased by Erik Eacker. due to health problems.

McNiff eased the tension by commenting that he felt like a beauty pageant contestant (see video, right).

Jesse Steiger and Stephanie Brocco of Raven Acres had driven in from Vermont to appeal to the Land Trust on their application. Like the other applicants, the couple had proposed raising and selling organic produce and offering classes at the farm. In addition, they would bring three horses to the farm, wool-producing rabbits and chickens.

Steiger said they had some local connections and were looking to move to a farm in southern New England to extend their growing season.

The fourth applicant, Traci Picard of Fellow Workers Farm, did not attend the meeting.

In the end, Land Trust members decided to stick with two farmers with EG ties. Thibodeau’s grandmother lives on Middle Road and that land has been farmed on and off for decades.

The Thibodeaus’ proposal included rabbits and chickens, as well as cooking seminars.

McNiff of Pat’s Pastured has been a fixture at the EG Farmers Market since it began four years ago. Initially, he managed Casey Farm before going out on his own. Traci Truesdell of the EG Farmers Market spoke in support of McNiff's proposal.

McNiff would introduce 4 to 6 dairy cows to the farm. His proposal also included raising broiler chickens, turkeys and pigs. McNiff raises beef cattle on land in Saunderstown. He said he would not raise beef cattle at Boesch.

According to Whitney, "Proposals were reduced based on completeness and meeting the criteria set forth in the RFP [request for proposal]. Location of current operations was not a factor."