Russell Libby Honored with Paul Birdsall Award
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VOLUME 11, NO. 2 FALL 2012 EWS Russell Libby Honored with Paul BirdsallN Award Maine Farmland Trust’s October “We need to be thinking 11 annual meeting marked the end of well beyond saving Russell Libby’s tenure on MFT’s 100,000 acres of board, after thirteen years of service, farmland, and thinking including several years as MFT’s treasurer. Libby was not only instru- about how we can mental in founding MFT, but in return a million acres or helping move the organization to the more to production.” unique and critical position it holds Russell Libby today. Beyond this, Libby has done so much to advance farming in other ways, notably through his longstanding role as executive director of Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA). To acknowledge both his spectacular service to MFT as well as his broader contributions to sustainable agriculture, MFT bestowed on Libby its highest honor, the Paul Birdsall Award, which recognizes sustained and inspiring Russell Libby is one of several agriculture contributions to Maine agriculture. e leaders depicted in a series of photographs award is named after Paul Birdsall of now on display at Frontier Café in Penobscot, an innovative farmer and Brunswick. See pages 4-5 for more photos the “father” of farmland protection in and information. Maine. MFT’s board created the award in 2010 to honor Birdsall, but the production—and then noted how farming. He ended his remarks by award has not been presented since. As Libby has had a hand in them all. referring to the research being led by MFT’s John Piotti explained at the MFT’s board chair, Bill Bell, then Brian Donahue of Brandeis that shows meeting, the award was not intended to spoke about Libby’s deep commitment how New England could be growing be given out every year, but rather, to MFT. Together, Bell and Birdsall 80% of its food in fty years, but only if when circumstances warrant. then presented Libby with a farm Maine is farming much more land. e award was presented to Libby by photograph as a token of appreciation, “We need to be thinking well beyond its namesake, Paul Birdsall. Birdsall and asked him to make some saving 100,000 acres of farmland, and spoke of several positive developments comments. thinking about how we can return a in Maine farming over the past few Libby spoke eloquently about the million acres or more to production,” years—from the growth in farmers important role MFT is playing, and said Libby. markets to the revitalization of grain the optimism he feels for the future of From the Field Maine farms key to future of Maine and New England By John Piotti, Executive Director major demographic challenge, at is where farming comes in. because the ownership of about a New England is in a position to be third of our farmland will be in growing much of it own food within When I began working with transition in the next few years, given 50 years, as Brian Donahue and farmers in 1995, I found myself the age of farmland owners. other researchers have outlined. But spending a lot of time trying to Farming in Maine does indeed the only way that can happen is if convince people that farming had a have great promise, but that does not Maine is doing much of the growing. future. At that time (and for at least ensure that the promise will be We have the land. In 1880, Maine a decade to follow), many Mainers realized. We need to get through had 6.5 million acres in agriculture, believed that farming was dead. whatever period of time it takes (10 where today we have only about 1.3 As we now know from the agricul- years? 20 years?) before enough million acres. Much of this once- tural statistics, farming in Maine externalities are internalized into farmed land has gone to trees, not bottomed out in the mid 1990s, and food costs so that prices are driving development. Perhaps as much as 4 has been growing ever since. And in more local production. And during million acres could be farmed once the last few years, public opinion has this transitional period, we need to again. Maine in the future could not caught up with what’s happening. do whatever we can to keep farmland only feed itself, but help feed New ere is now an accepted belief that and farm infrastructure intact. Or we England. (See the TEDx talk I gave farming in Maine has a future. will regret it later—because if Maine at Harvard Law School in 2011, As this awareness grew, I began to doesn’t retain these assets, we will http://www.mainefarmlandtrust.org/ rene my message. I no longer lose the opportunity to someday featured-news/) needed to get as many people over create a prosperous future built ere is real power in this vision of the initial hurdle of seeing farming’s around sustainable agriculture. a more prosperous and sustainable promise. So I began to get into more is has been my primary message future, one where Maine’s farms—by details. for the past ve years, but wherever serving New England—help My message became this: farming the audience is ready to hear more, strengthen the regional economy that in Maine is both thriving and threat- I’ve been adding this: e steps that in turn strengthens Maine. ened. Yes, there is great opportunity Maine takes in the next few years But this vision does push MFT to for the future, but only if we take the will determine more than Maine’s think dierently and think bigger. It right steps in the next few years. e future; it may well determine New suggests that we don’t only need to fact that the number of farms is England’s future. protect land that is currently farmed, growing is no guarantee that growth I rmly believe that in the future, but also land that could be farmed in will continue. Yes, the fundamentals any region that can produce a good the future. It also suggests that MFT are good. (Maine has lots of good portion of its own food in a sustain- needs do more to support new farmland, plenty of water, better able manner will have a signicant farmers and to help develop new growing conditions than most people advantage over regions that do not. infrastructure. It is no longer enough think, and handy access to markets). I see agriculture becoming a to work to prevent farming’s decline. But food prices do not yet reect dominant economic force in Maine; Rather, we need to grow Maine food’s real cost, and until they do, but farming will never become agriculture and do so signicantly. many local farm products will not be Maine’s only major economic activ- Simply put, this vision of Maine as competitive. Meanwhile, current ity. Maine’s broader economic health the major food producer within New economic realities still dictate that will remain closely tied to what England conrms the critical impor- the highest and best use of 10 acres happens elsewhere in New England, tance of MFT’s work, while making of prime soil is often to drop a house so it is in Maine’s best interest to it clear that we need to do much, in the middle of it. On top of all that, help New England remain vibrant. much more. Maine’s farmland is threatened by a MAINE FARMLAND TRUST www.mainefarmlandtrust.org FALL 2012 PAGE 2 MaineFare 2012 A Great Success On September 7, the heart of Belfast was transformed into a cross- roads of local food, farming, and sustainable enterprise, as MFT hosted MaineFare. A revival of an event of the same name last held in 2009, Maine Fare 2012 brought together over 500 farmers and food fans from all walks of life to talk, learn, eat, and celebrate. Morning found thick swaths of coastal fog drifting through the expan- sive farmers market that lled Main and High streets, but the mist did nothing to dampen the spirits of the steady parade of passersby. Oerings from over fty participating vendors included heaping bins of fruits and vegetables, meats and cheeses, mead, photo credit: Pica Design candies, ice cream and gelato, baked goods, and much more. Noontime brought food fans the promise of Maine agriculture, and Chase’s Daily, Darby’s, Delvino’s Pasta together for a locally-sourced farm-to- how Maine could not only feed itself, House & Grill, Front Street Pub, table lunch served under a tent on but help feed New England. La Vida, Rollie’s Bar & Grill, and e High Street and catered by chef is was followed by a panel discus- Lost Kitchen. Each restaurant featured Ladleah Dunn of Sailor’s Rest Farm in sion that featured Bill Eldridge, Troy both an all-local appetizer and entrée Lincolnville. Dunn’s four-course Haines, Polly Shyka, Amber Lambke, that presented its own unique take on oering was a colorful, creative take on and Amanda Beal, who provided detail the farm-to-table dining experience. Maine seasonality that was nearly as about the emerging opportunities in e original organizers of satisfying to admire as it was to eat. e Maine for dairy, meat, vegetables, grain MaineFare—last held in Camden in vibrant procession of courses included a and seafood, respectively. A second 2009—asked MFT to take over this sunrise-hued melon gazpacho, a salad panel featured food writer Nancy unique event that illuminates and resembling an artist’s palette, an elegant Harmon Jenkins and Bonnie Rukin of celebrates Maine food traditions.