A new education center, employee housing and a new vision for the future for Island Grown Initiative were unveiled at a public hearing Thursday night .
A new education center, employee housing and a new vision for the future were unveiled Thursday night when the Martha’s Vineyard Commission opened a hearing on phase one of a master plan for Island Grown Initiative’s community farm hub.
Elevations show design for employee housing.
Elevations show design for employee housing.
Headquartered at the former Thimble Farm, IGI has expanded its nonprofit mission and reach into the Island community in recent years under the direction of executive director Rebecca Haag with an emphasis on food equity, education and innovations in agriculture.
The new master plan aims to revamp the old Thimble Farm into a more workable facility to house its programs.
“There are projects, there are projects and then there are dream projects,” said John Abrams, the founder of South Mountain Co. in West Tisbury which is designing and building the project. “This is a dream project.”
The MVC is reviewing the plan as a development of regional impact (DRI).
On Thursday South Mountain architect Angie Francis walked commissioners through the plans, which aim to consolidate operations and expand educational programming while providing housing for staff on the roughly 40-acre farm that spans Tisbury, Oak Bluffs and West Tisbury in the Iron Hill area off the Edgartown Vineyard-Haven Road.
Phase one of the plan calls for building three new structures. A 3,200-square-foot education and innovation center would house staff offices and host programming.
Administrative staff currently use office space off the farm premises.
“It’s just better facilities to make them more fun, more safe, more accessible,” Mr. Abrams said. “There’s not a great expansion of use, just a consolidation.”
Two additional structures would be built for employee housing.
“We feel that as an employer on the Island, we should be responsible, and we’ve got to be part of the solution for the housing crisis,” Ms. Haag told commissioners.
The plan calls for four units of housing for up to 10 employees with an income capped at 150 per cent of area median income. A small number of ready-made yurts are also planned to be used to house summer workers.
Plantings will be all natural with no traditional formal landscaping.
Plantings will be all natural with no traditional formal landscaping.
The all-electric new buildings will be net zero and highly energy efficient, with rooftop solar panels. Parking areas will include space for electric vehicle charging stations. Building materials will be natural and reclaimed as much as possible, Ms. Francis said. Responding to a commissioner question, she later explained the decision to use what is called the red list, a list of 22 classes of materials which contain elements known to pose risks to the environment and people.
“The easiest solution is really just to use reclaimed materials and locally sourced materials and things that are of the earth,” Ms. Francis said.
The project, which is in the Lagoon Pond watershed, will include a denitrifying septic system.
There will be no traditional formal landscaping; instead the plan calls for making the property a laboratory of sorts for native plants. The farm is actively engaged in a regenerative agriculture project.
The farm has been identified as a sensitive archaeological site, and a state study is pending for the plan.
In an overview, IGI senior program manager Noli Taylor noted that last year the farm produced 75,000 pounds of food that went to Islanders in need, through the summer lunch program for children, the mobile market in Island neighborhoods, the Island Food Pantry, senior centers and others. “We were able to do so much because of our partnerships,” Ms. Taylor said.
Commissioners peppered the applicants with questions on a variety of topics, and more than one had high praise for the plan.
“It’s really a joy to see such an innovative and thorough project,” said commissioner Ben Robinson.
“I echo the compliments . . . a well thought-out, well designed project,” said commissioner Michael Kim.
Commissioner Doug Sederholm singled out the red list as a notable innovation.
“I’m pretty confident . . . we’ve never had an applicant address that before,” he said. “I’m first learning about it as we speak.”
The hearing was continued to Feb. 3.
In other business, commissioners voted unanimously to extend to 2026 a project by the town of Oak Bluffs to restore a section of coastal bank along East Chop Drive.
The project is meant to protect against flooding and shoreline erosion brought on by storms. The MVC approved it as a DRI in 2018.
Engineer Carlos Pena said the project timetable has been pushed back as the town awaits funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, among other issues.
Commissioners also voted unanimously to approve the written decision for the Shearer Cottage expansion project. The project now returns to the town level, for review by the Oak Bluffs planning board and zoning board of appeals.
Comments
I love seeing non profits do
Jacob KI love seeing non profits do well, especially one as important as IGI. I just wish some of these massive capital campaigns would go towards paying non profit staff a living wage on Martha’s Vineyard. Most can only afford to work at these places if they are retired, independently wealthy etc etc.
An inspiration! Thank you IGI
AnonymousAn inspiration! Thank you IGI team, South Mountain, the towns, the donors, everyone!!
This is going to be an amazing complex.
I second your sentiments.
Susan EdgartowI second your sentiments. The talent and the ingenuity on this island is nothing short of extraordinary. To all the participants, congratulations on an innovative, forward looking and gift to the island.
Who’s funding this? Someone
John A KatamaWho’s funding this? Someone is spending a ton of money, I only hope it’s private money and not tax dollars. While I love the idea of locally grown products I also understand they need to be premium products with premium pricing as the cost structure on the island is off the charts compared to big agricultural (market alternatives). That’s not a criticism, it’s simply reality, this will never be economically efficient. There’s a thriving market for island grown products, but it’s a higher end market, unless it’s subsidized for a targeted demographic.
Look into the mission of IGI
MariLook into the mission of IGI and you’ll see that one of their main missions is to provide healthy local food at an affordable price. Local food doesn’t need to be considered a high end item.
With the influx of new people
Local resident Stoney Hill RdWith the influx of new people living on the farm~ what happens to the quiet tranquillity of the neighborhood? Plus the dirt road maintenance? Living capacity increase?
Glad to see housing is a part
Rena Vine Oak BluffsGlad to see housing is a part of the plan. More employers are going to have to come up with housing as it's impossible to afford housing on a normal wage.
I hope the IGI is committed
Heather NortonI hope the IGI is committed to working with and collaborating in what they grow and their resources with the other farms on the Island, otherwise they are competition to these hard working, underfunded family farms that struggle to survive. I would hate to see this well funded non profit run older Vineyard farms out of business. I hope that their collaborative nature means they are collaborating in the way that Island farmers always have with supporting each other in what they specialize in growing and better meeting all the needs of Islanders who want and need fresh produce. Do they have a model for continuing to work in collaboration with other farmers, or are they just doing their own thing and inadvertently competing against and therefore threatening other farms sustainability? I hope that conversation is being had and will bring more strength to all Island farms and not just this one.
This is an excellent point
Doreen Morse EdgartownThis is an excellent point from Heather Norton. I hope to see some good thoughts and responses in the news in the future.
H N, you bring up a good
Lorraine EdgartownH N, you bring up a good point. This program would be effective especially island-centric. One wishes to see island grown family farm produce stands on the roadside, these are disappearing around the United States, which I have notice during my travels. There is something wonderful about stopping at a roadside stand and choosing produce and having a chit chat as one shops with a local farmer. Especially for people whose diet is mainly fresh fruits and veg...it is a good thing.
Lots of good questions here,
Local supporter West tisburyLots of good questions here, but I urge anyone wondering about IGI’s role in the community and this project to just look into the organization and the project plans more, all publicly available. This is not a proposal for a new program. IGI has been around for 15 years now, and has been very thoughtful about their role in the local food system, collaborating with the local farming community to avoid competition and support other farmers. The food grown at the IGI farm is largely donated to the food pantry and other food equity programs to help improve access to fresh local food for folks who may not otherwise be able to afford it. No competition, just equitable access to good food that can often be cost prohibitive or inaccessible to many, and which can’t always be provided at those low costs by local farms. The other farms are able to occupy their rightful place in the more profitable markets, and everyone gets to eat the food we all deserve. This new project is not a departure from that role, nor an increase of traffic to the site, just an improvement of the facilities that will allow them to keep up the good work and house employees as well.
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