Long before people evolved to the point where ‘leisure time’ was part of living and an expectation after working 9-to-5, Mattapoisett Harbor was a working harbor. There were the ship builders, the fishermen, and the farmers. Wait, farmers? Yes, farmers. Mattapoisett’s little harbor was a vital link in supplying the Elizabeth Island chain with fresh food products, firewood and all manner of necessities. And as George Randall remembers it from the stories his father told, “you had to be there with the wood for the high tide – or else.”
Mattapoisett has become synonymous with pleasure boating. Before long, our harbor will be packed with expensive boats of all shapes and sizes. But in the beginning, it was a place that facilitated commerce and sustained the lives of folks living off shore. And what they needed weren’t places to tie-up so they could saunter to the Ice Cream Slip (today a delightfully guilty pleasure); what they needed were the goods made available by the local farmers.
Farmers were and still are an important part of the fabric of life in Mattapoisett. Crossing Route 6 or traveling away from the village center, you enter into the other Mattapoisett – the one where old farm houses abut new Colonial homes, where hay fields drape themselves along a sub-division, and where cows and horses graze in meadows bordered by old stones walls. Farming and Mattapoisett … who knew?
In December, I wrote about how the Agricultural Commission was formed, its area of oversight within the community, and the philosophical basis for an agricultural commission in Massachusetts. An abbreviated excerpt from that article reads: ‘…(an) agricultural commission is a standing committee of town government, created through a vote of Town Meeting and appointed by the Board of Selectmen…representing the farming community… played key roles in mediating farmer/neighbor disputes, or simply providing referrals for farmers needing better information. Serves as a local voice advocating for farmers, farm businesses and farm interests, provides visibility for farming… The intent of an AgCom is simple: protect agricultural lands, preserve rural character, provide a voice for farmers, and encourage agricultural based businesses…’
During a recent meeting of the Agriculture Commission, I learned more about the work our local committee is doing to uphold the philosophies established by the state. Mattapoisett’s commission is peopled by residents whose families have very deep roots in native soils and who today strive to hold onto the farming culture once so critical to the town.
Shi Major, the commission clerk, grew up in the western part of the state around horses. She feels very strongly about having residents understand the importance of farm animals and agricultural activities. Major is a certified riding instructor.
Jessica (Travis) Collyer grew up on Howland Farm in Acushnet where she learned everything from cultivating strawberries to milking cows and collecting eggs.
And then there are the Randalls. George, his daughter Cheryl (co-chair) and her son, Pierce, are all members of the commission. She said that her son is presently finishing agricultural school in upstate New York (SUNY Cobleskill), and this summer he’ll be participating in the grain harvest in Nebraska. His expressed desire is to one day return to Mattapoisett, reunite the family properties, and return them to full-on farming.
Cheryl said that summers are very different for farm kids than for others whose families aren’t into farming. “We didn’t go swimming or sailing – we didn’t go anywhere, we put on long sleeve shirts and went into the hay fields.” In spite of those labor intensive memories, everyone on the commission feels passionately about maintaining a farming culture in Mattapoisett.
On the night I sat in, they were meeting with farm-to-market manager Jen Szabo, who is responsible for the seasonal farmers’ market held at ORR. Their discussions centered around the variety of goods that would attract people to the market and the challenges of bringing fresh foods from the producers directly to the consumers, as well as board of health regulations and state guidelines. They also discussed ways to promote the market.
Bob Spooner, co-chair, whose wife is a member of the Nunes family, said that he’ll be speaking with the tax assessor to find out how parcels of land may qualify for ‘farm’ status in town. Both the state and Federal government establish what ‘farm land’ must constitute in order to qualify as a farm, while the town sets the tax rate. Spooner said that with the upcoming tax re-evaluation, the assessor’s office will be rather busy. It is planned to wait a bit longer to work out those details for public consumption. He said that the commission can help farmers with grant submittals and other documentation. There are presently 20 recognized farms in town.
The commission recently completed work on a small brochure that outlines their work, goals, and contact information. From the brochure one will find: ‘AgCom serves as a voice to the farming community, advocates for farmers with other boards regarding agriculture, encourages the pursuit of agriculture and strives to protect and preserve farms in Mattapoisett.’
The commission meets the first Wednesday of each month at 7:00 pm in the town hall.
By Marilou Newell
