DIVISION OF AGRICULTURAL LAND USE 

 Susan Redlich, Director 



COMMUNITY GARDENING 



We help develop community gardens on state-owned lands 

 and there are now garden sites at 18 locations such as state 

 hospitals, prisons and parks which are used by youth, elderly 

 and people on fixed income. New gardens are at the Federal Records 

 Center in Waltham, Metro State Hospital, Fitchburg, Winthrop, 

 Clinton, Gardner, Templeton and Jamaica Plain. The Division 

 negotiates between the holding agency and garden groups to 

 make the land available and trouble-shoot should problems arise. 



There are now over 188 community gardens in the state 

 and anyone can ask us for assistance in locating space at one 

 of these gardens or in developing a new garden site. The 

 Division also organized and administered the Mass. Seed Program 

 with 14,500 participating gardeners. The program provides 

 seeds free or at reduced cost to low income gardeners and 

 community garden groups. 



COMMERCIAL FARMING 



There are thousands of acres of good agricultural land 

 owned by the Commonwealth? where not already being used to 

 raise food to supply state institutions, this resource can 

 be used productively by local farmers and thereby bolster our 

 agricultural economy. Where agencies are cooperative, we 

 lease land for agriculture. Support is needed for our attempts 

 to see better utilization of state lands. Several long-term 

 agricultviral land management agreements were reached with the 

 Department of Mental Health, including land at Belchertown 

 State School for purposes of establishing a small farm training 

 center. The Division leased out over 500 acres for commercial 

 farming at seven different locations. 



RESOURCE MOBILIZATION 



In addition to providing information and reforral services 

 statewide for people involved in farming or gardening, we work 

 directly with agencies and community groups in getting programs 

 started and tapping resoxirces for community use. This year we 

 received a Federal grant to conduct a demonstration project 

 of large-scale composting of organic waste to create humus for 

 urban gardens. 



EDUCATION 



Aware of the tremendous interest in gardening and fanning 

 activities by youth, again we sponsored a Gardening with Youth 

 Conference. Also we organized a workshop on the subject of 

 state-owned agricultural lands, attended by administrators, 

 farm supervisors, and program planners. We prepared a handbook, 

 "Organizing Community Gardens in Massachusetts," for which 

 we received many requests. 



- 6 - 



