Kittery Land Believe in conserves 30-acre Nooney Farm
KITTERY, Maine — Kittery Land Belief has closed out a tough yr by permanently preserving a 30-acre residence tucked absent in the centre of the neighborhood, just techniques from the town’s middle faculty on Stevenson Road. As an alternative of a seven-dwelling subdivision, the fertile fields and woodlands of a former dairy farm will grow to be a hub for area agriculture, nature-primarily based education, and out of doors recreation. Named for former proprietor Jacquelyn Nooney who ran a horticulture and landscape style enterprise on the home for several many years, Nooney Farm is a bold expression of Kittery Land Trust’s prolonged-held mission to “Save Land and Build Community”.
“We could not be much more fired up to embark on this new conservation initiative,” claimed Lisa Linehan, Govt Director of Kittery Land Have confidence in. “Protecting this residence has been a goal of Kittery Land Have confidence in for additional than ten decades, and we are thrilled to at last shield farmland, wetlands and woodlands ideal in the coronary heart of our local community. This pure oasis will provide incredible possibilities for people today of all ages to study, work and enjoy.”
Nooney Farm is a stunning tapestry of open up farm fields and wooded uplands, with a big wetland that feeds into close by Spruce Creek. A pink barn courting again to the property’s dairy farm times continue to stands on the land, surrounded by heated “hoop houses” in which crops can be developed year-spherical, even on the coldest winter days. This previous summer time, in the midst of the COVID crisis, much more than 50 volunteers assisted Kittery Land Have confidence in operate a vastly thriving “Giving Garden” on one particular of the fields, rising far more than 1,700 lbs . of clean produce for the Kittery college lunch method, Footprints Food stuff Pantry, Get, and other food stuff shelters in the Seacoast region.
Kittery Land Rely on envisions Nooney Farm currently being employed and enjoyed by the neighborhood. This contains rising nutritious regional food stuff calendar year round, generating a heart for mother nature-dependent understanding and out of doors recreation, having learners associated in rising foods for faculty cafeterias, making energy as a result of a local community photo voltaic farm, and keeping functions and workshops in the barn.
KLT has asked for proposals from farmers who might wish to lease a portion of the land for foods or flower generation. The house is exclusive in the location with its five heated greenhouses, irrigated fields, barn with cold storage rooms, and proximity to Interstate 95 and powerful markets for domestically grown develop.
The conservation of Nooney Farm would not have been doable with out the eyesight and generous support of previous owner Jacquelyn Nooney. Just soon after the closing she said, “I am deeply pleased and thrilled that this tiny piece of the earth that I have beloved for so a lot of many years is now going to be preserved by KLT for the enjoyment of the Kittery group in perpetuity – which is a really, pretty extensive time!”.
A $1.1 million money marketing campaign is underway to cover the value of attaining the land and to set up a stewardship fund for extensive-time period upkeep and infrastructure Enhancements. Kittery Land Belief is thrilled to acquire a management gift from Jonathan King and Jim Stott, founders of Stonewall Kitchen, who commenced their profitable business enterprise by creating preserves from their small yard and advertising at neighborhood farmers’ marketplaces. As their business grew, they relied on community growers for clean produce. “If it was not for those people little growers and the nearby farmers’ markets, Stonewall Kitchen would not have existed”, states co-founder Jonathan King. “We hope our tale and the academic experiences that will unfold at Nooney Farm will encourage younger individuals for a lot of generations.”
Additional support has been provided by the Maine Neighborhood Foundation, Faith Harrington and Peter Lamb: Ralph E. Ogden Foundation, Rosamond Thaxter Foundation, Hilary Clark, Jerry and Connie Held, Chris and Karen Erikson, and other folks. Anyone intrigued in encouraging KLT attain its fundraising purpose for Nooney Farm can donate on-line at the KLT internet site, through a present of inventory, or by check out to PO Box 467, Kittery ME 03904. Get hold of Lisa Linehan at [email protected] for facts.
