Posts Tagged ‘essex farm institute’

Saturday, April 29, 2023

Adirondack Council awards micro-grants toward sustainable farm projects

Adirondack Council logo.

 

Elizabethtown, NY – In celebration of Earth Day 2023, the Adirondack Park’s largest environmental organization awarded 12 microgrants totaling $26,000 to local farmers and value-added food/beverage/fiber producers. The initiative is an effort to support climate-friendly economic activity in the Adirondack Park.

The Essex Farm Institute, a project of the Adirondack Council supports local sustainable agriculture by working directly with farms and by advocating for soil health, habitat connectivity and climate change mitigation.  This is the eighth consecutive year that the Adirondack Council has awarded microgrants to farmers and small business owners who want to reduce their environmental impact and adapt to a changing climate. This year’s application drew proposals from almost two dozen small and mid-size agricultural enterprises as well as projects featuring collaboration between farmers.

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Tuesday, March 7, 2023

Micro-Grant eligibility expanded to all Adirondack farms, value-added producers 

Tangleroot Farm

Adirondack Council’s Micro-Grants for Adirondack Farms and Value-Added Producers will offer grants of up to $8,000 this year to support sustainable and innovative projects on working lands within the Park.  This is the eighth consecutive year that the Council’s Essex Farm Institute has offered micro-grants to support local farms, local food production and a sustainable local economy.

Prior to 2022, grants had not exceeded $5,000, with most awarded in the $1,500 range. The grant application was updated for the 2023 cycle to provide resources for larger operations (including farms transitioning to sustainable management) as well as those projects involving collaborations between or among farmers and value-added producers who are using 50% or more of their inputs from the region. The 2023 guidelines have also been updated to provide clarity with respect to eligibility criteria and awards a preference for historically-underserved or socially-disadvantaged applicants, the Council noted.

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Thursday, March 10, 2022

Farms invited to apply for Adirondack Council mini-grants

Full and By farmFor the first time, the Adirondack Council’s Essex Farm Institute’s Micro-Grants for Adirondack Farms and Value-Added Producers will offer grants of up to $8,000 for the implementation of environmentally-beneficial and sustainable projects led by Adirondack farms and value-added producers. Prior grants had not exceeded $5,000, with most awarded in the $1,500 range.  The grant application was updated for the 2022 cycle to provide more resources for larger operations or those projects led by a team of applicants.

The 2022 guidelines have also been updated to provide clarity with respect to eligibility criteria and gives preference for historically-underserved or socially-disadvantaged groups. As the Adirondack Park’s largest environmental advocacy organization, the Adirondack Council recognizes the huge role agriculture plays in meeting climate goals, sustaining the health of natural resources and fostering economically vibrant communities.  It adopted the Essex Farm Institute to ensure that local farmers would have assistance in reducing costs (fuel, fertilizer, electric power, waste removal) and increasing profitability/sustainability by adopting sustainable, environmentally friendly methods.

“Curbing climate change will require new investments in those parts of the economy that can help us conserve energy and reduce fuel use,” said Adirondack Council Executive Director William C. Janeway.  “That also reduces pollution, creates more local jobs and make the Adirondacks less dependent on easily-disrupted supply chains that reach halfway around the world.”

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Thursday, January 13, 2022

Nonprofits announce new hires

lake george land conservancyLake George Land Conservancy Announces Michael Horn as Executive Director

BOLTON LANDING, NY—The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) announces the hiring of its next Executive Director, Michael (Mike) G. Horn, effective January 1, 2022. Mike Horn is succeeding Jamie Brown who served as LGLC’s Executive Director from 2015 to October of this year.

“Jamie did a fabulous job protecting the land that protects the lake,” said Mike Horn, “while building a very strong financial foundation to support the LGLC’s ongoing efforts. I am honored and excited to be the LGLC’s new executive director and continue this positive momentum.”

For the past four years Mike Horn has been Conservation Director of Saratoga PLAN, an accredited land trust in Saratoga Springs, NY. Prior to pursuing his passion for land conservation, he had a successful management career in the renewable energy field at GE.

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Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Help out your local farms

In the Adirondacks we are fortunate to have a growing number of small local farms to supply us with fresh, safe, and healthy food.

It is more important then ever during the COVID-19 crises to support the growing number of small farms that rely on the community to remain viable.

If you wish to join the Adirondack Council’s Essex Farm Institute in continuing to help local farmers, below are some suggestions of how you can give your support:

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Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Grant program expands to help farms affected by COVID-19

thurman farm tourThe Adirondack Council and Essex Farm Institute have recently updated its micro-grant program  to allow farmers, value-added producers and food pantries to apply for  COVID-19 related emergency funding during this grant cycle.

In the midst of new and unforeseen challenges to the local food system, the aim is to help mitigate some of those
challenges.  This means there are now two types of grant applications for up to $5,000:

  1. Adirondack farmers and value-added producers seeking to enhance the environmental health and benefits their operations provide.
  2. Adirondack farmers, value-added producers and food pantries seeking financial assistance during the COVID-19 crisis. Projects or costs that get local food to local people are eligible.

The grant application deadline has been extended until April 7.

LEARN MORE & APPLY

See a full list of past micro-grant recipients.

Reach out if you have any questions. Jackie Bowen at microgrants@adirondackcouncil.org

Racey Henderson, Program Director, Essex Farm Institute at essexfarminstitute@adirondackcouncil.org



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