Upswing Out & Out Post In
The current operators of the Thistle Dew Farm on the Holliston/Ashland townline will soon send their mobile farmstand (below) on a journey down Highland Street to Chestnut Street in Ashland not a half a mile away. Kevin and Brittany Overshiners current lease on Thistle Dew Farm is up at year's end.
Former growing tenants at the farm, Out Post Farm of Holliston is hoping to purchase the property along with an APR (Agricultural Preservation Restriction). The purchase of the 29 acres of prime farmland & APR has many moving parts. Out Post will come up with $290,000, the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture will award $465,588, and the Sudbury Valley Trustees are committed to raising $150,000 in private funds.
Taxpayers and voters will be asked to approve the town's share to approve the grant towards an APR in the amount of $500,000 from the Community Preservation Fund. The Community Preservation Committee will vote on said funds on Wednesday September 11th. According to Agricultural Commission Chairman PJ Kilkelly, the Select Board have given their blessing to the proposed purchase.
As always the Finance Committee will signal their approval or disapproval and if all goes well the voters will have the final say on October 28th.