Press Release

May 1, 2005

FARM INSTITUTE HAS A NEW HOME AT KATAMA FARM

(Edgartown, Mass…May 1, 2005) – From April 25-27, 2005, the staff of The FARM Institute moved its farming and education operation from Herring Creek Farm in Edgartown to Katama Farm in Edgartown, in time to get its spring garden up and running and to get ready for summer camp.

Since the autumn of 2003, The FARM Institute and the Town of Edgartown have been working together to create a partnership to rennovate and reinstate operations on Katama Farm in order to revive an important piece of the island's heritage. Katama Farm played a significant role in the history of farming on Martha's Vineyard. Its history goes back to World War I when families grew army and navy beans there.

Arthur Hillman broought sheep into the northern fields after buying the property for $5,000 in the 1930s. Elisha Smith started with six dairy cows on the farm when he first rented from Mr. Hillman in 1943. Shortly thereafter, Elisha was able to purchase most of the 50 by 100 foot lots of the southern pastures for $20,000 and assemble the complete farm as we know it today. As part of the 35-farm Martha's Vineyard Dairy Cooperative, it remained a highly productive 50-cow dairy, and also helped fill the shelves of island grocers with corn and potatoes.

In 1979, with remarkable foresight, the Town of Edgartown and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs jointly purchased the entire property for the purpose of agriculture, conservation and passive recreation. Since then the conservation commission has leased the property to farmers for dairy and beef production. The FARM Institute now holds a 10-year lease on the land where it will conduct its educational programming for children and restore the public historic space as a woking farm and as a community agricultural resource center.

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The FARM Institute - Post Office Box 1868 - Edgartown, MA 02539 - (508) 627-7007