West Brattleboro Association Invites Public to 'Fun in the Field,' A Benefit to Help Raise Money to Conserve the Locke Farm Field

West Brattleboro, Vermont -- On Saturday, October 3, 2009, local chefs, performers and community residents will gather to kick off a fundraising campaign to save a beloved piece of land in West Brattleboro. The celebration, "Fun in the Field," for the Whetstone Preservation Project to Conserve the Locke Farm Field will take place from 12 noon until dusk next to the Chelsea Royal Diner on Route 9 in West Brattleboro. (The restaurant is located next to the 5.3 acre Locke Farm Field.)

The event will feature great food, including barbecue courtesy of the Chelsea Royal Diner, fresh corn on the cob from Dutton's Farm Stand and hot chowder from Gillies, the New England House and the Chelsea. There also will be a bake sale and an Apple Pie Contest with a $50 prize. The day's entertainment will include live music courtesy of Vermont Timbre, Luz Elena Morey and Cara Trezise (with sound from Julian McBrown), and circus arts from Circus Zura and Elsie Smith. There also will be face painting, games and other fun activities for the whole family, as well as a raffle sponsored by Route 9 businesses. Raffle prizes include a pillow from American Traders, a gas certificate from Fleming Oil, a $25 gift certificate to the Chelsea Royal Diner, and French bread compliments of Kris McDermet. The event, sponsored by the West Brattleboro Association, is free and open to the public. The rain date is Sunday, October 4, 2009.

Background on the Whetstone Preservation Project

The purpose of "Fun in the Field" is to increase public awareness regarding the need to raise the remaining $30,000 necessary to purchase the Locke Farm Field. The total cost of preserving the field is $95,000, including the purchase price, legal fees, and an endowment for the conservation easement. The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) and the Windham County Natural Resources Conservation District (WCNRCD) partnered to secure $65,000 in “Clean and Clear” funds from the State. (The State has identified the field as a prime property to be conserved in order to reduce flooding along the Whetstone.) The Vermont River Conservancy (VRC) has agreed to buy the land and hold and monitor conservation rights in perpetuity to preserve the field for open space, flood reduction and agricultural purposes.

The West Brattleboro Association is taking the lead in raising the remaining $30,000 to preserve the land parcel, which the owners of the Locke Farm Field have agreed to sell to the Vermont River Conservancy for less than its appraised value for the community's benefit. In addition to making it possible to continue to use the land for agricultural purposes, preserving the property will help reduce flooding damage downstream to the Connecticut. The WCNRCD recently underwrote an assessment of the Whetstone watershed whose results raised grave concerns about flooding in the future. It costs the town of Brattleboro an estimated $16,000 each time the Whetstone has a major flood. Preserving the property also will help maintain West Brattleboro's rural character and preserve a slice of the local community’s history, which are goals consistent with West Brattleboro's Master Plan. The land's preservation also will guarantee public access.

Young people from Westgate are helping to create the signage for "Fun in the Field" and Rentals Plus is donating use of its tents for the day. An estimated one thousand people live within a 1/2 mile of the Locke Farm Field. For further information about the benefit for the Whetstone Preservation Project, please contact Nancy Barber at 246-0851 or Stewart McDermet at 254-3555.

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