Opinion: Thoughts on the New Agricultural Advisory Committee

(Editor’s Note: Lou Santucci offers a few thoughts on the newly-formed Agricultural Advisory Committee in Peninsula Township. -jb)

Having attended the interviews of the applicants for the newly formed Agricultural Advisory Committee, I have a few thoughts.

Applicants gave sober views of the not-so-rosy status of agriculture on the Old Mission Peninsula. One farmer told how he has ceased farming and took out 100 acres of fruit trees. Other farmers stated they were removing trees, as well. All stated time and again how agritourism needs to be embraced if farmers are to survive. No one said they can continue farming without agritourism.

The question was posed to the Township as to what the remit of the committee will be going forward. Is it to be farmer led or Township directed? The answer given by Township reps was both.

In my view, it should be first and foremost farmer led. I think the planner and the Township rep to the board should let the farmers determine the agenda and points that need to be addressed, have a no-holds-barred discussion, and make recommendations back to the Planning Commission (PC).

I was struck by the suggestion from the planner that the first thing that should be addressed was the sign issue. That in my view is far down the list of what the farmers would see as priorities. The moratorium on enforcement has handled the sign issue quite well for the past two years. The farmers all talked about agritourism, and while a sign is part of that general topic, it certainly does not get at what is needed when it comes to expanding opportunities for the farmers.

The best definition that was given by several of the farmers was — anything that gets the public to the farm is “agritourism.” So, novel ideas need to be looked at. Let’s not dismiss new ideas out of hand. Isn’t it easier to try out an idea than to ban it outright? I think so.

The recent example of Erin Hafeli’s request for a sauna using her lavender products grown and produced at her farm, Lightwell Lavender Farm, is just one idea. I was happy to see that the PC supported her in that endeavor.

I also recall how one of her other ideas was not embraced by the PC. As I recall, that idea was to have photo class opportunities, given the beautiful purple vista provided by her farm when the lavender is blooming.

Let’s hope these and other ideas are put forward by the farmers and adopted by the Township. I plan to attend the meetings that I am able to attend, and as a farmer and citizen, offer suggestions on what agritourism can look like here.

Here is a partial list for the Agricultural Advisory Committee to consider:

• Farm Stays
• Farm to Table Dinners
• Cooking Classes, using all the great products grown out here
• Photo Classes of the farms and barns
• Outdoor Exercise, such as yoga, in the fresh air and all the wonderful smells of the farm at blossom time

I am excited that the Township is offering farmers the opportunity to suggest a diversity of activities to help them thrive. Let’s hope this does not end up being a useless exercise. Let’s put action behind the promise.

In addition, this committee should look to undoing the wrongheaded anti-farmer Zoning Ordinance Amendment #201. The acreage requirements need to be reduced, for one, and other aspects of it need to be addressed in a farmer-friendly way.

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