Saturday, Nov 5, 8:30 – 11:00 am

The Alford Community Cafe is a chance to have coffee and pastries with your neighbors. This one is hosted by Davina Muse and Sue Weintraub. It is the first cafe in what we hope will be a series of conversations that will help us get to know each other better. Please join us.

Saturday, Oct 22, 10:30 am

The walk at Long Meadow Farm, owned by the Shepard family, will begin at 157 East Road and follow a rough farm road into the valley. Please dress appropriately and car pool if possible. Long Meadow Farm (pictured above) straddles the Alford Valley. It has been owned by the Shepards for four generations, and was conserved this year with an Agriculture Preservation Restriction. We invite you to visit our website to learn more about the benefits of conserving land in Alford.

The annual Alford Town Picnic is hosted by the Alford Land Trust. It gives residents a chance to get together, to meet their neighbors, and to have some fun listening to music, sharing some good food, fun and activities.

This year’s Alford Land Trust Summer Picnic is on Saturday July 16th 2011, from 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm, on the triangle at the Dellea Road and Route 71 intersection. Music by Eric Martin, games include volleyball, river wading, frisbee throw. Grilled hot dogs and hamburgers, ice cream, and ice for beverages will be provided. Please bring a dish to share, beverages, your own tableware, and a picnic blanket. Take a chance: You could win the Annual 50/50 Fundraiser, Alford Hats For Sale decorated by local artists.

Questions? Call: Mary Poole 413.528.8113

Over the past three years, the Alford Land Trust has been working with John Dunn and his four children to put their farm under an Agricultural Preservation Restriction which preserves it as a farm forever. The Restriction was completed at the end of last July. We are extraordinarly grateful to the Dunn family for this wonderful gift to the Townspeople. We are currently working with another farm to do the same type of transaction and hope to complete that by mid-year.

Earlier this year, The Alford Land Trust asked the Town for opinions on trying to conserve the old Marble Quarry on East Road. There were a number of obstacles that have proven insurmountable and for the time being the project has been abandoned. Over 110 residents came to our Annual Town Picnic last July for hamburgers/hot dogs and good food and company under sunny skies. This year’s Picnic is on Saturday, JULY 16. SAVE THE DATE ! See you there.

Mary Poole for the Alford Land Trust