THE AUDIO FOR THIS SHOW STARTS ON THE 2nd SLIDE. This is a presentation by the owners of littleGrasse Foodworks in Canton, NY. It discusses the merits of re-thinking the residential zoning allowances in the town.

1. Letter from December 2012 to the local papers
To the Editor:
Have you heard the conversation taking place around the town of Canton
regarding small-scale agriculture within the residential zones? (For
reference see The St. Lawrence County Plaindealer or Watertown Daily
Times, Dec 11th 2012.) We thought this would be a good time to share our
story with the community. The link below leads to a slideshow we
presented at the most recent Town Planning Board meeting, during which
we shared details of our Community Supported Agriculture project. Also in
attendance were the Canton Town Board and Supervisor, as well as over 40
fellow citizens. In the coming weeks a discussion document will be offered
to the Planning Board from the Small Scale Farming Advisory Group (A local
group with a broad base of knowledge in this field). This draft will take into
account safeguards for neighbors, while allowing new freedoms for all
landowners in the current residential zone.
Please take a few minutes to watch the presentation to see one of the ways
our community can grow together. Whether or not you are able to view the
presentation, you are welcome to contact us directly with questions.
www.slideshare.net then type “Grow Canton NY”
Thank You,
Bob Washo & Maria Filippi (Flip)
littleGrasse Foodworks
Miner Street Road, Canton
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2. Rethinking Residential Zones
in the Town of Canton
How thoughtful small-scale agriculture
can beautify our neighborhoods and
give us all more economic stability
through self-sufficiency
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3. littleGrasse
Foodworks
Miner Street Rd
Canton
A community supported agriculture
(CSA) farm feeding local families
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4. What is CSA
exactly?
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5.  Community supported agriculture (CSA) is a locally-based socio-economic
model of agriculture and food distribution.
 A network of individuals pledge support a local farm, with growers and
consumers sharing the risks and benefits of food production.
 CSAs eliminate distributors, forging direct connections between farmers
and consumers.
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6. CSA members pay at Once the season
the onset of the begins, we harvest the
growing season for a food and shareholders
share of the pick up vegetables
anticipated harvest. weekly at the share
barn.
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7. The members join in the garden to socialize with each
other, have a connection with the land and be in touch
with the growing season.
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8. Integrated, humanely
managed systems
Pigs for
clearing/opening
new ground
Lambs for
pasture management
Chickens for
soil fertility 8

9. Growing Practices
 Extensive crop rotation
 ZERO use of Pesticides or
Herbicides
 Planned animal rotation
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10. With just a couple acres
in
production, littleGrasse is
feeding over 120 Canton-
area residents this
season.
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11. Contributors to the local community:
 Re-circulating monies back into local economy,
ex. Wight and Patterson
 Sharing decades of food production experience
 Reclaiming underutilized land and enhancing open
space
 Attracting interested college students off campus
and into the town
 Bringing national attention to Canton through
radio, magazine and newsprint
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12. In the past two growing seasons
we’ve had 200+ high school and
college students in the gardens.
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13. Why on the outskirts
of the village?
Can’t this farm just move out of
town into the vast rural area??
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14.  accessibility
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People can easily bike, walk, run, canoe and drive to the gardens.

15. Why on the outskirts of Canton?
 visibility
Seeing the source of your food is educational and requires higher
accountability for the farmer. 15

16.  neighborly
Dynamic, small-scale food projects lend diversity to the landscape.
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17. National Trends
Data collected in 2007 by the U.S.
Department of Agriculture indicates that
12,549 farms in the United States reported
marketing products through a community
supported agriculture (CSA) arrangement.
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18. Civic Agriculture
"Together with farmers
markets, farm stands, U-picks and
agritourism, CSAs constitute a ‘civic
agriculture' that is re-embedding
agricultural production in more
sustainable social and ecological
relationships, maintaining
economic viability for small- and
medium-scale farmers and fulfilling
the non-farm-based population's
increasing desire to reconnect with
their food.“
Ryan Galt, UC Davis assistant professor in the Department of
Human and Community Development, and co-authors wrote
in California Agriculture journal.
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19. 19

20. We’re not alone.
Revising the residential zoning for the
town would allow land owners the
right to produce their own food and
maybe start a small agricultural
project of their own.
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21. Agricultural Code,
a nuanced issue requiring:
 Foresight
Expert advising
Safeguards for neighbors
Community input
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22. There are multiple community organizations
with a vested interest in this issue including:
 Canton Farmer’s Market
 North Country Grown Cooperative (NCGC)
 Garden Share
Cornell Cooperative Extension
 Local Living Venture
 USDA
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23. Additional Resources
 http://www.littlegrasse.blogspot.com/
Our blog to keep in touch with shareholders
 https://attra.ncat.org/
National Sustainable Ag Information Service
 http://afsic.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-community/urban-agriculture
Urban Ag resource Guide from USDA
 http://www.mrsc.org/subjects/pubsafe/animal/livestock.aspx
Sample language from other populated areas
 http://www.recoverypark.org/wp-content/uploads/11-
11/Urban_Agriculture/Urban%20Ag%20Studies/urbanagpaper.pdf
Paper on the practical & economic benefits of food security
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24. Join in the conversation
If you have input on this issue, let your thoughts be known.
The town and planning boards meet once per month.
Planning Board: researches options and writes language
Town Board: votes on language
The next Planning Board meeting is January 22nd and a draft of
the proposed language will be submitted at that time by
community members.
Chairman of Planning Board:
Mike Morgan
morgan.mikek@gmail.com
Town of Canton Supervisor
David Button
supervisor@cantonnewyork.us or 386-2962
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25. Thank you.
If you have any questions, comments or concerns
contact us at: littlegrasse@gmail.com or 386-3513
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