Joppa Hill Educational Farm, located in Bedford, NH, announced it has been awarded a Climate Resilience Grant from the New Hampshire Conservation District’s Climate Resilience Program. This grant will help to improve the farm’s pasture management and animal care by implementing rotational grazing practices, a key step toward the long-term health of the land and animals.
“We’re thrilled about this grant opportunity,” said Sarah Grosvenor, Executive Director of Joppa Hill Educational Farm.
“While soil health may not sound like the most exciting topic, it’s a crucial part of keeping the farms’ land healthy. This project is an exciting step forward in promoting sustainable farming practices at the farm.”
Rotational grazing is a pasture management method where animals are moved between different grazing areas to let the grass rest and regrow. This helps keep pastures healthy, improves soil quality, and gives animals fresh forage more often.
“This is the third year we have had the opportunity to award grant dollars to climate resilience projects in Hillsborough County amounting to over $100,000,” said Kerry Rickrode, District Manager for the Hillsborough County Conservation District. “Conservation Districts created this farm viability program to improve the resilience of NH farms in the face of extreme weather events and a changing climate. Direct grants enable farms to invest in on-farm infrastructure, equipment, and innovative practices that support farm profitability and the long-term viability for NH’s agricultural sector. We are very much looking forward to working with Joppa Hill Educational Farm on their Pasture Management project this year.”
About Joppa Hill Educational Farm
The Joppa Hill Educational Farm is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and sharing our region’s rich agricultural heritage. Situated on 35 acres of public land leased from the Town of Bedford, NH, the Farm operates as a working farm and community hub, open to the public every day.
For more information about the farm and to stay updated on upcoming changes, please visit our website or follow us on social media.
About New Hampshire Conservation District’s Climate Resilience Program
The mission of the NH Conservation Districts Climate Resilience Grant is to support and empower local farmers to build climate resilience throughout the Granite State. This will be done through reducing the impact of agriculture on climate change (mitigation) through greenhouse gas emissions reduction and carbon sequestration, and to increasing the resiliency of New Hampshire Farms in a changing climate (adaptation), while meeting farm’s conservation goals and needs. Extreme weather events, frequent and prolonged droughts, and increased pest pressures are challenging NH farms. This climate grant though the NH County Conservation Districts seeks to support farmers in meeting those challenges.
This program is made possible through support from the You Have Our Trust Fund, the NH Charitable Foundation, the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program through the NH Department of Agriculture, Markets, and Food, and the generosity of community members.
View the 10 New Hampshire Conservation Districts story map to learn more about awarded projects throughout the state, video case studies, and next steps for the future of this critical grant program. Learn more here!
Since 1945 and 1946, the ten NH Conservation Districts have promoted the conservation and responsible use of the Granite State’s natural and agricultural resources.
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