Countryside Initiative: Revival of a Rural Landscape
By Heather Kuhne
Nestled in between Cleveland to the north and Akron to the south lies one of the region's hidden gems, Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP). Encompassing 33,000 acres along the shores of the Cuyahoga River and the Ohio and Erie Canal, CVNP was designated in 1974 as a National Recreation Area. Congress mandated that the park preserve the “historic, scenic, natural and recreational values” of the Valley. The rural character of the region, including farming, is one of the important elements of those values.
Farming in a National Park is a rarity in America due to the typical model of large, monoculture grain farming. However, the farming that was practiced historically in the Cuyahoga Valley was small scale and diversified. Fruit farms, small dairies, vegetable producers and other farms flourished in the Valley in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The survival of these types of farms is valuable to the revival of the lost rural character of CVNP.
In 1999, the Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy (CVCC) was created to act as a non-profit partner to CVNP in order to help preserve the rural culture and farming heritage of the Valley. Helping select farmers to live and farm in the Park, CVCC also facilitates their interaction with the Park Service. This three-way partnership to revive the Valley's rural landscape is called the Countryside Initiative.
The first step in getting the Countryside Initiative off the ground was to identify land that could be rehabilitated as modern working farms. As unique, pilot programs in the National Park Service, these initial evaluations took some time, but eventually the Countryside Initiative identified 20 to 25 potential properties, each ranging in size from less then 10 acres to more than 100 acres. A full Environmental Impact study was required to access sensitive areas such as wetlands, established woodlands and archeological sites. While the Countryside Initiative does not require organic certification from growers, it does insist upon the highest levels of sustainable farming practices and environmental stewardship.
In 2001, the search for appropriate farmers began. The first of two Request for Proposals (RFPs) was released to ask a series of revealing questions to those interested in leasing one of the farm properties. These proposals detailed farming and business plans, financial and personal resources and the prospect's understanding of the program's purpose, as well as how he/she hoped to interact with the public. Selection criteria included how well the plan fit into the purposes of the program, its ability to successfully implement the proposed plan, and the level of commitment to sustainable farming practices. Once living and working on the land, farmers are required to submit annual operating plans to CVNP for review and approval. Careful review of these operating plans has ensured that the natural, cultural, aesthetic and archeological resources of the park continue to be fully protected. Farm leases require fair market value rent based on the farm revenue and a percentage of the farmer's gross income.
In 2002, the first three Countryside Initiative leases were signed. These long-term leases (up to 60 years) encouraged the lessees to commit to the land and the stewardship of the farm. Two of the farms, Spring Hill Farm and the Market and Blue Hen Family Farm, are diversified vegetable operations which participate in the Peninsula Farmers Market (beginning June 17 this year). The third farm in the first lease offering is Sarah's Vineyard, located across from the entrance to Blossom Music Center. It holds an annual art and wine festival (also in June) and will be selling its own wine for the first time in 2006.
A second RFP, asking questions similar to above, was released in the summer of 2005. Final leases had not been executed when this article was written, but the expectation is that the three farms to be leased in early 2006 will include a small-scale livestock operation, a U-pick berry farm and a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm. It is expected that one or two additional farms will be offered every year or so until all available properties have been leased.
The occupation of small scale, diversified, sustainable farms in Cuyahoga Valley makes it one of the nation's most unique and innovative agricultural programs. As the gap between the Cleveland and Akron metropolitan areas continues to shrink over the coming decades, these farms protected within a National Park will not only provide healthy local food to the region's residents, they also will serve as a wonderful educational center demonstrating myriad benefits of locally-grown food.
By helping create a lived-in landscape, the CVCC is bringing another color to the tapestry of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The 1,300 acres that are planned for eventual inclusion in the Countryside Initiative represent a small fraction of the Park, yet these farms, their various products and their diverse nature will provide unique learning and recreational experiences for approximately 3,500,000 annual visitors to the park, as well as to the residents of neighboring communities. Eventually, through the help of this and similar agricultural-protection programs, the rural character of the Cuyahoga Valley may be restored.
In addition to the Countryside Initiative, CVCC operates two farmers markets, hosts a monthly book club, offers classes for aspiring farmers and runs a variety of other programs. For more information on the Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy and its programs, please visit its website, www.cvcountryside.org.
Heather is with Doty and Miller Architects, a Bedford firm with a special interest in sustainable design and green building (www.dotyandmiller.com). During the spring and summer, Heather spends her evenings and weekends growing natural heirloom produce for a CSA (community supported agriculture) and farmers' markets (www.basketoflifefarm.com).
