MLT Newsletter
October 1986
The Board of Directors of MLT would like to ask you to renew your
membership and would also like to invite you to attend the Annual
Meeting, which will take place at 2:30 PM Saturday, November 15, 1986
at the MLT Homesteading Farm.
In addition to a farm tour, the business meeting, and a potluck, we are
fortunate to have as our guest speaker, Paul Gilk, who was active in
MLT before returning to his native Wisconsin. Paul is currently running
for the Wisconsin State Assembly on the Labor-Farm ticket. His topic
will be “The Politics of Rural and Farm Revival.”
Such a revival is certainly needed and until state and national
legislators become more aware of the underlying causes of the current
farm and rural crises, we will continue to need organizations such as
MLT that are experimenting with, and promoting more ecologically sound
and economically sustainable approaches. We hope that you will continue
to support MLT during the coming year.
There have been a number of important activities and developments this past year, which has been our tenth anniversay year.
Bobbi Martindale and Jonathan Towne, the Homestead Farm managers, had a
son, Shannon. Other regenerative activities around the farm included
major purchases of lime and rock phosphate to upgrade the long-term
soil fertility of the farm, the planting of fruit trees, as well as 100
white pines in a windbreak. The farmhouse was painted and the barn
repaired.
The Board of Directors continues to work with Jon and Bobbi in developing a longer-term permaculture plan for the farm.
There were also various outreach efforts. Maynard Kaufman prepared a
letter to see if a spectrum of local groups might be interested in
exploring a local “green politics” coalition. He also met
with the Kalamazoo Area Coalition for Peace and Justice to discuss
these ideas. There was interest, but no concrete results yet.
Sally Kaufman has continued to provide us with excellent newletters
throughout the year. The Tenth Anniversary issue that she organized and
edited was particularly good and gives us a good historical record
of the past as well as thoughts regarding the future
Swan Huntoon spearheaded the effort to produce a new brochure
describing the goals and activities of the MLT. This is now ready and
available to all Trustees for the asking.
Another major activity was the Permaculture Design Workshop,
“Tools to Live By,” which Jon and Bobbi organized. The
Workshop was conducted by Dan Henimenway, September 5-7, 1986. Fifteen
people participated at various points during the weekend.
The Board has been working hard to develop a new five year lease
arrangement. This has involved a major change in the way that inventory
is handled, among other things. As part of this changeover, MLT
sponsored a large yard sale of items that were no longer wanted or
needed.
Besides our long-term committment to developing more sustainable
alternatives to current destructive agricultural policies and
practices, there are several local issues which we may want to get
involved with. These include the use of herbicides in Scott Lake. and
the controversy over “hog hotels”-large confinement
operations-and how they are to be handled under the Right to Farm bill,
or whether the bill needs revision to exclude these essentially
industrial operations.
There will be plenty of important work during the upcoming year. Please
help us by renewing your membership. Also, we would welcome your ideas
and your active participation in our meetings and activities.
ThE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE MICHIGAN LAND TRUSTEES
Saturday, November 15, 1986
2:30-Guided tour of the Land Trust Homesteading Farm
3:l5-”The Politics of Rural and Farm Revival,” a talk by
Paul Gilk, candidate for the Wisconsin State Assembly on the
Labor—Farm ticket. Followed by discussion.
4:30-Annual Meeting. Items on the agenda will include:
A review of the past year;
Election of members to Trustee Committees
Discussion of future directions for MLT.
5:30-Potluck supper (bring a dish to pass)
(To get to the MLT Homesteading Farm, turn North off of M—43 in
Bangor at the flasing light and go approximately one mile to the farm,
which is on the West side of the road)
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