Starting in 2024, Equity Trust has been assisting a collaborative process between the Southeast Connecticut Community Land Trust and Ceiba Valley Farm to develop the CLT’s first agricultural ground lease after they acquired 15 acres in Salem, CT, from a longtime supporter. Formerly a 200-acre farm known as Hominick Farm, the bulk of the property was placed under a conservation easement held by Salem Land Trust, with 185 acres of forest protected, while the remaining acreage and buildings were made available to the CLT for affordable housing and accessible farming.
Southeast Connecticut CLT is no stranger to the intersections of food and land justice. Among their partnerships is the group FRESH New London, a food justice organization stewarding a lot held by the community land trust. Through that connection, the CLT began conversations with Chloe Nunez, farmer and program manager with Fresh New London. Chloe is a member of the QT BIPOC arts and education organization, now known as Ceiba Valley Farm, that was seeking land to base its operations.
Before long, an interim agreement was established, allowing Cieba Valley Farm to partner with the Southeast Connecticut CLT to make repairs on the home and improvements to the farm infrastructure, as well as start a small plot for vegetables and cut flowers to sell at market.
For many of the Ceiba members, this would be their first time living and working outside of a city. Despite their distance from home, the organization has a widespread, resourceful community spanning the boroughs of New York City and New London. Hosting Brigade Days, workshops, and makers markets are some of the ways Ceiba has consistently maintained its connection to a greater community.
Partnering with a community land trust adds another layer of assurance and support for Ceiba, addressing the needs for stability, guidance, and safety for its members. These principles are reflected in the commitments and agreements being written in the ground lease. Moreover, the ground lease will provide flexibility for Ceiba Valley Farm to continue growing at its own pace.
For Equity Trust, this work has been an exercise in adapting our model agricultural ground lease in new ways, like incorporating the Connecticut NOFA Farmers’ Pledge in an attached Exhibit, as well as expanding the reach of our technical assistance to non-traditional farm-based groups, and in support of complex and multifaceted land uses. While we are still very much driven by protecting and decommodifying the land, we are growing our interest, network and capacities to provide guidance for those interested in building communities on the protected lands.