A couple of weeks ago we sent out about 3300 letters asking residents of Weston to become members of Land’s Sake. So far we’ve had a great response and dozens of families have become new members. This mailing has been part of a larger effort to attract more members as supporters of Land’s Sake.
I want to thank all those who have already responded. To those who are still evaluating us, I hope you will come out to the farm stand and pick some strawberries this week! Come to our Strawberry Festival this coming June 20th for a whole lot of community spirit and fun.
Each letter we mailed also included a coupon to be used on one of our various products. I think once people try us, come to us, experience the magic of Land’s Sake, they’ll be hooked and come again and again.
We did get one particularly interesting response. On the reply card, scrawled out loudly, was “You are costing taxpayer money, get a job!” There was no check included.
Just so everyone knows, Land’s Sake is a private non-profit corporation. We earn money from a variety of sources, including donations and including the Town of Weston. Most of our income is from the sales of our farm-fresh produce, our land care services, and some other products. Taxpayer money is used when the Town of Weston pays us to mow the various fields of conservation land throughout town, to pay for some of our educational programs like when the kids help us collect maple sap, and to handle various conservation land “emergencies” like blocked culverts or downed trees. This work is in a contract that we bid on every few years and is approximately $35,000 of the Town’s budget. We also grow and ship about 10-12 tons of food for the needy. The Town pays us a grant of $25,000 to produce this food and arrange with hunger relief agencies to pick it up for distribution to the needy in Greater Boston.
We sure appreciate the support of the Town for the food for the needy program, and we are proud to be contractors to the Town to take care of conservation land and the public farm land in town. I don’t think this is a waste of taxpayer money in any way, and I’m actually quite honored to have this job, doing this great work to support a vibrant community in this town. So thanks again for your support!!
