Sweet Meadow Under attack

[Orchid]

[align=left]October 12, 2009
Sweet Meadow Farm under fire by zoning board, neighbors[/align]
[align=left]Read article by Metrowest Daily News:
"ZBA orders pet food operation closed at Sherborn farm" [/align]
[align=left]A note from Al Michaud:
One of my Aunts and her family, as well as my grandfather and myself work on and started a local farm back in Sherborn decades ago. In 1999 my grandfather bought 24 acres of land across the street from me to set up an established hay field in which to grow hay to sell and expand our the business of Sweet Meadow Farm. On these two fields we now have a greenhouse, an indoor riding ring, 2 warehouses and some stables with horses, chickens goats, etc. a crop field and hay fields. Recently the neighbor who moved into the house that is surrounded by our fields finally got the Zoning Board of Appeals to revoke our right to processes our pet food products on the land, thus putting our business to a halt.[/align]
[align=left]I am posting this to ask for your support at the Metrowest link above. It takes just a few minutes to read the article, create an account and comment on how absurd it is for this neighbor to move into an established farming area and complain about how the farm is run.[/align]
[align=left]If you could all just post something in support of the Michaud family it would mean a lot to me. If you need to contact us with questions or concerns:[/align]
[align=left]

• Facebook "Save Sweet Meadow" page
• Facebook fan page for Sweet Meadow
• Al Michaud's Facebook page
• email: [email protected]

[/align]

 

[JadeIcing]

It has been there for years and now there is an issue??? :X

 

[binkies]

Oh no! they have excellent hay!

 

[Orchid]

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO this burned my butt....

``I support farmers who are growing food for people,'' Hawkins said. ``I have a problem with people defining agriculture as growing hay (to feed animals).''


Who is this chick? Cruella de Vil?

 

[kirbyultra]

Oh no, what will this mean? No more Sweet Meadow hay? How awful.

 

[TinysMom]

The article does state this in it:

The Michauds say they will file an appeal in Superior Court this week and ask for an injunction. If the appeal is filed within 20 days from the zoning board's decision, the farm will be allowed to continue all its operations until the court rules.​

 

[Orchid]

From what I read...if I read it right in the article...

Hay is allowed...food, treats and such I think will be stopped, but that could cause such a loss of income...that prices could rise...people stop buying and perhaps in the end they close off some of what they have going...



I tried to comment as "ORCHID"

but my puter being as it is...I can not tell if it went through or not...the comments would not load for me...said like 135 or something...

 

[Baby Juliet]

According to http://www.boston.com/business/arti..._say_farm_crosses_line_with_business_venture/ it seems like they are allowed to sell hay. They are not allowed to make pet food by adding the imported ingredients - dried fruit, yogurt bits, hay, herbs. Why are they adding that junk any way? Without the imported ingredients they say Sweet Meadow Farm would be hard pressed to continue making its profitable line of pet-food products.

If you look at the product line on their website http://www.sweetmeadowfarm.com/pel_rabblend.html you have to conclude it's a manufacturer too. For example if you are a pig farmer you send your pigs to the meat packer. If you process your pigs on your own farm and sell packaged pork, then you are also a meat packer. Sweet Meadow is manufacturing pet food pellets in addition to selling hay. I wonder if zoning will allow them to continue to make pellets if they just make it out of hay alone.

 

[JadeIcing]

Baby Juliet wrote:

According to http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2009/11/05/sherborn_neighbors_say_farm_crosses_line_with_business_venture/ it seems like they are allowed to sell hay. They are not allowed to make pet food by adding the imported ingredients - dried fruit, yogurt bits, hay, herbs. Why are they adding that junk any way? Without the imported ingredients they say Sweet Meadow Farm would be hard pressed to continue making its profitable line of pet-food products.

The herbal hay they have is very very good. Now the treats yea not such a big deal.

If you look at the product line on their website http://www.sweetmeadowfarm.com/pel_rabblend.html you have to conclude it's a manufacturer too. For example if you are a pig farmer you send your pigs to the meat packer. If you process your pigs on your own farm and sell packaged pork, then you are also a meat packer. Sweet Meadow is manufacturing pet food pellets in addition to selling hay. I wonder if zoning will allow them to continue to make pellets if they just make it out of hay alone.

I hope they are allowed to continue pellets. It is the best one I have found for my guinea pigs. I can't buy the rabbit pellets in bulk if I could I would jump on their pellets again ASAP.

 

[Orchid]

Regardless of anything else... I am UTTERLY SICK..of someone always killing off the little guy...

 

[BethM]

Oh no!!!!!!

Sweet Meadow's dried papaya treats are what I give my bunnies for their bedtime treats. They're the only dried papaya I have found anywhere that doesn't have added sugar or preservatives.

:grumpy:

 

[BethM]

Orchid wrote:

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO this burned my butt....

``I support farmers who are growing food for people,'' Hawkins said. ``I have a problem with people defining agriculture as growing hay (to feed animals).''


Who is this chick? Cruella de Vil?

Then she needs to start boycotting a huge amount of the corn and soybean production in this country, because a HUGE percentage of what's grown goes to feed livestock. Oh, wait, she probably eats the meat produced that way, so it benefits her, so she probably doesn't mind. :X

I hate people.

 

[Orchid]

BethM wrote:

Orchid wrote:

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO this burned my butt....

``I support farmers who are growing food for people,'' Hawkins said. ``I have a problem with people defining agriculture as growing hay (to feed animals).''


Who is this chick? Cruella de Vil?

Then she needs to start boycotting a huge amount of the corn and soybean production in this country, because a HUGE percentage of what's grown goes to feed livestock. Oh, wait, she probably eats the meat produced that way, so it benefits her, so she probably doesn't mind. :X

I hate people.

You know...a long time ago...LONG time ago....we lived by a zoo...yeah the Bronx zoo...and I remember being able to smell the zoo...and my dad hated it...so what did we do? WE MOVED! big deal...not that I like zoos...my daughter keeps asking me to go...yet I cant help but hold grudges on them and circus'

I wonder if enough people got ticked enough,...spoke out enough...if this chick would back down...

I just dont get...why move somewhere if ya dont like your neighbors? and why would you want to make instant enemies? They have to help with bringing people into town that will spend money so I would think even other local business owners would not be happy people....

 

[BethM]

Another thing I don't understand......The nasty neighbor seems to have a big problem with dust kicked up by delivery trucks or whatever. Just shutting down the pet food part of Sweet Meadow, but allowing the farming, petting zoo, and other activities to continue is not going to completely stop dust being kicked up. There's still going to be traffic to the farm, and heavy equipment and such.

If this is a simple zoning issue, I also don't understand why Sweet Meadow was allowed to operate for so long without issue, and is only being acted against now.

This neighbor is obviously someone very petty, who just wants to stir up trouble. I hope the town council comes around to back Sweet Meadow.

 

[Orchid]

BethM wrote:

Another thing I don't understand......The nasty neighbor seems to have a big problem with dust kicked up by delivery trucks or whatever. Just shutting down the pet food part of Sweet Meadow, but allowing the farming, petting zoo, and other activities to continue is not going to completely stop dust being kicked up. There's still going to be traffic to the farm, and heavy equipment and such.

If this is a simple zoning issue, I also don't understand why Sweet Meadow was allowed to operate for so long without issue, and is only being acted against now.

This neighbor is obviously someone very petty, who just wants to stir up trouble. I hope the town council comes around to back Sweet Meadow.

Perhaps is not for the moral or right reasons...maybe economic ones will get them to back SM....like anyone can afford to have more places closing down, losing money etc?

 

[JimD]

Ackkkk!!

I've been soooo happy with the Sweet Meadow hay!
And ... erm....oh yeah....the buns are, too!!
:censored2:

 

[JimD]

I wonder if Randy knows about this. They order a lot of hay from Sweet Meadow.

 

[JimD]

I just receieved my order from Sweet Meadow.

30 pounds of Classic Timothy.
It's absolutely wonderful quality!!!

I ordered it Thursday morning and it was delivered by Fed Ex today (Saturday!!!)

Total cost, including shipping.....$33.52

 

[Baby Juliet]

There's been complaints by different people all along. It's just that this time it couldn't be dismissed. I bet if they only shipped and received supplies once a month people wouldn't notice.

BTW when you are house shopping you may not be there when the noise and traffic happens but if you live there it get pretty annoying. How much time did you actually spent in the place before you signed the contract to buy or rent? Even moved into a place only to find out later the neighbor's barking dog bugs your bunny?

 

[BethM]

Baby Juliet wrote:

BTW when you are house shopping you may not be there when the noise and traffic happens but if you live there it get pretty annoying. How much time did you actually spent in the place before you signed the contract to buy or rent? Even moved into a place only to find out later the neighbor's barking dog bugs your bunny?

A next door neighbor's dog is a bit different than being near an actual farm operation. You'd have to be really stupid to see something like that next door, or down the street, and not think about the traffic that could generate.
In my opinion, the farm that's been in operation for three generations (and is a financial boon to the community) should not have to shut down or downsize because some idiot didn't think hard enough before moving into the neighborhood.