ANDES — The glow of string lights and the hum of conversation filled the air at Wayside Cider last Wednesday night as 75-plus community members gathered for a benefit dinner supporting West Branch Commons, a grassroots effort to protect 287 acres of farmland in Delaware County. Organized by nonprofit Catskills Agrarian Alliance and a cohort of nearly 20 partner organizations, the event is part of an ongoing effort to raise $950,000 to purchase the land and place it into a community trust that will grant long-term, affordable land access to young marginalized farmers. The October 8 dinner raised $2,700 toward that “Community Down Payment” campaign.
The Western Catskills farmland is owned by Tom Hutson, a fourth generation dairy farmer who has been working with CAA on this innovative farmland transfer project since 2021. A $190,000 down payment is required to initiate the purchase, the first major step in the “buy-protect-sell” arrangement that will secure the River Haven Farm property in Delancey and maintain its agricultural use for future generations. The WBC will also create shared farm infrastructure and equipment for up to eight farmers.
“Fifty-one acres of farmland are lost every single day,” according to Francis Yu, co-executive director of CAA and a WBC board member. “That’s why projects like this one are critical.”
During his speech at the benefit, Yu emphasized how protecting access to farmland sustains local food systems while also creating opportunities for aspiring farmers – especially queer, trans, Black, Indigenous, and people of color – who struggle to find affordable land.
The evening featured a smorgasbord of locally sourced food, live music, and a raffle, with all proceeds supporting the farmland trust. As the night was beginning, Yu enthusiastically told The Mountain Eagle: “Today catches the spirit of the community nature of this project. The great folks here at Wayside are hosting us. Chefs Tara Norvell and Mathew Yee are in the back getting us ready for dinner tonight. We’ve got a bunch of folks [in attendance] who have contributed to the raffles: art and goods and services, all really amazing things. We’ve got music: Rosé Noire will be singing for dinner and Brian from Wayside will be spinning
later.”
The Andes event was part fundraiser and part celebration, honoring the network of community members who have put in years of hard work to get to this point. Rhiannon Wright, co-owner of The Forest Exchange, CAA land access coordinator, and a WBC board member, explained: “Tonight is a chance to really bring some more folks into the story of
what we’re doing here – and share and hopefully get some people engaged for the long-term.”
The sense of shared purpose was unmistakable throughout the chilly moonlit night. Guests filled the long wooden tables lining the rustic terrace, surrounded by the scent of the wood
fire pit.
Eleanor Blakeslee, co-owner of Berry Brook Farm and a WBC boardmember, described the
effort as “a culmination of generations.” Blakeslee understands the obstacles new growers face when trying to start with little or no capital. “Access to land is one of the hardest things for beginning farmers,” she said. “This trust is about changing that.”
Blakeslee shared a line from Hutson that resonated with many at the event: “I am only greedy for one thing, and that is good soil.” The quote captured the theme of the night, she said, a shared commitment to nurturing the land and those who work it.
Among the attendees were members of the Iridescent Earth Collective– Jessica Tobón, Leila Nations, Peach Gallant, and Lily Gold – who were the first group Hutson invited to farm on his property.
Founded in 2023, IEC focuses on community-based agriculture and combating food insecurity. They have partnered with Berry Brook to donate food to the Wilton Food Pantry and plan to open a free food fridge in Delaware County.
Gallant explained that the IEC’s vision is deeply rooted in community: “It’s our community, it’s us – we want to give back.” Gold echoed that sense of shared responsibility. “There is a lot of reciprocity from local farmers,” she said. “As a collective, we must support one another.”
Nations added that WBC represents more than a piece of land: “It feels liberating because it allows us to grow food and give back at the same time. We’re not just farming for ourselves. We’re farming for our neighbors and for the future.”
Sea Matías, owner of Serra Vida Farm and a WBC organizing committee member, said the project is also about sharing knowledge and resources. “There’s a lot of group learning happening with other farms,” Matías said. “It’s not just about protecting land –it’s about building a sustainable community
around it.”
Following the dinner service, chefs Norvell and Yee expressed gratitude to Hutson, Matías, Blakeslee, and the other local farmers who donated the produce and meats they cooked that night. Yee remarked that “the real work is the farming,” stating that cooking a meal is a joy when the ingredients are seasonal, fresh, and local. Guests dined on dishes including a chicory salad, eggplant dip, fried delicata squash, pork belly rillettes, pickled beet salad, and shepherds pie. Attendees praised how the meal itself symbolized what the event stood for: the value of local food, hard work, and shared responsibility.
Norvell, who has been the chef at Wayside Cider for more than six years, stressed how truly local the food was. “The farms are a ten-minute drive down the road.” She added that it was truly special to cook for a cause which directly supports the people who supply her kitchen and the community she serves. “The farms are a part of this family.”
Speaking on behalf of the WBC, Yu, Wright, and Matías said they hope the benefit will help them move closer to their fundraising goals in the coming months. Beyond the financial progress, they said, the event succeeded in something just as important: reminding everyone why the effort matters.
“This isn’t just a nice idea,” Yu said. “It’s about protecting the future of farming in our community.” The evening reflected what the project stands for, he added: generosity, connection, and care for the land.
For those present, the message was clear: the Catskills’ farming future depends on collective action and a shared belief that the soil beneath their feet is worth protecting.
Donations to the West Branch Commons “Community Down Payment” campaign can be made through the Catskills Agrarian Alliance (https://www.catskillsagrarianalliance.org/wbc).
This article was originally published on The Mountain Eagle.
