Please allow me to enter the debate over the "Abundant Life Farm" on Saxton Road in Walker Valley. This furor brings back memories of the years in the 70's and 80's when folks like Marc Fried, "Bud" Flynn, Dick Eldridge, Victor Mc Cord and I championed Agricultural Districts as one means, in a well-integrated planning and zoning framework, to preserve open space and protect the rights of farmers to make a living and feed the populace. It is indeed regrettable that this beneficial tool might now be manipulated into a means to subvert the goal of preservation of rare and endangered spaces and to override the basic principle of zoning that incompatible uses should be separated so far as possible.

This criticism of the commercial agricultural development on Saxton Road does not come from someone who is unfriendly to or unfamiliar with small scale agriculture. Before I became the pastor of a local congregation and before I completed a thirty year career in Corrections, my family raised cattle, chickens, rabbits, tomatoes and horses on our farm in Wallkill. I still live on the remnants of that farm where I have horses, rabbits, chickens and a vegetable garden. I am a contributor to "Countryside Magazine and Small Stock Journal" and a proponent of what is called "modern homesteading." I am familiar with raised bed gardening, hydroponics and "chicken tractors," amongst other innovations in small scale farming enterprises.

The problems with the current commercial agricultural activity on Saxton Road may be pointed out by two well-known clichés. One is from the real estate field where they say, "Location, location, location!" The location is wrong. One does not bulldoze trees on the side of a scenic vista to create marginal agricultural land when cleared land is still available in the valley and crying for someone to preserve it, which is what Agricultural Districts were meant to do. The other cliché comes from the realm of comedy, "Timing is everything!" The timing is off. This is new commercial agricultural activity, not pre-existing nor currently sanctioned activity. It is a principle of zoning that one may not create their own hardship and then appeal for relief.

I commend the Shawangunk Town Board for opposing this threat to Ridge preservation and proper zoning/planning principles. I pray that the Ulster County Legislature will do so as well, rather than set the stage for a prolonged series of legal challenges and the inevitable continuation of conflicts between neighbors who should simply be enjoying the beauty and bounty of the Shawangunk Ridge.

In the article "Farmer Fights to Stay on Ridge" on June 20th the Times Herald-Record missed some critical parts of the story. The Shawangunk Journal published a story this week that was more complete, but it still did not include the fact that, after investigating the proposed plans, the Ulster County Farm Preservation Board recommended to the Legislature to include it as an "Ag District".

No official from the Town of Shawangunk ever visited the farm and reviewed Linda Borghi's plans. In February 2010, Linda called George Sawyer, the Town Building Inspector. She described plans which included a half-acre cultivated, two Highland cows, 100-300 chickens for eggs, and 7 goats. Linda asked Mr. Sawyer what she could do. After leaving numerous messages she finally received a letter six weeks later. Mr. Sawyer stated, per one acre of land she could have the following: 1 cow, and/or 20 chickens. Neither goats nor cultivated acreage were addressed.

Linda called Mr. Sawyer to discuss his letter. The Building inspector replied, "You can read English as well as I can... By law I don't have to answer any questions because you have not filed an application," he continued, antagonistically. Mr. Sawyer may have secretly visited the farm and made erroneous assumptions, but he never reviewed any plans.

On the other hand, in April, the Ulster County Planning Board (UCPB) sent Virginia Craft, and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County sent Teresa Rusinek, the latter a Commercial and Consumer Horticulture and Agriculture expert, to visit and review the proposed farm. Ms. Craft and Ms. Rusinek spent over an hour with Linda, walking the property and reviewing plans. They reported their findings to the Ulster County Farm Preservation Board (UCFPB). Based upon their report and public statements on May 12, the UCFPB recommended that the legislature include the farm in an Agricultural District.

The UCFPB is chaired by John Valk, who also serves as Town of Shawangunk Supervisor. Supervisor Valk abstained from the UCFPB vote, in advance of Shawangunk urging the Ulster legislature to deny the Ag District application.

At a Shawangunk Town Board Meeting in June, the Board unanimously endorsed said letter. The Board Members also made disparaging, perhaps libelous comments.

"It appeared the owners were attempting to circumvent zoning laws by declaring the land a working farm capable of producing $50,000 worth of products." Supervisor Valk said. And Councilman Adrian M. Dewitt said he knew "the land was not likely to be used as suggested."

At another Shawangunk Town Board meeting, June 17, I asked for an explanation about those comments. The Board said the comments were based on the Building Inspector's March letter to Ms. Borghi. At that point in time I was unfamiliar with the details surrounding that letter.

I've paid the taxes on the parcels in question since 1990. It is outrageous that Town officials can accuse citizens of trying to "circumvent zoning laws" based upon the word of a building inspector who didn't do his job. The Shawangunk Town Board may include three farmers but those individuals have little if any knowledge about the farming methods Linda uses: Biodynamic/SPIN(R) Farming.

In direct contrast was the UCFPB affirmative recommendation of Linda's plans to the Ulster County Legislature. I would hope the Legislature will base their decision on the facts, as presented here and by the UCFPB, as opposed to the false assumptions and accusations of the Town of Shawangunk Board. In today's world, public officials need to thoroughly investigate, not make false accusations. Likewise, the Times Herald Record needs to dig deeper and report all the facts.