Potomac Organic Farmer Responds to Board of Education Vote

Nick Maravell, who has on Brickyard Road in Potomac for more than 30 years, is coping with the news that he will no longer be able to farm the land after the to turn the land over to Montgomery County to potentially build soccer fields.

Maravell released this statement on Wednesday afternoon about his thoughts and experiences over the last few days and how his business will proceed.

To my customers and supporters,

Thank you for your tremendous support of Nick’s Organic Farm in Potomac.

The Montgomery County Board of Education voted to lease the 20-acre field for ten years to the County to convert it all into soccer fields. However, they will require the County to extend my lease to Jan. 1, 2012, so that I can complete this 2011 growing season.

The turn-out was both amazing and gratifying given that there were only two full working-days’ notice. The mood of the approximately 50 supporters outside the meeting room was almost festive. Many who came as strangers left having made new friends. 

Everyone was wearing some green, and the crowd represented all corners of Montgomery County and several other jurisdictions. Consumers, neighbors, environmentalists, community activists, and local farmers all contributed public comment, organizing effort and their valuable time to help our farm in our time of need. 

We are truly humbled and appreciative of the encouragement we received. This show of determination and unity is responsible for the Board’s action to extend our lease for 8 more months. 

In my statement, my only request was for the School Board to hold an open debate with the community before deciding what to do. The Board declined that option. So our community lost.

Many in the community would like to see an organic farm continue on that site. The location is unique because it is far enough away from other fields that our corn and soybean seed production is not contaminated by insect-borne and windborne pollen from conventional farms growing genetically modified (GMO) crops. It is also unique because the soil has been tended using organic methods for more than 30 years, thus allowing the microorganisms and organic matter necessary for healthy soil to build up over time.

The Board vote was not unanimous. The three lawyers who serve as School Board Members raised issues related to the lack of public notice and lack of public process. A vote to delay the action until March 28 to allow more public input was defeated 5-3, with the three lawyers all voting in favor.

The final vote to give permission to lease the land to Montgomery County for soccer fields was 6-2, with only two of the lawyers voting against it. Montgomery County has said that it will, in turn, lease the field to a private athletic organization, such as MSI, to construct and operate the soccer fields.

These events have happened so quickly over the past few days that I have not had a chance to plan what I will do in the future with the farming operations that I now conduct on the Potomac land.

Thank you for your generous support,

Nick
www.nicksorganicfarm.com 
nickmaravell@comcast.net