PORTSMOUTH — The Eastern Rhode Island Conservation District (ERICD) has received a $5,000 grant from BankNewport to support its agricultural education project, Portsmouth AgInnovation Farm. 

The grant of $5,000 will support the purchase of a tractor for the farm.

The AgInnovation Farm is a student volunteer-run farm where kids learn about sustainable agriculture with hands-on problem-solving experiences. It is located at Cloverbud Ranch on Jepson Lane in Portsmouth and is a partnership between ERICD and the Portsmouth School Department. 

Short and long-term plans for the farm include installation of a pollinator garden, outdoor classroom with pavilion, composting, deer fencing, and irrigation. The school district plans to hold STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education classes, as well as after-school programs at the farm. ERICD’s vision is for the farm to grow into an island-wide program, servicing all three municipalities and school districts.

“We are so thankful to BankNewport for supporting the AgInnovation Farm with this grant,” said Sara Churgin, ERICD district manager. “The purchase of a tractor will transform the level of work we are able to do on the farm, allowing us to provide more educational opportunities for our children.”

The farm was very active throughout the 2021 growing season. A seasonal high tunnel was built, which extends the growing season, community farm plots were available for families to personally tend, a storage shed was built to hold donated gardening tools, street signage was installed, and an abundance of produce was donated to local food banks.

Earlier this year, the program received a grant of $2,000 from the Farm Credit Northeast AgEnhancement program.

For more information, visit www.easternriconservation.org/aginnovation-farm or contact Sara Churgin at schurgin.ericd@gmail.com or 401/225-6033.