Adamah’s Climate Action Fund empowers Jewish organizations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower operating costs, and serve as environmental leaders in their communities through a combination of interest-free loans and matching grants.

Since its launch in 2023, the Adamah Climate Action Fund has awarded:

• $1.3 million to 50 projects across North America
• $996,593 in interest-free loans
• $309,016 in matching grants

These projects will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2,630 metric tons annually and save approximately $801,060 each year in energy and operating costs.

New Awardees Lead by Example 

This round’s North American Climate Action Loan recipients include: 

Project: Replace its oil-fired boiler with energy-efficient electric mini-split heat pumps.
Outcome: Expected to save $3,200 annually—or $64,000 over the life of the equipment.

Project: Installing a 306kW solar energy system.
Outcome: Projected to save $39,000 annually on electricity costs.

“These zero-interest loans allow Jewish organizations to immediately cut energy costs, freeing up resources to invest in their core missions,” said Jakir Manela, CEO of Adamah. “Our community has the tools—and now the funds—to lead on climate action.” 

Scott Braswell of Merage JCC in Irvine, CA, a past Fund recipient, echoed this sentiment: 

“The funds from Adamah have allowed us to dream bigger. We initially planned a gradual LED upgrade, but quickly realized the energy and cost savings were too great to delay. The new LEDs not only look professional but also provide significant savings.” 

Supporting Change in New York 

Four Jewish institutions in New York received Adamah NY Climate Action Fund Grants, supported by UJA, for upgrades to lighting and thermostats:

Project: Replacing all classroom, hallway, and exterior lights with energy efficient LEDs. 

Project: Purchase and installation of 25 Sensi Wi-Fi and app-enabled thermostats.

Project: Replace existing fixtures with high efficiency LED lights equipped with motion sensors and timers.

Project: Installing solar powered lighting for a girls High School in Queens.

These efforts complement other recent upgrades such as rooftop solar panels and heat pump installations. Rabbi Linson of Temple Judea of Laguna Hills, CA, another past recipient, remarked: 

“Our community sees that environmental stewardship is also financial stewardship. We are proud of our sustainability efforts and grateful for the support.” 

Funding Opportunities and New Deadline 

The Adamah Climate Action Fund currently offers financial support through three regional programs: 

• Adamah NY Climate Action Fund (for schools and synagogues located in NYC’s five boroughs, Westchester, and Long Island): Matching grants up to $10,000 per project 

• Orange County Climate Action Grant Fund (Orange County, CA): Matching grants up to $10,000 

• North American Climate Action Loan Fund: Interest-free loans up to $100,000 

Adamah plans to launch additional regional grant programs in the coming months to expand its reach. 

The next deadline to apply for funding is November 6, 2025. All applicants must be members of Adamah’s Jewish Climate Leadership Coalition, a growing network of Jewish organizations committed to climate action. Current members include major umbrella organizations of Jewish life including Jewish Federations of North America, Jewish Funders Network, Hillel International, Prizmah, and JCC Association of North America, as well as leaders of major Jewish denominations (including the Central Conference of American Rabbis, Rabbinical Assembly, Rabbinical Council of America, Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association and Reconstructing Judaism, Union for Reform Judaism, and United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism). Membership is free and open to any Jewish organization, and those not yet involved are encouraged to email coalition@adamah.org or visit adamah.org/coalition to learn more. 

“This coalition represents an unprecedented mobilization of the Jewish world toward meaningful climate action—at pace and at scale. With expert support and financing available, there’s no reason Jewish leaders can’t be at the forefront of creating a livable future for our children.”

— Jakir Manela, CEO

Jewish community organizations who recognize the urgency of climate change are committed to taking action.

Wherever you are on your climate action journey – we provide community, gentle accountability, and resources to support meaningful climate action.

Learn More

The post Announcing the 2025 Climate Action Fund Recipients appeared first on Adamah.

Oh, Okefenokee 

Adamah, the largest Jewish environmental organization in North America, is celebrating a small victory after the announcement that Twin Pines Minerals, the company trying to mine near the Okefenokee Swamp, has agreed to sell its land in South Georgia to The Conservation Fund for $60 million.

Adamah ATL Advisory Board Member Josh Marks has been instrumental in mobilizing Jewish Georgians to protect the swampland. As the president of Georgians for the Okefenokee, Marks collaborated with local students, rabbis, and families to campaign for this water protection win.

Marks said the fight is not over.

“There are still more than 20,000 acres of land along the swamp’s edge that are vulnerable to mining and which need to be protected. The best way to accomplish that is for the legislature to finally pass the Okefenokee Protection Act, which would prohibit the issuance of mining permits along the entirety of the swamp’s eastern boundary. Citizens should contact their state legislators and urge them to support the OPA during the next session,” he said.

Adamah’s Clara Camber added: “Jewish texts tell us how important it is to protect the natural world and prevent needless destruction and waste (bal tashchit).”

The post Save Our Swamp appeared first on Adamah.

The Jewish Green Business Network connects North American and Israeli green business professionals in order to accelerate climate solutions across the Jewish world and beyond.

Many of us are living with intense anxiety amid the recent Iran attacks against Israel, political violence, antisemitic acts, and the climate crisis. 

Adamah’s core value of Jewish Peoplehood, building bridges for the Jewish people—from Israel and the Diaspora—to build a more sustainable future together, is more important now than ever. We stand with all those who yearn for peace and pray for the safety of innocent victims of violence.

In this moment, we need to mobilize the full power of the Jewish people in the face of existential crises. We need all hands-on deck to find our way through this moment, for our people and our planet—and that must include the tremendous brilliance, innovation, resourcefulness, and strength of the Jewish green business demographic.  

That’s why we are excited to launch the Jewish Green Business Network, a new Adamah program with massive impact potential moving forward. We are deeply grateful to our friends at the Jewish Climate Trust for believing in Adamah and in the power of this vision.

What will the Jewish Green Business Network do? 

• Local gatherings, business tours, climate week events, career panels, and networking events 
• A supportive multi-generational community of Jewish professional leaders driving innovation, and showing up to share, learn, mentor, and collaborate with one another
• Unique opportunities for business development, partnerships, and strategic connections between the North American and Israeli green business worlds

Click here to join the network! 

And here’s to the great strength of the Jewish people, and the power of community to see us through difficult times.

B’Shalom, 
Or Katzman & Talya Herring   
Co-Directors, Adamah Jewish Green Business Network 

Or Katzman is an impact strategist, entrepreneur, and community builder focused on climate, business, and social change. He co-directs the Jewish Green Business Network at Adamah and has led initiatives such as SDGIsrael, the Ecological Benefits Framework, and the Transformative Impact Summit. With expertise in climate science, water management, circular economics, and impact strategy, Or helps translate bold ideas into practical solutions for a more just and resilient world. 

Talya Herring Esq. is a strategic communicator, environmental advocate, and community organizer with a legal background and deep experience across climate tech, sustainability, and Jewish communal life. Talya brings her passion for the planet and people as Co-Director of the Jewish Green Business Network at Adamah. She has a strong background in environmental action, including managing marketing and research at PLANETech, practicing environmental law at Lipa Meir & Co., and founding a zero-waste business and podcast, Zevel Rebel.  

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Greenbelters Jeannie Bellina and Melissa Ann Ehrenreich traveled on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 11 to Pearlstone Retreat Center in Reisterstown to learn from former Greenbelter Joe Murray how to make an earthen, smokeless pizza oven using natural materials. 

Inspired by stories of how
Toronto public parks have created almost 20 pizza ovens for community use surrounded by gardens of tomatoes and basil, the duo registered for a Pearlstone Adamah service project to learn Cob Construction 101. 

Murray shared materials, design specifications and wisdom on how to assess clay composition in dirt gathered locally, how to achieve the best mixture to create a thermal layer that could support temperatures of up to 750 degrees Fahrenheit to meet kosher standards, and tips for success (a covered oven is key to preventing the oven from eroding when it rains).

The small team of five volunteers onsite created the final 6-inch layer on top of a sturdy sand dome, fire brick and cob brick base that was previously constructed. After this final thermal layer fully dries for two weeks, Murray will cut an oven opening out of the clay structure, remove the sand inner core and then light a fire to cure the inside of the oven. 

Participants were delighted with the hands-on approach and accessibility of construction, to say nothing of the low costs made possible by sourcing materials straight from the earth. They immediately began to think of ways to engage and bring this concept back to Greenbelt.  Could our community build a community oven here to host pizza parties for all? Maybe so.

The post Two Greenbelt Women Learn Art Of Building an Earthen Oven appeared first on Adamah.

I’m leaving behind despair… I’m taking with me the kaleidoscopic gorgeous array of life, the energetic, dynamic and filled with “chutzpah” people we’ve met. – Ana Levy-Lyons, tour participant

WHAT A WEEK.
Just one week ago, we embarked on Adamah-NY’s first Roots and Resilience environmental journey to Israel.

Landing in Israel on a Friday afternoon was a powerful moment. From the air, I took in the valleys, quarries, cities, and green hills of my homeland—almost like the pilot had arranged a personal aerial tour. It turned out the slower descent wasn’t just for my benefit—it was due to a missile launched from Yemen. It was the first of five we experienced that week. While those moments were certainly felt, they didn’t break our spirit. They did, however, create a big BALAGAN (our first new Hebrew word, which means chaotic situation) in the flight plans of our incredible group participants.

Embracing complexity—and exploring “roots and resilience,” as the journey’s name suggests— was our motto from day one. With the support of UJA Federation of NY’s DAJ (Diversity, Action, and Justice) Committee, we explored our deep-rooted connection to the land, the adamah, the planet, and to Israel—our historical, ancestral, and living homeland.

As environmentalists, climate activists, and nature lovers, we reflected on “roots” in many shades of green. But this journey wasn’t only about exploring our personal roots and resilience (though delayed flights, late-night sirens, and shelter runs at 2am was certainly part of it!). It was also about engaging in climate action, regional environmentalism, and how those intersect with Israel’s complex geopolitical and security realities.

We considered how physical security resilience and climate resilience are deeply intertwined—especially in times of war.

Why would a group of Jewish environmentalists come together to explore all this? What could possibly be Jewish about climate action? And how is talking about mitigation and adaptation in Israel relevant to our work in New York?

Our tour set out to explore exactly these questions—and more. We aimed to deepen participants’ understanding of Israel’s environmental landscape and how it intersects with the country’s internal and external socio-political challenges. We also wanted to highlight Israel’s cutting-edge environmental innovations and draw connections to the challenges we face in New York—especially around rapid development, population growth, and climate adaptation.

Equally important was the goal of connecting peoplehood and planethood—creating a supportive, values-driven network for Jewish professionals working in climate fields. Many of them have experienced isolation in their workplaces, often facing anti-Israel or antisemitic rhetoric. This journey was a space for solidarity, learning, and meaningful connection.

We did SO MUCH! A few highlights are shared below, and you can view the full itinerary here.

One of the most inspiring stops was our visit to the Shapira neighborhood in South Tel Aviv. There, residents have built a thriving community compost program, a productive vegetable garden, and—amazingly—their own sustainable currency: Lira Shapira. The currency is based on composted food scraps: for every kilo of food waste, you receive 1 Lira Shapira (equal to 1 shekel), which can be used to purchase fresh produce and goods within the local community. A beautiful model of circular economy in action!

In East Jerusalem, we toured with Palestinian urban planner Tareq Nasser, who works with Palestinian women involved in the Sinsila project. Together, they’re practicing placemaking—transforming neglected or underutilized spaces into vibrant, life-giving places. Through rooftop gardens, beekeeping, and community engagement, they are fostering both environmental renewal and social mobility in an area that deeply needs both.

We spent a day at the Lower Jordan River and the Dead Sea learning about its alarming ecological decline and the local coalition working tirelessly to save it; We also visited sustainable desert communities in both recognized and unrecognized Bedouin villages, where residents are blending traditional practices with cutting-edge climate technologies—like solar energy, biogas, atmospheric water generation, composting, and off-grid sewage treatment. These innovations are helping them grow crops, raise herds, and advance education in incredibly challenging, off-the-grid conditions.

Throughout the journey, we met incredible entrepreneurs who aren’t just building climate solutions—they’re also pushing for policy change and working to educate the public and decision-makers alike. One highlight was our visit to Jerusalem’s central produce market, where we learned about Metzilot HaMazon (The Food Rescuers). They treated us to a delicious lunch made entirely from rescued food—items that would have otherwise gone to waste. Beyond the amazing flavors, we were inspired by their mission: promoting food security, community engagement, and food system education, all powered by a dedicated team of volunteers.

Following a gut-wrenching and deeply humbling visit to the Nova Festival site, we met with Rabbi Avi Dabush, CEO of Rabbis for Human Rights—a resident of the area and a survivor of the October 7th massacre. Our conversation with Avi, held while overlooking Gaza and reflecting on the immense suffering of the Palestinian population just miles away, helped ground this moment in both political, emotional, and spiritual context. His unwavering commitment to hope, justice, and the pursuit of peace—even in the face of unimaginable darkness—was profoundly moving and inspiring.

Amidst all the powerful learning and reflection, we also had a LOT of fun! Our days were full of joy, laughter, and unforgettable moments. We explored vibrant shuks (outdoor markets), indulged in extraordinary vegan food, went stargazing, walked to the Kotel (Western Wall), and visited the beautiful Gazelle Valley Nature Reserve—a space preserved and protected thanks to a passionate community-led effort.

We spent our final days in Tel Aviv, soaking in its beauty, warmth, and vibrant energy—while continuing to learn. Our focus turned to climate innovation and sustainability at the local government level. We explored how the municipality is working to create a more walkable city, expanding micro-mobility options, and integrating mass transit projects.

We also learned how Tel Aviv is planning for the future—how growth projections for the Gush Dan metropolis are being aligned with climate vulnerability data (including extreme heat, sea level rise, and coastal erosion), prompting ongoing rethinking of sustainable urban development.

These days sparked rich conversations within our group—reflections on the parallels with New York’s own challenges, and exciting ideas about cross-fertilization and future collaboration.

Through powerful conversations with inspiring speakers and exposure to meaningful, innovative work at the municipal, regional, and national levels, we filled our buckets—with hope, knowledge, lived experiences, and many, many beautiful new relationships.

One of the core motivations behind this journey was to support American Jewish environmentalists and climate activists—especially at a time when holding both of those identities can feel isolating. During our meeting with one of Israel’s greatest climate activists, former MK Dov Khenin, now Chair of the Israeli President’s Climate Forum, he offered us a powerful reminder:

Don’t give up on Israel [on your conversation with others, especially progressive Jews]… because when you give up on Israel, you’re giving up on us—the people.

This journey reminded us that hope is a renewable resource—and that by staying connected to each other, to our values, to the land and to all its people, we can continue to lead with strength and purpose.

Dr. Shahar Sadeh, Adamah NY Founding Director and Tour Leader

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Last Wednesday and Thursday, SAR Academy’s fifth grade embarked on a fantastic overnight trip to Teva. The experience was filled with bonding, learning and plenty of fun.

The adventure began with early morning tefillah at school, followed by breakfast. Afterward, the fifth graders boarded buses headed to the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center, ready for two days of outdoor exploration and connection.

Once they arrived, students enjoyed a wide range of activities—hiking scenic trails, engaging in nature lessons, walking along a stream, participating in team-building challenges, playing sports and enjoying delicious meals.

In the evening, the grade gathered for dinner and capped off the day with s’mores around a cozy campfire under the stars.

The Teva trip was a wonderful opportunity for SAR’s fifth graders to connect with nature, strengthen friendships and create lasting memories in the great outdoors.

The post SAR Academy Embarks on Teva Trip appeared first on Adamah.

One of the largest synagogues and religious schools in the Los Angeles area is embracing on-site solar power to cut its carbon emissions and save money on utility bills.

Valley Beth Shalom, which is in the San Fernando Valley, has spent close to $1.24 million on installing solar panels and energy efficiency improvements. The renewable energy installation includes more than 850 Q Cell rooftop panels by Sunistics Corp.

The solar energy output should generate close to 615,000 kWh per year and save close to $180,000 in annual utility costs. The new system should offset more than 75% of the synagogue and school’s energy use, paying for itself within five years.

“This solar project is a testament to VBS’s proactive leadership and dedication to sustainability,” said Matthew Weintraub, Executive Director of Valley Beth Shalom, in a statement. “By harnessing solar energy, we are not only reducing our carbon footprint but also securing long-term financial benefits that allow us to invest more in our community, education, and religious programs. Thanks to the support of our Board of Directors, individual donors, Jewish Solar Challenge, and Adamah’s Jewish Leadership Climate Coalition, we are proud to be at the forefront of sustainable transformation in the Jewish community.”

The project was supported by a combination of funding sources, including a $50,000 grant from the Jewish Solar Challenge, generous individual donations, an interest-free loan from Adamah’s Climate Action Fund, significant incentives and rebates provided by the Inflation Reduction Act for nonprofit organizations, and financing by Beneficial State Bank.

Valley Beth Shalom was founded in the 1950s and is in Encino. It includes more than 1,500 member families and, in 2009, was named by Newsweek as one of “America’s 25 Most Vibrant Congregations.”

Rabbis from the synagogue launched the non-profit Jewish World Watch, committed helping survivors of genocide and mass atrocities worldwide.

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Mission highlighted Israel’s achievements in fighting climate change.

I was invited by the National Adamah group to join their staff and 30 other climate activist lay leaders from around the country, England and Canada, to learn more about our joint Israeli-Diaspora mission to help fight climate change. 

I am deeply grateful to Adamah for the opportunity to experience Israel in a way unlike any of my previous visits. This was not a sightseeing tour; it was about peoplehood, planethood and problem-solving — focusing on one of the greatest challenges of our time: climate change.

My fellow travelers on this journey were leaders in their Jewish communities, working to bring this crucial work to others, regardless of religious, cultural, political or national differences. Their dedication should be recognized and celebrated.

Upon landing in Israel, I immediately felt as though I were entering a house of shivah. From Ben Gurion Airport to the streets, roundabouts, stores, restaurants, Tel Aviv boardwalk and train/bus stations, reminders of the country’s ongoing trauma were everywhere. Yellow ribbons and the faces of the dead and hostages lined the streets, making it impossible to forget the pain that lingers. This feeling was crystalized by a visit to Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, where I spoke with kibbutz survivors and Nova Festival attendees who shared their harrowing experiences.

This trauma brought me back to my first trip to Israel as a 17-year-old in the summer of 1974, just eight months after the Yom Kippur War. At that time, Israel was still reeling from the trauma of war, struggling with the weight of heavy losses. Ceasefire agreements with Egypt and Syria had been signed only a month before my arrival with Camp Ramah Canada for an eight-week journey across the country. It is deeply saddening that throughout my entire life, this land has known so much war, hostility and trauma.

A Start-Up Nation Amidst Growth and Innovation

Despite its challenges, Israel remains a “start-up nation” — a beacon of resilience and innovation. 

People often forget that, with all its advancements in technology, agriculture, mass transit and booming construction, Israel is still a young nation — just 77 years old, nearly four times younger than the U.S.

The post Reflections on the Adamah Leadership Mission to Israel appeared first on Adamah.

Global temperatures continue to rise, breaking records every year; fires, floods and other extreme weather events are increasing at a rapid pace. 

As climate change accelerates, individuals and organizations are looking for ways to address climate concerns, invest in sustainability, protect our waters and make sure our critical resources, such as food, are used responsibly.

The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore is at the forefront of these efforts. More than a decade ago, it made a decision to go green, beginning with recycling, then moving on to a Green Loan Fund and solar power.  

“That decision,” says Ben Gershowitz, vice president of facilities at The Associated, “is part of our corporate mission and values, which is deeply rooted in the teachings of Jewish culture. It drives our commitment to be good stewards of the environment.”  

The Associated recognizes that by investing in the environment and safeguarding our resources today, we will leave a better, more sustainable world for our children and grandchildren.

Last year, The Associated became the only Jewish federation to be a founding member of the Jewish Climate Leadership Coalition, powered by Adamah, the largest Jewish environmental organization in North America. As a member, the organization released a Climate Action Plan that outlined the strategic efforts for The Associated network. 

Here are a few ways The Associated is leading the effort to address the growing threat of climate change. 

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Written by: City & State

The transition to clean energy has entered a new phase in New York, as the state faces threats from new tariffs, economic headwinds and a pivot away from climate change policies in Washington, D.C. Yet renewable resources like solar and wind power as well as advances in battery storage and energy efficiency remain a key part of the energy equation, championed by public officials and industry executives alike. And even as federal subsidies for renewable energy dry up and climate goals come under scrutiny, there remains plenty of industry momentum behind major initiatives like offshore wind installations and upgraded and expanded transmission lines across the state.

City & State’s annual Trailblazers in Clean Energy puts a spotlight on the clean energy leaders of New York, including innovative industry figures, groundbreaking policymakers and notable environmentalists and conservationists.

Shahar Sadeh

Founding Director, Adamah NY

Shahar Sadeh is connecting the Jewish community to the clean energy and climate change movements in order to make progress toward a sustainable future. Adamah, North America’s largest Jewish environmental organization, is creating the Roadmap to Decarbonize American Jewish Life that incorporates sustainability practices within Jewish organizations. The roadmap is expected to launch in the later part of 2025. Adamah organizes an environmental education camp for Jewish children and the Jewish Youth Climate Movement to better involve Gen Z in sustainability issues.

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Trees are a great tool for restoration—they store carbon, provide habitat for wildlife, and prevent erosion with their root systems.

But some types of trees hold a trick within their biology that makes them even more effective, a kind of shortcut that allows people to quickly fill an area with new plantings.

“Trees are expensive,” said Zach Cline, live stake coordinator with the Chesapeake Conservancy. “Live staking is a great way to get them really cheap, and plant hundreds of trees with only a few hours of time.”

Rather than planting a seed or a sapling in the soil, live staking involves taking a cutting of a branch or stem and driving it into the ground. Each stake—they must still be alive, hence “live” staking—will then grow roots and eventually become an individual tree.

Though there’s something almost magical to full trees sprouting from stakes, the process is a longstanding technique that takes advantage of reproductive strategies of trees in areas of high disturbance. Cline said that trees such as willows and dogwoods evolved to propagate not only from seeds but also with stems and branches that take root when they fall off a tree.

Live staking doesn’t work everywhere. It’s more successful with certain types of trees adapted to wetlands (willows, dogwoods, elderberry, buttonbush, alders, and sycamores) and in wetter areas where stakes can get a lot of moisture. Live stakes can be beneficial along streambanks, where they help against erosion, as well as for urban or agricultural areas.

With the right conditions, live staking can be very successful. Chesapeake Conservancy carries out live staking projects throughout the region, and they’ve had planting areas where 90 percent of stakes grow into trees, Cline said.

In March, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources hosted a live staking training event at Pearlstone Retreat Center, an environmental education center in Reisterstown, Baltimore County. The Chesapeake Conservancy led the training, which brought in staff and volunteers from several local organizations.

DNR and the Greater Baltimore Wilderness Coalition support a workforce development program called the Climate Crew Network. Emily Morrow, green jobs network coordinator with DNR’s Office of Outdoor Recreation, said these trainings are aimed at helping people gain skills for green jobs, but they also offer other benefits.

“Part of that workforce development is getting exposure to a lot of different environmental fields,” Morrow said. “So learning how to live stake might be environmental education and it might be community engagement, but it’s also showing people the value of being outside and why that’s good for your physical and mental health.”

The post Live Staking: How To Plant Hundreds of Trees Fast, Using Branches from Your Backyard appeared first on Adamah.

The project aims to reduce compaction, controls erosion and improve soil biology.

“We are looking forward to making some crop rotations to continue focusing on soil health and sustainability while being able to provide forage for our cattle,” said Lloyd.

In March 2023 the Kent-based land conservancy received an award of $750,000 from the state Department of Agriculture through the Climate Smart Agriculture & Forest Grant program. The program allocated $7 million to agricultural and conservation entities, and NCLC was one of 12 recipients selected for an award.

In 2024 the land conservancy announced 10 implementation grant awardees, and after a final competitive grant round last fall, 15 additional sites were selected. This year’s cohort includes beef, dairy, poultry, fish, forestry, vegetable, fruit and flower farms across Litchfield County and northwestern Fairfield County.

“Connecticut’s farms are in the top three for most at risk of loss in the country,” said the land conservancy’s Executive Director Catherine Rawson.

“Connecticut’s agricultural producers are committed to being part of the climate change solution through on-farm energy, soil health and carbon sequestration projects to further increase their sustainability and resiliency,” said Bryan P. Hurlburt, Connecticut Department of Agriculture commissioner.

High temperatures, more frequent and severe drought and more intense and damaging storms with associated flooding and power outages have been “huge challenges” for the Falls Village-based Adamah, a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm, said director Janna Siller, who noted that CSA shares are still available to the public at fvcsa.adamah.org.

“The $16,000 we’ve been granted from NCLC will help us adapt by purchasing supplies to improve our resilience to these challenges through greenhouse, field production and irrigation improvements like shade cloth, temperature-neutral insect netting, greenhouse climate control, automation, high tunnel ventilation, a generator for the greenhouse heating system, irrigation upgrades and an electric mower.”

The distribution of the grants, for which the Falls Village farm is “incredibly grateful,” said Siller, comes at a time of great uncertainty for farm businesses.

In addition to Carlwood Farm and Adamah, other Northwest Corner farm grant recipients include: $24,000 to Canaan View Dairy LLC in East Canaan; $30,000 Conundrum Farm in Kent; $8,000 to Howling Flats Farm LLC in North Canaan; $9,000 to The Stead Farm LLC in Barkhamsted; and $3,000 to Wright Farm LLC in Goshen.

The Building Resiliency program also includes funding for 22 climate-smart agricultural assessments conducted by Berkshire Agricultural Ventures.

Later this spring, NCLC plans to celebrate Building Resiliency awardees and program partners with an on-farm celebration.

“Small farms serving local customers like ours have long relied on federal grants like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the Conservation Stewardship Program, both of which are federal programs that have supported farmers in serving local customers while mitigating climate change and preventing pollution.”

She further noted that federal funding for those programs and many others supporting local farm economies “have been frozen for months and are under threat of drastic cuts in the federal budget.”

In addition to Carlwood Farm and Adamah, the following Northwest Corner farm grant recipients include:

Canaan View Dairy LLC in East Canaan, which will receive $24,000 to purchase a dragline toolbar. This equipment promotes efficient manure application, which reduces nutrient loss and fuel consumption, decreases greenhouse gas emissions and improves soil and water quality.

Written by: Debra A. Aleksinas

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