Sheffield Land Trust
Voices from the Fields: the Family Farms of Sheffield
Detail from:
Interview with Claire & Warren Wilcox
In the Voices from the Fields: The Family Farms of Sheffield project, the Sheffield Land Trust launched an effort to interview farmers and their families about their histories and memories of working the land and caring for their livestock. The interviews were recorded on cassette tapes.
With a small grant from Housatonic Heritage, they hired someone to digitally copy some of those tapes. The materials were prepared for the state archive and for viewing on the Sheffield Land Trust website. This second phase was also supported by Housatonic Heritage. Additionally, the Berkshire Athenaeum was a partner. The materials were prepared and stored in their Local History room, while the digital copying was completed.
Since 2012, there has been a 10 percent loss of active farms in Berkshire County. That fact was the impetus for Sheffield Land Trust to complete this project and to apply for a grant to help them do it.
With a small grant from Housatonic Heritage, they hired someone to digitally copy some of those tapes. The materials were prepared for the state archive and for viewing on the Sheffield Land Trust website. This second phase was also supported by Housatonic Heritage. Additionally, the Berkshire Athenaeum was a partner. The materials were prepared and stored in their Local History room, while the digital copying was completed.
Since 2012, there has been a 10 percent loss of active farms in Berkshire County. That fact was the impetus for Sheffield Land Trust to complete this project and to apply for a grant to help them do it.