Volume 7 • Number 1 • Spring 2009

It is fitting that the theme of the Annual Report issue of In Common should be Natural Resource Based Economic Development. Of the seven critical issues that anchor Extension research and programming—each of which we will spotlight in an issue of this newsletter—economic development is most critical at this difficult time in our history. Focusing on development sustains our natural resources and returns us to our roots.

In this issue, we explore tapping the wealth residing in our forests in ways that preserve and protect them. Next, we look at how Hartney Greymont, a landscape service firm founded during another period of great financial hardship, shows us that what is good for the environment and for employees is also good for business. That’s a lesson shared and passed down through the generations at Clarkdale Fruit Farms, where a visit reveals innovation and heritage as timeless companions. Then we join some young folks who buck conventional wisdom in learning the ropes of Massachusetts dairy farming.

These stories show how long-term success arises from a careful reading of the past, coupled with a commitment to planning, research and innovation, and to the health and sustainability of natural resources upon which we ultimately depend.

We thank you.

— Nancy Garrabrants, Director