Education Center

FAQ's

What are the amenities that the new building will provide the farm and the town?
The Farm does not have a heated space for folks to gather in the winter months. We looked into heating the old, historic Dairy Barn and decided it would ruin its character to be heated and insulated appropriately. The first floor of the historic David Godfrey farmhouse has a limited capacity because it is such an old, pre-Revolutionary structure. We also don't have adequate public bathrooms at the Farm and rely on porta-johns that are unsightly and sub-optimal, especially for young children and in the evening.

Will the new building add to noise coming from the Farm?
The programs at the Offutt Center will be indoors so will not add to noise coming from the Farm.

Why is an art space included?
Weston does not have an art making space available to the public. This new building would provide a small studio space, with views into the field. Lachat has a long history as a mecca for artists who have lived and worked in this beautiful location.

What will the kitchen in the new building be used for?
Soon after the historic David Godfrey farmstead at Lachat was restored 10 years ago, Town residents began asking the Lachat Town Farm Commission and Friends of Lachat to create a teaching kitchen. This teaching kitchen would facilitate classes in nutrition, cooking for all ages, canning, pickling, preserve making, etc.

Will the kitchen be a "commercial kitchen"?
Yes. The Weston Westport Health District requires that kitchens used for cooking classes, where the participants taste the food, meet "commercial kitchen" requirements. The kitchen was not designed or intended to be a "catering kitchen" for private rental events, but because people attending cooking classes will necessarily sample the products from demonstrations, it has to meet commercial kitchen standards.

Will the kitchen be used for private events as a catering kitchen?
No. The Lachat Town Farm Commission, to appease neighbors' concerns, has decided not to allow private rental events on or in any part of the farm property, including the proposed Offutt Education Center. The kitchen may be used for a fundraising dinner, such as a farm-to-table event, to support the farm.

It's an "education center" - are there classrooms?
The main gathering space will be used for classes. Instead of multiple, small classrooms, this larger space can serve many functions and will be used for the teaching kitchen, which opens into the gathering space. The space could also accommodate a lecture with a power point or film, craft classes on large worktables, or more intimate classes around the fireplace. The space could also be used for art exhibits and our fireside music series.

What about art classes or gardening classes?
A "messy" classroom will be included in the building's design. With windows facing north – as preferred by artists - and with stunning views of the meadow hillside, this space will be geared more for projects that might require some clean up. A variety of art classes for all ages, including gardening, flower arranging, wreath making, and container planting classes could all happen in this space. The building would also include an adjoining bathroom for children who need to be accompanied to the restroom.

Would this have been something Leon Lachat would have wanted at his farm?
Before he died, Leon Lachat had approved the plan for a 6,000 square foot Education/Nature Center on the property, with a large, paved parking lot in front. His relatives and friends who have visited during the Farm's renovation and who have come to Lachat events have said that Leon would be pleased to see people, across multiple generations, visiting the Farm and that Leon would be delighted by the restoration of the property and historic buildings.

Will the building impact the wetlands?
The proposed building is more than 27 feet from the wetlands edge at the closest point. Subsurface drainage has been designed to redirect surface water flow around the new structure and gradually return it to the regulated buffer zone, maintaining the wetlands.

Will the septic or water use affect the neighbors?
The building will have low water-use fixtures, and grey water from the septic system will be pumped east of the building for natural renovation and recharge on site. Water taken from the site will be restored to the property. The septic, water use, and drainage plan has been approved by both the Westport Weston Health District and the State Department of Environmental Protection.

Why did you pick this location on the property?
The building site was chosen to maintain the focus on the historic farmhouse and dairy and carriage barns that front Godfrey Road West. The building was designed to be tucked into the eastern hillside and back as far as possible to the northern hillside. The location also maximizes the utility of the "Machine Shop" so that the "Machine Shop" can be attached to the new building and repurposed for bathrooms, storage, and a small office.

Will the building be paid for by our taxes?
No, the building will be funded entirely by private donors.

Will the building be supported by our taxes?
Lachat Town Farm is currently not reliant on taxpayer support and plans to remain self-sustaining with a reasonable calendar of events to help augment our annual fundraising drive and to provide the town with an amenity that is not financially burdensome to the residents of Weston. The farm is not -- and has never been -- a line-item on the town's budget.

How will the Lachat Town Farm cover the costs of maintaining the proposed building?
Our consultants conducted a study that estimates the Offutt Center would cost approximately $26,000 per year to operate, but could be less if solar panels are installed, as currently planned. About half of that operational expense is allocated to janitorial maintenance – about $250 per week. The building is also designed as a model of sustainability for our community, so the building was designed to be energy efficient.

Since Farm ownership passed to the Town and the Nature Conservancy, the Farm has received approximately $25,000 to $30,000 per year from the Maintenance Fund created for the Farm at the time of the Farm's sale. This cash flow, designed to continue in perpetuity, will provide funding to maintain the new building, as will the proceeds of classes and programs held in the new space.

Will there be an additional endowment that directed solely to the Offutt Center?
As noted above, the main donor to the project has said that any donated funds, left over from construction, will be directed to an endowment fund for the new building. Others in our community have also offered to fund an endowment for the continued support of the building.

Who is Friends of Lachat (FOL), the organization building the proposed Offutt Education Center?
Friends of Lachat is a 501(c)3 charitable organization that was originally established to raise funds to save the farmhouse from demolition. FOL now runs the programs at the farm, spearheads the annual end-of-year fundraising appeal, conducts other fundraising throughout the year, and submits grant proposals throughout the year.

Do any Friends of Lachat Board members get paid?
No. The Board is entirely volunteer. Currently the Board members are: Carol Baldwin, President; Derek Hutchison, Treasurer; Deirdre Doran, Secretary; Ellen McCormick; and David Allon.

Who is on the Lachat Town Farm Commission (LTFC)? What do they do?
The LTFC is a town-appointed, 7-person Commission that oversees the running of the farm for the Town and reports to the Board of Selectmen. While Friends of Lachat oversees the farm's finances, the two groups work hand-in-hand. Currently the Commission members are:

• Kat McConnaughey, Chair
• Carol Baldwin
• Nick Bell
• Stirling Collins (a Lachat neighbor)
• Nicole Copans
• Ellen McCormick
• Erica Reiner

Please contact us at info@lachattownfarm.org if you are interested in getting involved or would like more information.

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