How ironic that he is moving to a protected historical property from land that's being sold and developed for housing.

Pat is a wonderful farmer whose products I have been enjoying for ages via the Casey farm farmers market. I was glad to hear he's taking over the eg farm.

Thanks for sharing this, I am all for Pat taking over the farm...He is great at what he does and I could only hope that more follow in his footsteps.

Vegetables previously grown on this historic property have been Certified Organic. It is ready to be a beautiful, organic vegetable operation. It is sad to see the farm turned over to squealing pigs.

E.G. Daddy,

Please let us know your address so that after Pat moves in, we can come stand in your driveway and listen for the pigs. I bet it will be very noisy with all of the squealing...

Sorry Berniebear - No pigs at my place, no animal noises, no animal waste and no contaminated well. Just the sound of organic tomatoes growing.

It seems to me, that many people with concerns, are just voicing their concerns in the newspaper or here on the patch, rather than directing their questions to a source that could provide answers.
@EGDaddy - I don't know if you have ever visited Pat's farms (I have, MANY, MANY times) and these farms are very quiet and peaceful. Not stinky, noisy, or dirty. Peaceful, tranquil, NATURAL, beautiful. In other words - A FARM.

It really doesn't matter what non-politician citizens think, hummingbird girl. The Land Trust decided that the town didn't need an organic vegetable farm at the town-owned, Briggs Farm. Bring on the oinkers.

Hey, I have an idea! Perhaps Mr. McNiff could purchase an assortment of fiberglass animals---cows, pigs, hens,etc.----and place them in an artistic manner on the farm.Nice for a pastoral scene without the inconvience to the neighbors. The purchase of the Boesch farm promised open space forever. I don't remember that it was for any specific area of farming.Pat McNiff's animals are so few in number that the noise and odors will not be a problem. As the mother and wife of dairy farm operators,I am amazed to see such an organized objection to this proposal---makes me a little nervous about our future.

I agree Judy. I think all of this is arising from the fact that many people in the neighborhood really enjoyed having an organic vegetable farming operation there and are sad to see that a different style of farm is arriving. While I understand this and also wish a vegetable farm was moving in, the attacks on a farmer moving to a farm are over the top.

Bicker, bicker, bicker. Wait until you taste the fresh eggs with the breakfast sausage, what a treat! No chemicals, not fatty, truly good sausage, ask the many that buy them. And the bacon, my God, you never had such quality, the Italian sausage WOW! The we have the chickens, FRESH, SWEET, DELICIOUS! Go ahead and eat your veggies, give me quality meats, that won't kill me.

During the past 20 years, there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States and rates remain high. In 2010, no state had a prevalence of obesity less than 20% (in some states it's 30%). If you want to maintain this trend, it was a good idea to end organic vegetable farming at the Briggs farm and bring in the pigs. For many people, a plate full of Italian sausage is more desirable than an heirloom tomato.

EG Daddy, the obesity epidemic is likely due to high fructose corn syrup, not to pigs.

Nutrition Facts:
Calories in Italian Sausage Pork 1 Link
Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 270.0
Total Fat 22.0 g
Saturated Fat 9.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 60.0 mg
Sodium 710.0 mg
Potassium 0.0 mg
Total Carbohydrate 3.0 g
Dietary Fiber 0.0 g
Sugars 2.0 g
You go ahead and have your one sausage link. I will have fresh organic strawberries.

Actually, one tasty sausage is nowhere near enough. I prefer at least three, so put me down for 810 calories. More if meatballs are also involved, of course. Save the strawberries for dessert.

Aha! The food police have arrived on the scene! The next step will be banishment of all overweight people because we are unsightly and we lower property values.What a negative attitude we in E.G. have acquired lately. We fight affordable housing, churches, colleges, and a few farm animals great gusto all in the name of property values. Very sad.

I don't think the objectors are really understanding the difference between a pastured animal farm and a factory farm. Factory farms are what pollute waters, cause noxious odors, and provide disease ridden meats.
Pastured animal farms replenish soils, encourage growth of greenery, and produce healthy animals and healthier foods. The way this farm is run is identical to Polyface farms, whose methods can be read about in Omnivore's dilemma. This kind of farming can turn useless soil drained of nutrients back into farmable land. It's a win-win situation.

Eating organic vegetables may in fact, reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes and cancer for individuals who abstain from consuming products vegetables produced by conventional farming methods. Biochemist are continually researching the inherent benefits of organically grown foods and discovering the consequences consuming products loaded with toxins and chemicals which, until recently, have only begun to be introduced to humans.

It took several years to get the Briggs farm Certified Organic. The vegetables there were second to none and it would have been relatively easy to make the organic vegetable operation even better. Pigs have their place but it is sad to see and end vegetable production here.

The fact is, you ultimately are what you eat.

Jen. NO ONE is talking about "banning sustainable and responsible farms." That's exactly what the Briggs farm has been since 2004. The problems is the elimination of Certified Organic vegetables. What should disturb townspeople is the loss of non-GMO crops. A GMO is a genetically modified organism (also called "genetically engineered"): a plant or microorganism that is created by means that overcome natural boundaries. Genetic engineering involves crossing species that could not breed in nature. For example, genes from a fish have been placed in strawberries and tomatoes.

Many people believe that GMOs will make food better tasting, more nutritious, and longer lasting. Others hope that they will help feed the developing world's growing population. However many worry that neither the FDA, the Department of Agriculture (USDA), nor the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has done any long-term testing of GMOs in food or the environment. It could take years for the unhealthful effects of GMOs to develop or appear.

If East Greenwich wishes to have smelly pigs instead of healthy, non-GMO vegetables, so be it.

As I said before, I'm studying nutrition ecology, so you don't need to explain your talking points, I probably understand them more thoroughly than you do.
Also, it really does seem like you're just bringing up points that seem most dramatic, but factually have little if anything to do with the case at hand. For you to make much sense, you'd have to be able to confirm that your entire local farmer's market is filled with GMO foods except for what this former farm provided. You'd then have to confirm that you have no access to CSAs or farmers markets or organic grocery stores in your town or in neighboring towns.
And finally, you seem to ignore completely the factual information presented to you showing that this farm will be neither smelly, nor noisy, nor pollutant-creating.

Jen - I have no interest in debating someone who boasts that they know more than a stranger they know nothing about. But go ahead, tell us everything you know. It'll only take 10 seconds.

This is more entertaining then a Seinfeld repeat.

I have lived in this town all my life and I have seen what big, greedy,self centered people (developers) have done to some of the most pristine farmland in this town. It's very sad. I hope they never get a hold of your farm, Judy. (Judy Bailey and her husband Rodney). And by the way there, E.G. Daddio, I've been eating eggs, bacon,sausage, home fries, toast, coffee, O.J. all my life and I'm still living and still in very good health. As they say, "Pork", the other white meat.

E.G. Daddy, I don't think anyone here really prefers meat to organic vegetables. In fact, I bet you that most people who are buying pasture-raised meats are large consumers of organic vegetables as well. It is who we are - people who care where our food comes from whether it is meat or vegetable. However, it is much easier to find organic vegetables in this state than humanely-raised meats from a sustainable farm. Most people with yards could even grow their own organic vegetables but are not able to raise their own meats because of zoning laws. My point is that having access to both organic vegetable farms and sustainable pasture-raised meat farms are EQUALLY important. It is unfair to call organic vegetable of farming more important or better than sustainable animal farming when they both have the same inherent values and contribute to healthier diets, healthier land and waterways. It is my understanding that Boesch will not be losing it's certified organic certification because Pat also uses practices organic farming. He will be also growing vegetables. Residents still have walking access to the land. It won't be polluting the water. The property values of the surrounding neighborhood isn't going to plummet. So what is the big deal?

The particle-board, McMansions across from the Briggs farm were highly overpriced to start with. Good luck trying to sell one if the wind is coming from the direction of the pig farm on the day of the showing.

Now wait, were all the houses abutting Boesch farm built in the last decade when there were no animals (except chickens and dogs) at the farm? It was my understanding that Boesch historically had animals on the farm. So if your house was built when animals were on the farm, I don't see how it can lose value since the conditions are essentially the same. Did all these houses gain value when certain animals left the farm? If this land has always been zoned a farm, how can it be affecting the value of your property if the zoning has not changed? I'm not trying to be cheeky or anything, I'm just really trying to understand this.

Our elected officials have done more to lower our property values than any farm ever will. When you buy a house that abuts open space you are taking a gamble. You never know what could become of that property. Actually when you buy a house anywhere you never know who will become your neighbor.

It's almost comical. Some of the pig farm supporters have the audacity to come here and say that pig farms have no odor.

Wait and see what happenes to the value of this PARTICLE BOARD houses in the field across the street from the farm.

Sell one? It will be easier to get rid of herpes.

Wow, I just thought EGDaddy was obscene to one article in particular on the Patch. He apparently has made alot of friends on here.