On December 6th, 2008, a sign was planted at the Mueller Farm in Ferguson… ushering in a new era of organic farmers through the EarthDance Apprenticeship Program, and the beginning of a beautiful partnership with The Open Space Council for the St. Louis Region. Brittany Barton was there that day, and has been supporting EarthDance ever since as the Project Manager for OSC.
As Brittany shares, “EarthDance approached OSC in 2008 in hopes that we would assist in acquiring or placing a conservation easement on the Mueller Farm. We are still working to ensure the property is protected for future farmers and for the benefit of the community.
“The Save Small Farms initiative grew out of our partnership with EarthDance. We were inspired to seek out other small farms in the St. Louis Region that would benefit from protection. So in 2010, we will be working closely with EarthDance to identify these properties and then determine conservation options for each property.”
The Open Space Council is a nonprofit organization that has been working for 45 years to conserve land and water resources in the St. Louis Region. As stewards of nature, OSC works to maintain the integrity of land and waterways for practical purposes, for recreation and for their natural beauty, to be enjoyed now and for generations to come.
A St. Louis transplant, Brittany was raised in Memphis and received a B.A. from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2006 and an MA in Historic Preservation from Savannah College of Art and Design in 2007. She is also an avid runner and supporter of all things community-driven in St. Louis.