Progress Journal
December and January have been months of Maintenance, organization and welcomed rest. February is almost here and it is time to kick it into gear. Stay tuned!
Continued work on the new chicken coop and new goose enclosure today. All birds have successfully been moved to the four acre property next to us and the township has been notified of the move. We are now in compliance with township regulations. So far, because of the use of donated recycled materials the cost for the whole project has been approximately only $25.00.
We received our tax ID # today in the mail. Time to set up a separate bank account for this new Nonprofit Corperation. The process is moving along.
I began work on the new chicken pen and coop today. It’s amazing what you can do with used pallets. A special thanks to all those companies who give these pallets away for free when they are done with them. Also a special thanks to Ben Haines Contracting for thinking of us when they have extra wood for disposal. Thanks to donations of wood and materials, so far the cost is $0.
It is official! Big Heart Harvest is now a NoN-profit Corporation in Pennsylvania. We are now waiting on the Tax ID #. Next, is to finish the 501c3 process.
Began the process and paperwork for non-profit status through legal zoom as well as tax ID number and 501c3 application. Cost app. $1000.00
After reaching out to the Farmer and the owner of the 4 acres next to us, we have gained agreements with both that will allow us both access and use to expand our farming ministry. We will begin by renting the 4 acres for a cost of only $50 per month. Since we will not be using the full 4 acres for the 2019 spring planting (so that we can expand at a manageable pace), the farmer has agreed to plant a cover crop on the full acreage when he harvests the current crop this November 2018 allowing us to expand on the closest 1/2 acre. He will farm the remainder for next year allowing us to expand slowly year after year following. This will avoid us having to maintain the full acreage that we are not ready to use.
For years, our family has grown food and raised chickens taking the bulk of the harvest to Rescue Missions, Soup Kitchen and individuals in need. We have been inspired to expand this ministry. We will be applying for Non-Profit status as a 501c3 Corporation. We ware also in talks with the land owner of the 4 acres next to us and the farmer who currently farms the land to gain access and use to expand our growing and eggs production to feed and empower more people in need.
Since we moved to our current location, our family has grown food and raised chickens to produce eggs taking the bulk of what we produce to soup kitchens, rescue mission, and individuals who were in need do to financial issues. We have used our greenhouse and small 1/2 acre property to do so. On October 3, 2018, we received a letter from our township that, according to township regulation, we did not have enough land to raise chickens & geese. We were given 60 days to either get rid of our birds or acquire the needed amount of property to maintain them. This was most difficult for me, because it has been one of my personal great joys to take these eggs to Hope Rescue Mission in Reading, PA. I have reached out to the town, and the township manager assured me that we would be in full compliance if we rented the land next to our property and moved the birds approximately 20 feet to right of where they currently are and on the 4 acres next door. I will begin reaching out to the land owner and farmer.
