Page 169 - Middleborough 2024 Town Report

SOULE HOMESTEAD
EDUCATION CENTER
46 SOULE STREET, MIDDLEBOROUGH, MA 02346
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Soule Homestead Education Center (SHEC) is a
501(c)(3) non-profit farm based organic agri-ecology and
conservation center located on the Town of
Middleborough owned property and former Soule
descendants, the Dean family, and the Guidoboni dairy
farm. SHEC is now in its 34th year of operation, and 2024
brought about a lot of growth at our Education Center.
We’ve met so many wonderful new individuals, families,
tiny babies, and members returning from out of state who
practically jumped of planes and rushed over to Soule to
get their hands in the soil here once again. We’ve also
been lucky to meet many visitors who have visited for the
first time. In 2024, we encountered over fiteen families
who, as Soule descendants, came to SHEC (the farthest
came from Michigan) and celebrated in what this
education center is doing to continue the farming legacy
of George Soule’s grandson, James Soule, the first
European to farm on this land.
Nathan Demers, President
David Kraemer, Vice President
Nancy LaFave, Acting Treasurer
Audrey Donahue
Mike Gioscia
Robert Nichols
improving the building and property, farming the land,
and providing public educational programs. The
organization is responsible for paying a monthly
assessment fee to the town, utilities, inspections, and
licensing that is involved in the upkeep of the center and
the running of programs such as our summer camp.
Many improvements have been made over the years to
help maintain the farm you see today, and we are always
working to support both the historic and new buildings
here. As a non-profit organization we lean on the
invaluable support of our wonderful community in many
ways, whether it’s through volunteering, donations, or
participation in activities at the farm. We appreciate the
generosity of other non-profits, social groups, and youth
groups who support us with their time and money, but it is
our responsibility to raise money for operating expenses
which allow us to keep the farm open and available as a
rural agricultural and historic site.
Soule Homestead Education Center leases the municipal
land that is our current 120 acre property from the Town of
Middleborough. We maintain a lease from the town that
is re-approved by the Select Board every 10 years and in
conjunction with the support of members of the farm and
general members of the community. Soule Homestead
Education Center and its Board of Directors is currently
solely financially responsible for preserving and
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