Homesteading boston

Previously lenders required homeowners to either subordinate or release homesteads. Under the new law, homesteads automatically subordinate estates or homestead to mortgages and lenders are prohibited from requiring borrowers waive or release a homestead.

Home equity also remain intact if a family member transfers a house to another relative. Most importantly, the new and improved Massachusetts Homestead Act will protect the growing number of Massachusetts homeowners who find themselves in debt and who would otherwise be at risk of losing their homes to creditors who are seeking to collect those debts.

The Massachusetts Homestead Act. Hi to every one, as I am genuinely keen of reading this weblog's post to be updated on a regular basis. It contains nice information. I've been following your site for a while now and finally got the bravery to go ahead and give you a shout out from Houston Tx! Just wanted to tell you keep up the good work! Leave a comment Click here to cancel reply. All cattle, swine, sheep and goats must be identified by an official U.

Department of Agriculture USDA ear-tag, or by a tattoo issued by a breeder or recognized registry and accompanied by proof of registration.

Slaughter animals must be identified by ear tags, back tags or other USDA approved identification. All livestock, horses, poultry, waterfowl and other animals, including pets entering Massachusetts from other states, must comply with state regulations to prevent the spread of disease.

Despite the history of the Boston Common as the very first public grazing land in the colonies, there is no public range land in Massachusetts, so all livestock must be kept on private property. One thing is for sure: Bay Staters love to eat local. Hired help at farmers market are also subject to minimum wage under Massachusetts labor laws. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has the authority to license wholesale food processors and distributors but exempts any person who is a purveyor of fresh fruits and vegetables or a farmer who produces and sells raw farm products, including eggs.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts also defines a food establishment which comes with their own set of health and safety regulations as an operation that stores, prepares, serves, vends or otherwise provides food for human consumption.

The definition exempts produce stands that offer only whole, uncut fresh fruits and vegetables, but includes farmers who produce value-added products like sauces and canned foods. Home-based food businesses are allowed within specific regulatory limitations.

Retail residential kitchen operations can only sell directly to consumers, and they are inspected and licensed by the local board of health. A residential kitchen that wholesales its product is required to obtain a License for Food Processing, or a Distribution at Wholesale from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Residential kitchens are strictly limited to the preparation of non-potentially hazardous foods like baked goods, confectionery, jams and jellies, even if they have potentially-hazardous ingredients such as fruit, milk or peanut butter.

The preparation and sale of potentially hazardous foods such as cream-filled pastries, cheesecake, custard and other foods that can support the growth of disease-causing bacteria are strictly prohibited. Perishable foods that require refrigeration, such as cut fruit and vegetables, tomato and barbeque sauce, pickled products, relishes and salad dressings are also not permitted for sale by residential kitchens.

All foods that are manufactured or packaged using processes that require state or federal control — acidification, hot fill, vacuum-packaging and the like — are prohibited. Garlic-in-oil products are also not permitted. Only household members may be employed in residential kitchen operations.

The use of brokers, wholesalers, and warehouses by residential kitchen operators to store, sell, and distribute foods prepared in residential kitchens is prohibited. Food products manufactured in Massachusetts residential kitchens may not be sold out-of-state, because the U. Food and Drug Administration FDA does not recognize these foods as originating from an approved source.

The Massachusetts and federal labeling regulations require specific information on every packaged food label , including a list of all ingredients listed in descending order of predominance by weight, net weight of product, recommended storage conditions, nutrition labeling and the name and address of the manufacturer, packer or distributor.

Before selling any eggs , check for any area regulations with local Board of Health. In general, eggs should be collected at least twice a day, in the morning and afternoon. You can sell cracked and stained eggs, but only from the property where they are produced when packed separately and labeled as such. If you need to wash eggs, do not allow the eggs to sit in water.

Water must move across the surface of the shell at all times. The water must be at least 10 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the egg otherwise bacteria may be pulled through the shell into the egg. If the wash water comes from a private well, the water must be tested every six months by a state-certified testing laboratory for specific bacteria, like coliform bacteria, and the test results must be kept on file for inspection.

Eggs should be offered for sale in clean, unused cartons that are labeled correctly. The FDA requires a safe handling statement to appear on the carton.

When it comes to marketing your eggs, you have several options. You may choose to size and grade your eggs or not. Grading is done by candling and sizing is done by weight.

In any case, you must describe what is in the carton. All eggs, regardless of Grade or Size or those sold as Not Graded and Not Sized, should be clean and have no visible signs of breakage. Rainwater collection is both legal and encouraged in Massachusetts. Composting toilet systems are also allowed, as long as health department guidelines are followed. Massachusetts is fairly progressive in the world of renewable energy.

In fact, homeowners that reduce demand on the grid by installing battery storage are eligible for financial incentives. When it comes to off-grid energy production, many areas of Massachusetts are prime locations for wind power. With the right water rights and access to creek, micro-hydropower may work as well. You may require legal council for home renewable energy infrastructure, though.

The credit is for federal income tax purposes of qualifying property acquired, constructed or erected. The qualifying properties must be personal or other tangible properties, including buildings and structures located in Massachusetts used solely in farming, agriculture, or fishing and depreciable with a useful life of at least 4 years.

Unused credits may be carried forward for the next 3 tax years. The credit may be recaptured if the qualifying farm is disposed of or no longer used as farmland before the end of its useful life. Recapture of the credit is not necessary if the property has been in qualified use for more than 12 years. The organization hosts events and meetups for new farmers, as well as a referral network, and compiles available resources and services for farmers just getting started with their agricultural operations.

The Northeast Organic Farming Association in Massachusetts has a Beginning Farmers Program with three distinct educational components that offer young farmers and those who are coming to farming after a diverse range of careers to develop professional farming skills. The organization provides farmer training, an apprenticeship network and a variety of community food projects. We are a farmer-run network that works towards the viability of new farms by providing opportunities for education and advocacy, and strengthening the social and professional networks between farmers from all backgrounds and ages.

The organization hosts an annual Young Farmer Night series, which involves biweekly tours and potlucks on farms in the region. Starting a homestead in Massachusetts is expensive. If you hope to build a self-sufficient homestead on a budget, Massachusetts may not be the right state for you.

If you are an enterprising homesteader looking to make money off your crops , however, Massachusetts has a strong network of small and beginning farmers and a hot market for local goods.

Sam Schipani loves pollinators, fresh herbs, and learning how to live more sustainably in small spaces. I tried to make plantable paper. How to start homesteading in Connecticut.

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