Landowners Conserve Three Properties in December 2006

January 17, 2007 / News archive

This past December the Agricultural Stewardship Association assisted landowners with the conservation of three diverse properties in the towns of Cambridge, Jackson and Greenwich. This brings the total amount of land conserved in 2006 to 1,310 acres on 9 properties.

Loren and Marilyn LeBarron protected Valley View Farm, their 135-acre property located on Route 372 between Cambridge and Greenwich. With its mix of agricultural fields and forests against the backdrop of the Taconic and Green Mountains, the farm is a beautiful example of the rural landscape that makes our region so scenic.

The LeBarrons raised three children on the farm and over the years they have seen many changes in the rural economy. Loren grew up on the farm and remembers helping his father hand dig the 4 to 5 acres of potatoes that they planted each year. For a time, he cut ice on local ponds using a big saw blade powered by a Model T Ford engine. His job was to hand chisel the final cut and he recalls that it was often a wet, cold job. The LeBarrons are still farming; cutting hay, harvesting timber, and raising their own produce.

For the LeBarrons, the farm is steeped in personal history and selling it for development was an unwelcome option. They are retiring and wanted to find a way to stay on the farm that they love. As Loren put it “We took care of the farm all these years. I figure it’s time for the farm to take care of us.” ASA was able to find funding from a private foundation to purchase a portion of the value of the development rights and the LeBarrons donated the rest. They were able to meet their financial needs and conserve the family farm.

In Jackson, the thick woods along the Cambridge-Battenville Road make a leafy green tunnel in the summer and an intricate pattern of bare branches in the winter. This private, peaceful landscape provides a home for turkeys, deer, owls and many other animals. Al and Deborah Klein fell in love with these woods twenty years ago when they purchased a 65-acre parcel. 

With the help of a certified forester, The Kleins developed a management plan that yields a high quality timber harvest on a 12-15 year cycle, promotes a diverse wildlife habitat, and allows for recreational usage, including trails for a snow mobile club. The Kleins wanted to ensure that their woods would not be converted to housing so they donated a conservation easement to ASA.

As an ASA board member, Al has been involved with many conservation projects and believes in protecting our agricultural land base for future generations. By conserving his land he hopes to demonstrate the commercial and community value of forestland. He explains, “The idea of ‘farmland’ is not limited to tillable land, it also includes productive woodlots. Agriculture and silvi-culture are compatible and both benefit the greater community’s environmental health while providing a source of timber.”

Hank Howard and Edie Brown purchased the Owl Pen Book Store in 1980. Their unique property on Riddle Road north of the Village of Greenwich was originally a poultry farm and its numerous barns and quiet, shady setting make it a picturesque destination for book lovers. Hank and Edie began a book selling enterprise while living in Saratoga County but Hank admits that he had always admired the beautiful landscape of Washington County and dreamed of living here.

Both Edie and Hank believe in the value of land conservation and have supported ASA’s work in many ways. The Owl Pen sponsors ASA’s annual Landscapes for Landsake art show and Hank volunteers as a land steward, monitoring conserved properties. They decided to donate a conservation easement on 101 acres of their property explaining, “We would like our land on Riddle Road to forever represent the beauty and charm that is so abundant in Washington County.”

The completion of these three projects brings the total number of acres conserved to 6,498. ASA has another 16 projects representing 3,195 acres in progress including four farms along the Hoosic River which have been awarded farmland protection funding from New York State Department of Ag and Markets. The farms include: the 173-acre Moses Farm in Eagle Bridge, the 430-acre Evergreen Farm and 108-acre Maple Lane Farm in Petersburgh, and the 679-acre St. Croix farm in Schaghticoke.