Harvesting Opportunities

in New York

Growing Local Food Economies & Protecting

Farmland

Harvesting Opportunities

in New York

Growing Local Food Economies & Protecting

Farmland

Investing in the Future of Agriculture  

New York State Farmland Protection Program

FY 2011-2012

BELLVALE FARMS  Albert & Judy Buckbee Albert (Skip) Buckbee

Amy & Tim Noteboom

Photos by Dietrich Gehring

Town of Warwick, Orange County

104 acres protected

Dairy farm with retail ice cream store and produce

Project partner – Town of Warwick

“Originally some of the local real estate agents were against farmland

conservation, but now guess what they have a picture of on their

business cards—this view. This is where the realtors bring you when

they want to show off Warwick.”

— AL BUCKBEE, BELLVALE FARMS

Photo by Dietrich Gehring

The view of the valley from the ice cream parlor encompasses four protected farms,

totaling 1,000 acres.

BENSVUE FARMS  C. Charles Benson Jr. & Andra Benson

Project partners – Tompkins County and the Town of Lansing

Town of Dryden, Tompkins County

942 acres protected

Organic dairy farm

CANNON CATTLE RANCH  

Photo by Lawrence White

Matt & Peggy Cannon

391 acres protected

Dairy farm

Project partner –

Agricultural Stewardship

Association

Town of Pittstown, Rensselaer County

“We worked hard to build this farm, our

retirement is in it and we don’t want to see it go

down the drain. We want to see another farmer

here someday.” –— MATT CANNON  

CHAZY ORCHARDS  

1,105 acres protected

Apple orchard and farm market

Craig Giroux Town of Chazy, Clinton County

Photos from farm website

Project partner – Clinton County

“It’s an orchard, long term, that’s the intent. Agriculture fits the

character of the town.”

–— CRAIG GIROUX, CHAZY ORCHARDS

 

CLARK FAMILY FARM  Guy (Skip) Clark & Selena Clark

539 acres protected

Dairy farm and feed crops

Project partner –

Agricultural Stewardship

Association

WHY CONSERVE?

“To save the land for agriculture.”

–— SELENA CLARK

 

Towns of Hoosick, Petersburgh, & Jackson Rensselaer & Washington Counties

FISHER FARM  John & Gloria Fisher

59 acres protected

Soy beans, corn and wheat

Town of Fleming, Cayuga County

Project partner – New York Agricultural Land Trust

GILLETTE FARM  

238 acres protected

Hay, corn, oats, wheat,

cattle, and grapes

Curtis & Susan Gillette Town of Jerusalem, Yates County

Project partner – Finger Lakes Land Trust

WHY CONSERVE?

“To prevent development on the land and see it continue in

agriculture for many more generations.”

— SUSAN GILLETTE

Chris and Curtis Gillette on the 237-acre fifth-generation Gillette family farm in Jerusalem, just southwest of Penn Yan.

Photo by Megan Fenton for the FLLT

GORDON FARM  Gordon Family

46 acres protected

Tree nut farm

Town of Amherst, Erie County

Project partners –

Town of Amherst and

Western New York Land Conservancy

Designating North Amherst for agricultural use "is an important

component in the pursuit of diverse community character. Ensuring the

long-term viability of agriculture and farm operations is a key to

maintaining diverse neighborhoods, including those with rural character.”

— TOWN OF AMHERST

BICENTENNIAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

HEMLOCK HILL FARM  John De Maria [father]

Laura De Maria [daughter]

118 acres protected

Farm market, 100 head of

Black Angus cattle,

chickens, lambs, ducks,

geese, hogs, turkeys,

and vegetables

Towns of Yorktown & Cortlandt Westchester County

Photos from farm website

“In 2005 it was as if Westchester County along with the state of New York

finally realized what it means to have 120 acres of open space in a rapidly

developing area. One that is also in the New York City watershed district.

We got their attention and our farm will be preserved forever.”

–— LAURA DE MARIA, HEMLOCK HILL FARM

 

HICKS FAMILY FARM  

82 acres protected

Vineyard, beef cattle, and

farm market with cut

flowers, fruits, and

vegetables

James Hicks & family Town of Canandaigua, Ontario County

In addition to beef, cattle, fruit trees, produce, hay fields, and several acres of vineyards, the Hicks Farm also

features spectacular views of Canandaigua Lake and a rugged wooded gorge.

Photo by Nigel Kent for the FLLT

Project partner – Finger Lakes Land Trust

“It is a very desirable building site and we don’t want it to go into

houses because it’s been in the family, you might say, forever, and

this was an opportunity to preserve it...It’s the only way that we

could guarantee the land would be kept free from development.”

— ERWIN HICKS

Photo by Nigel Kent for the FLLT

The Hicks Farm includes several acres of vineyards, including Concord grapes for Welch’s juice and Riesling grapes that are supplied to local wineries.

HODUN FARM  

74 acres protected

Vegetables, u-pick, and agritourism

Project partner – Suffolk County

Walter E. Hodun & Edmund A. Hodun, Jr. Town of Riverhead, Suffolk County

"The Suffolk County Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) Program, which

was the first of its kind, has successfully protected over 10,000 acres

of viable farmland against encroaching development since 1974. The

Chapter 8 legislation that governs our PDR program is the driver behind

our Farmland Protection Program in Suffolk County, which continues to

lead NY state in total value of agricultural production."

— AUGUST RUCKDESCHEL, SUFFOLK COUNTY FARMLANDS ADMINISTRATOR

HOOSKIP FARM  

343 acres protected

Dairy farm

Project partner –

Agricultural Stewardship

Association Photo by Derek Pruitt

“It would be a shame to build houses”

on this rich river bottom soil.

–— JOHN MCMAHON, HOOSKIP FARM

 

John & Mary McMahon, & son Daniel Towns of Hoosick & Petersburgh Rensselaer County

JANAS FARM  Margaret Janas

248 acres protected

Vegetable farm

Town of Fleming, Cayuga County

Project partner – New York Agricultural Land Trust

LAPIERRE FARM  

253 acres protected

Dairy farm

Project partner – Clinton County

Paul (Tony) & Mary LaPierre

“Clinton County has a healthy and diversified agriculture, and

conservation efforts, particularly the New York State Farmland Protection

Program for purchasing development rights is helping to insure that this

important characteristic of our landscape and economy will be around

for future generations.”

— RODNEY BROWN, CLINTON COUNTY PLANNING DEPARTMENT

Town of Champlain, Clinton County

RINGWOOD FARMS  

Photos from farm website

James Bartlett

334 acres protected

Maple syrup and maple cream

Project partner – Otsego Land Trust

Town of Springfield, Otsego County

234 acres protected

Dairy farm

Photos by Lawrence White

Clifford & Janet Stewart Town of Easton, Washington County

STEWART FARM  

Project partner –

Agricultural Stewardship Association

“You’re not looking at this generation, you’re looking at what it

could be in years to come…the more [farms] that you get in the

easements, the more likely you are to have the infrastructure to

have the farms.”

— JANET STEWART

Janet and Clifford Stewart show off an aerial photo of their farm

SLOCUM FARM  

321 acres protected

Feed crops and pasture

Photo by Ian Creitz

Ed Slocum Town of Easton, Washington County

Project partner –

Agricultural Stewardship Association

WILLOW MARSH FARM  Chuck & Diane Curtiss

136 acres protected

Dairy farm, cheese, yogurt and other

products at farm stand

Photos from farm website

Town of Ballston, Saratoga County

Project partner – Town of Ballston

WILSON FARM  Eugene Wilson & Frances S. Wilson

159 acres protected

Organic crop farm growing corn, soybeans, and small grains

Project partner – Finger Lakes Land Trust

Town of Torrey, Yates County

Despite increasing development pressures, the Wilsons are adamant about keeping the agricultural character of the landscape intact.

Photo by Megan Fenton for the FLLT

“Farmland is vital to the future of Yates County and the entire Finger

Lakes Region. We are grateful to the commitment the farmers have

made to both the land and the community. We also greatly appreciate

the support of Yates County, New York’s Department of Agriculture

and Markets and the Partridge Foundation. Each of these partners

was essential to making this project possible.”

— ANDREW ZEPP,

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE FLLT  

WYFFELS FARM  Gary & Joan Wyffels

135 acres protected

Dairy farm transitioned to growing hay and raising cattle

Project partner – Finger Lakes Land Trust

Town of Canandaigua, Ontario County

“I’m an awful sentimental person, sometimes it’s good sometimes it isn’t; I

just couldn’t stand to see the development come in and take over. We could

have gotten a whole lot more if we sold it to a developer but I couldn’t live

with houses in my backyard, I know almost every stone in the field.”

— GARY WYFFELS

Photo by Andy Zepp for the FLLT

The grazing cattle on the Wyffels Farm provide a scenic and peaceful backdrop in an area of intense residential development.

Thank you!

BELLVALE FARMS

BENSVUE FARMS

CANNON CATTLE RANCH

CHAZY ORCHARDS

CLARK FAMILY FARM

FISHER FARM

GILLETTE FARM

GORDON FARM

HEMLOCK HILL FARM

HICKS FAMILY FARM

HODUN FARM

HOOSKIP DAIRY FARM

JANAS FARM

LAPIERRE FARM

RINGWOOD FARMS

SLOCUM FARM

STEWART FARM

WILLOW MARSH FARM

WILSON FARM

WYFFELS FARM