Saving Farms, Water, and the Heart of Lancaster

Every two months, Mr. King found himself in the same routine—back in his family’s fields spreading another layer of “farmer’s gold”: manure from his 50 dairy cows. Manure is one of the most valuable tools a farmer has for crop growth, but only when it’s applied at the right time and in the right amounts. Without adequate storage, Mr. King was forced to spread manure even when the ground didn’t need it (or couldn’t use it), sending nutrients into the soil at the wrong time and increasing the risk of runoff into nearby streams. He realized it was time to re-evaluate the long-standing practices that had shaped the
property. He turned to Lancaster Farmland Trust (LFT) for help. What started as a conversation about manure storage soon became part of a much larger effort to protect both farmland and the water that runs through it.

Conservation Practices That Protect Water

  • Through a series of grants, LFT helps farmers like Mr. King secure both technical guidance and financial support to improve their farms’ environmental impact. Earlier phases of a project like this include developing professional conservation plans and discussions with the farmer about goals and future operational changes. Later, grants fund the installation of the practices outlined in those plans. Working with a local agricultural engineer, LFT supported a full suite of conservation upgrades (or BMPs, click here to learn more about these) on the King farm, and replicates this process over and over again across Lancaster County’s preserved farmland. The BMPs implemented on the King farm included:
  • New manure storage units to prevent overapplication and allow the farm family to spread manure only when crops can use it.
  • Barnyard improvements; such as curbing, concrete work, and roofing, needed to keep manure and stormwater separated and contained.
  • Rainwater collection and diversion to keep clean water clean.
  • Riparian buffers, animal crossings, streambank fencing, and reinforced animal walkways to keep livestock out of streams and protect aquatic life.

The King farm’s new BMPs represent the typical types being implemented on preserved farms
in multiple watersheds. These BMPs reduce thousands of pounds of nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment from our local waterways and the Chesapeake Bay.

Stewardship Doesn’t Stop at Installation
Protecting water quality isn’t a one-time effort. Long after a conservation practice is built or an easement is signed, LFT’s stewardship work continues. Every year, staff and trained volunteers visit all 600+ preserved farms to ensure the conservation values of each property remain protected. These monitoring visits are the heart of LFT’s long-term responsibility. Since farmland is preserved forever, monitoring must happen forever too. During each visit, LFT monitors for two main concerns:

  1. Easement violations – such as unapproved structures, subdivisions, encroachments, or changes
    in farm operations.
  2. Resource management issues – including erosion, streambank degradation, inadequate manure
    storage, flooding, or barnyard runoff.

LFT’s easements may include “High Protection Areas”—zones near streams, woods, and sensitive natural features—where water quality is most vulnerable. These areas receive close attention because they’re essential to maintaining clean streams and healthy soils.

Why Farmland Protection Matters for Water
Healthy farmland is one of Lancaster County’s most powerful tools for clean water. When farmers
have the resources to manage manure responsibly, keep livestock out of streams, and maintain soil
health, the entire community benefits.

LFT’s annual monitoring visits not only ensure the protection of farmland—they strengthen
relationships with farm families. Farmers use these visits to ask questions about maintaining
their stream buffers, explore regenerative agriculture practices, or discuss future planning. These
ongoing conversations help farms stay viable, resilient, and environmentally sound. The result is a
living landscape where productive farms and clean waterways go hand in hand.

Protecting What the Land Gives Us
From upgrading manure storage on a single dairy farm to stewarding 600+ preserved farms across the county, LFT’s work underscores a simple truth: When we protect farmland, we protect water. The streams running through Lancaster County carry the imprint of how we treat the land around them.

Through partnership, conservation, and long-term stewardship, LFT is committed to ensuring those streams remain clean—for our communities, our ecosystems, and the generations who will farm this land after us.