Seven Farms Preserved in Final Quarter of 2019

Fall and winter can be a busy time for Lancaster Farmland Trust’s Land Protection Department. This year was especially full of activity, with seven farm closings taking place in the past couple of months. When a farm “closes,” it means the landowner and staff from Lancaster Farmland Trust sign the legal documents that officially preserve the land and submit them to the Lancaster County Recorder of Deed’s office.

Here’s a snapshot of the farms you helped preserve in the last few months of 2019.

Brecknock Township

In mid-September, staff from the Lancaster County Agricultural Preserve Board (APB) and Lancaster Farmland Trust (LFT) met at the Schnader farm to sign paperwork and add their 48-acres to the growing list of preserved farms in Lancaster County.

The Schnader's opted to preserve their Brecknock Township farm jointly with both the APB and LFT – meaning both organizations will oversee the long-term viability of the farm.

Their farm, nestled along a rural road next to farms and farmettes, is a combination of row-crop fields and wooded areas. The family manages their land with conservation practices, including no-till farming, crop rotation, and forest stand improvement. The family looks forward to the security that farmland preservation will afford the future of their land.

East Lampeter Township

Dairy and crop farmers in Ronks, just East of Lancaster’s popular shopping outlets, signed paperwork in October to permanently preserve their 73-acre farm.

The family keeps a small herd of dairy cows and grows tobacco, corn, and alfalfa. Two greenhouses on the farm grow other cash crops to support the family. Within a two-mile radius of the property, there are 22 preserved farms (totaling 1,279 acres). Directly adjacent to the farm, there are three preserved farms. This farm extends the East Lampeter Greenway, which started in 2015 with four farm-families committing to protecting their land forever. The addition of this farm brings the Greenway, funded by the Steinman Foundation, to seven farms and growing.

The family's next generation is already involved in the farm. Three sons help their father care for the dairy cows, tend to crops, and maintain the buildings. And a grandson can be found harnessing mules, sweeping the barn, and paying close attention to his father, uncles, and grandfather.

Conoy Township

Along the Susquehanna River in northwestern Lancaster County, Conoy Township gained a preserved farm this past November.

Staff from Lancaster Farmland Trust met at the Reider farm to sign paperwork and add their 77-acres to the growing list of preserved farms in Lancaster County. Their farm is tucked into a peninsula created by the Conewago Creek. The farm’s long driveway stretches for nearly a mile, back to a traditional two-story farmhouse and a few storage buildings. The Reider family grows a mix of wheat, soybeans, and corn on their farm. They also employ conservation practices, such as conservation tillage or no-till and cover crops. Protecting valuable soil is important on this farm.

Within a two-mile radius of the Reider family farm, there are 18 other preserved farms totaling more than 1,400 acres of preserved land nearby. Two of those farms are directly adjacent to the Reider farm, creating a large, contiguous block of protected land.

Martic Township

The river hills of southern Lancaster County is home to a new preserved farm in the county.

Staff from Lancaster Farmland Trust met at the Norton farm to sign paperwork in early December and add their 57-acres to the growing list of preserved farms in Lancaster County. Nestled at the end of a long driveway, the farm is home to horses, chickens, and an attentive farm cat. Pastures for the horses and chickens consume 20 acres. A local farmer rents the remainder of the farmland to grow corn, soybeans, and hay. The farm owner, and the renting farmer, employ conservation practices, such as conservation tillage or no-till, cover crops, and field contours.

Within a two-mile radius of the Norton farm, there are 26 other preserved farms totaling more than 1,634 acres of preserved land nearby. Two of those farms are directly adjacent to the Norton farm, creating a large, contiguous block of protected land. The family is happy to join their many neighbors who have already preserved, creating a viable future for agriculture in Lancaster County.

Fulton Township

In early December, staff from Lancaster Farmland Trust met at the Stoltzfus family farm to sign paperwork and add their TWO farms – 59 acres and 11 acres – to the growing list of preserved farms in Lancaster County.

In quiet, picturesque Fulton Township, Lancaster County, you’ll find these two farms along an unassuming country road. The larger farm is home to a small dairy herd, some chickens, and a couple of watchful farm dogs. Just to its south, the 11-acre farm is home to the eldest Stoltzfus son, where he grows produce for Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative. In addition to the cows and vegetables, the Stoltzfus family grows a mix of corn, alfalfa, and tobacco on their farm. They also employ conservation practices, such as conservation tillage or no-till, secure manure storage units, a grassed waterway, cover cropping, and contour farming.

The Stoltzfus farms are directly adjacent to another preserved farm, and within a two-mile radius of the Stoltzfus family farms, there are 27 other preserved farms totaling more than 2,590 acres of preserved land nearby. Adding these family farms creates a large, contiguous block of preserved land – helping protect the future of agriculture in Lancaster County.

Salisbury Township
Salisbury Township, along Lancaster County’s eastern border, gained a preserved farm this month.

In mid-December, staff from Lancaster Farmland Trust met at the Fisher family farm to sign paperwork and add their 72-acre farm to the growing list of preserved farms in Lancaster County. Bisected by a small tributary to the Pequea Creek, the Fisher farm is a traditional dairy with some supporting row crops. To manage their soil and waterway health, the Fisher’s employ conservation practices, such as conservation tillage or no-till, cover cropping, contour planting, secure manure storage, and a grassed waterway.

In addition, through a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation which encourages the coupling of farmland preservation and conservation practices, the Fishers are receiving special funding to offset the cost of additional conservation practices they want to implement – including streambank fencing, a stream crossing, and a riparian buffer along their stream.

The Fisher farm is within a two-mile radius of four other preserved farms, totaling more than 264 acres of preserved land nearby. Adding these family farms creates a large, contiguous block of preserved land – helping protect the future of agriculture in Lancaster County.

Upper Leacock Township

Upper Leacock Township, quietly tucked between busy Route 222 and Route 30, is home to the final farm to be preserved in 2019.

Just before Christmas, staff from Lancaster Farmland Trust met at the Beiler farm to sign paperwork and add their 88-acres to the growing list of preserved farms in Lancaster County. The Belier farm sits along a quiet road, familiar with the sounds of horse hooves and steel wheels. The family manages a traditional dairy farm, with support crops. The farm is home to sections of two tributaries, making conservation important to the family. The Beiler’s employ a variety of conservation practices, including crop rotation, no-till farming, cover cropping, secure manure storage, streambank fencing, designated animal/equipment stream crossings, and a riparian buffer.

Within a two-mile radius of the Beiler farm, there are 31 other preserved farms totaling more than 1,543 acres of preserved land nearby. The Beiler family is happy to join their many neighbors who have already preserved, creating a viable future for agriculture in Lancaster County.

Want more information about farmland preservation in Lancaster County? Contact our team by phone, 717-687-8484 or by email, info@lancasterfarmlandtrust.org.