7. Investing in the Future of Agriculture
New York State Farmland
Protection Program
FY 2011-2012
8.
9. B E L L V A L E F A R M S
Town of Warwick, Orange County
Albert & Judy Buckbee
Albert (Skip) Buckbee
Amy & Tim Noteboom
104 acres protected
Photos by Dietrich Gehring
Dairy farm with retail ice cream store and produce
Project partner – Town of Warwick
10. “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.
11. B E N S V U E F A R M S
Town of Dryden, Tompkins County
C. Charles Benson Jr. & Andra Benson
942 acres protected
Organic dairy farm
Project partners – Tompkins County and the Town of Lansing
12. C A N N O N C A T T L E R A N C H
Town of Pittstown, Rensselaer County
Matt & Peggy Cannon
391 acres protected
Dairy farm
Project partner –
Agricultural Stewardship
Photo by Lawrence White Association
“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
13. C H A Z Y O R C H A R D S
Town of Chazy, Clinton County
Craig Giroux
1,105 acres protected
Apple orchard and farm market
Project partner – Clinton County
Photos from farm website
14. “It’s an orchard, long term, that’s the intent. Agriculture fits the
character of the town.”
–— CRAIG GIROUX, CHAZY ORCHARDS
15. C L A R K F A M I L Y F A R M
Towns of Hoosick, Petersburgh, & Jackson
Guy (Skip) Clark & Selena Clark
Rensselaer & Washington Counties
539 acres protected
Dairy farm and feed crops
Project partner –
Agricultural Stewardship
Association
WHY CONSERVE?
“To save the land for agriculture.”
–— SELENA CLARK
16. F I S H E R F A R M
Town of Fleming, Cayuga County
John & Gloria Fisher
59 acres protected
Soy beans, corn and wheat
Project partner – New York Agricultural Land Trust
17. G I L L E T T E F A R M
Town of Jerusalem, Yates County
Curtis & Susan Gillette
238 acres protected
Hay, corn, oats, wheat,
cattle, and grapes
Project partner – Finger Lakes Land Trust
18. WHY CONSERVE?
“To prevent development on the land and see it continue in
agriculture for many more generations.”
— SUSAN GILLETTE
Photo by Megan Fenton for the FLLT
Chris and Curtis Gillette on the 237-acre fifth-generation Gillette family farm in
Jerusalem, just southwest of Penn Yan.
19. G O R D O N F A R M
Town of Amherst, Erie County
Gordon Family
46 acres protected
Tree nut farm
Project partners –
Town of Amherst and
Western New York Land Conservancy
20. 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
21. H E M L O C K H I L L F A R M
Towns of Yorktown & Cortlandt
John De Maria [father]
Westchester County
Laura De Maria [daughter]
118 acres protected
Farm market, 100 head of
Black Angus cattle,
chickens, lambs, ducks,
geese, hogs, turkeys,
and vegetables
Photos from farm website
22. “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
23. H I C K S F A M I L Y F A R M
Town of Canandaigua, Ontario County
James Hicks & family
82 acres protected
Vineyard, beef cattle, and
farm market with cut
flowers, fruits, and
Photo by Nigel Kent for the FLLT
vegetables
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.
Project partner – Finger Lakes Land Trust
24. “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.
25. H O D U N F A R M
Town of Riverhead, Suffolk County
Walter E. Hodun & Edmund A. Hodun, Jr.
74 acres protected
Vegetables, u-pick, and agritourism
Project partner – 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
26. H O O S K I P F A R M
Towns of Hoosick & Petersburgh
John & Mary McMahon, & son Daniel
Rensselaer County
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
27. J A N A S F A R M
Town of Fleming, Cayuga County
Margaret Janas
248 acres protected
Vegetable farm
Project partner – New York Agricultural Land Trust
28. L A P I E R R E F A R M
Town of Champlain, Clinton County
Paul (Tony) & Mary LaPierre
253 acres protected
Dairy farm
Project partner – Clinton County
“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
29. R I N G W O O D F A R M S
Town of Springfield, Otsego County
James Bartlett
334 acres protected
Photos from farm website
Maple syrup and maple cream
Project partner – Otsego Land Trust
30. S T E W A R T F A R M
Town of Easton, Washington County
Clifford & Janet Stewart
234 acres protected
Dairy farm
Project partner –
Agricultural Stewardship Association
Photos by Lawrence White
31. “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
32. S L O C U M F A R M
Town of Easton, Washington County
Ed Slocum
321 acres protected
Feed crops and pasture
Photo by Ian Creitz
Project partner –
Agricultural Stewardship Association
33. W I L L O W M A R S H F A R M
Town of Ballston, Saratoga County
Chuck & Diane Curtiss
136 acres protected
Dairy farm, cheese, yogurt and other
products at farm stand
Photos from farm website
Project partner – Town of Ballston
34. W I L S O N F A R M
Town of Torrey, Yates County
Eugene Wilson & Frances S. Wilson
159 acres protected
Organic crop farm growing corn, soybeans, and small grains
Project partner – Finger Lakes Land Trust
Photo by Megan Fenton for the FLLT
Despite increasing development pressures, the Wilsons are adamant about
keeping the agricultural character of the landscape intact.
35. “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
36. W Y F F E L S F A R M
Town of Canandaigua, Ontario County
Gary & Joan Wyffels
135 acres protected
Dairy farm transitioned to growing hay and raising cattle
Project partner – Finger Lakes Land Trust
37. “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.
38. Thank you!
BELLVALE FARMS HODUN FARM
BENSVUE FARMS HOOSKIP DAIRY FARM
CANNON CATTLE RANCH JANAS FARM
CHAZY ORCHARDS LAPIERRE FARM
CLARK FAMILY FARM RINGWOOD FARMS
FISHER FARM SLOCUM FARM
GILLETTE FARM STEWART FARM
GORDON FARM WILLOW MARSH FARM
HEMLOCK HILL FARM WILSON FARM
HICKS FAMILY FARM WYFFELS FARM
