8/3/2019 FLLT -- Yates Cty. Conservation Easement

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/fllt-yates-cty-conservation-easement 1/2

Conservation Agreements Ensure Future of Finger Lakes Farms

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Yates County and the Finger Lakes Land Trust today announced theirsuccessful partnership with landowners Curtis and Susan Gillette and Eugene and Francis Wilson topermanently protect 395 acres of prime farmland in Yates County within New York·s scenic Finger LakesRegion.

The projects involved the purchase of permanent conservation easements that will ensure the Gillette andWilson farms remain in agriculture and will not be lost to development. The agreements provide guidelinesfor future use of the land and are binding on all future owners of the property. Funding for the project wasprovided by New York State·s Department of Agriculture & Markets Farmland Protection Program. Bothfarms have prime lake views and both families have turned down development purchase offers due to theircommitment to seeing the land remain in agriculture.

Curtis and Susan Gillette·s fourth generation farm is a diversified operation which grows a variety of fieldcrops including hay, corn, oats, and wheat, as well as grapes and beef steers. The 237 acre farm is locatedon both sides of County House Road in the Town of Jerusalem just southwest of Penn Yan. The Gillette farmhas amazing views of Keuka Lake which is less than a mile away. According to Susan Gillette, the family tookpart in this opportunity because they ´want to continue to be stewards of the land and keep [their farm] inagriculture in order to pass it to [their] son, Chris.µ It is important to the Gillettes to ´prevent developmenton the land and see it continue in agriculture for many more generations.µ

Eugene and Francis Wilson·s farm is a certified organic crop farm which grows high quality corn, soybeansand small grains. Their 158 acre farm is located on State Route 14 in the Town of Torrey, just north of thehamlet of Dresden. The Wilson·s farm has outstanding views of Seneca Lake and is surrounded by productivefarmland. The Wilsons remarked that they are ´just thrilled that the land will remain in agricultural use andthat it is clear that the Farmland Protection Program does a lot of good.µ Additionally, the Wilsonsemphasized that ´not only will we benefit but also the area and future generations will benefit fromkeeping the land in open space.µ

´The Gillettes and Wilsons have been wonderful people to work with on these projects and have showngreat leadership and vision by protecting their family farms for future generationsµ says Peter Landre,executive director of Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Yates County and co-chair of the county·sAgriculture & Farmland Protection Board.

´We applaud both families for their commitment to the land,µ adds Land Trust Executive Director AndrewZepp. ´The retention of our best farmland is critically important to the future of our region and everyonewill benefit from these projects in the long run.µ

With the completion of these two projects, CCE and the Land Trust have successfully protected four farmsin Yates County, totaling 1,134 acres. In 2009, the Farmland Protection Program purchased an agriculturalconservation easement on Hallpine Farms and in 2010 on the James Henderson Farm, both located on Route14A just south of Penn Yan. The two organizations also share a full-time staff person as part of joint effort

to advance farmland protection in the region.

The Gillette and Wilson easements are the 84th and 85th acquired by the Land Trust, which haspermanently protected more than 13,000 acres across the region through conservation easements as well asthe establishment of public conservation areas and the provision of technical assistance to localmunicipalities and non-profit organizations.

The Land Trust is a not for profit, membership supported organization that was established in 1989 and hasoffices in Ithaca, Corning, and Canandaigua. Additional information about the Land Trust and conservationeasements may be found on its web site (www.fllt.org) or by calling its Ithaca office (607) 275-9487.

8/3/2019 FLLT -- Yates Cty. Conservation Easement

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/fllt-yates-cty-conservation-easement 2/2

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Yates County (CCE) provides educational and program support to the YatesCounty Agriculture and Farmland Protection Board. CCE is also the county·s link to Cornell University andthe Land Grant System, providing timely, research-based information and expertise to solve real-lifeproblems in the areas of agriculture, natural resources, youth and family development.

For more information on CCE and the Yates County farmland protection, visit the web site(http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/yates/AFPB.html) or call the CCE office at 315-536-5123. CCE providesequal employment and program opportunity.