2010 Annual Report

We’re piecing together the landscape...

ONE FARM at a TIME

openviews2011 Annual Report and Review

Lancaster Farmland Trust newsletter and annual report designs

openviewsSaving the Land

We Love

Fall/WiNter 2014Board of Trustees

Joseph V. SweeneyChairR. James LaffertyVice-ChairCaroline MortonSecretaryMichelle F. AtwaterTreasurerDara C. Bachman, Esq.Susan BaldrigeR. Ted BowersDavid BreniserSamuel A.

Goodley, Jr., Esq.Dennis M. GrimmRobert M. KrasneKen LewisDonald M. RobinsonLarry ShirkMelvyn G.

Wenger, VMD

Honorary Trustees

H. Eugene GarberKenneth H. MessnerHonorable Marilyn WareHonorable Noah W.

WengerPhyllis C. Whitesell

Senior Advisory Council

Nancy ArnoldDaniel BetancourtHerman BontragerJohn CoxRobert J. HershockCharles HooberJ. Melvin NissleyF. Barry ShawR. Scott Smith

Staff

Karen L. MartynickExecutive DirectorJeffery E. SwinehartDeputy DirectorKaren J. DickersonDirector of CommunicationsAmanda M. HickleDevelopment

CoordinatorKen PacanowskiStewardship CoordinatorStephanie A. SmithMunicipal Outreach

CoordinatorStephanie L. ButlerLand Preservation AssistantJoella GarberMonitoring SpecialistJeb MusserLand Preservation AssistantJordan TuscanLand Preservation SpecialistLucie OrzechFinancial Assistant

General Counsel

Brubaker, Connaughton, Goss & Lucarelli

From the Chair, Joe SweeneyAsk anyone what comes to mind when they think of Lancaster County and they no

doubt will say “farmland.” Agriculture and a rural lifestyle are synonymous with Lancast-er County. While other places have transformed from farming communities to suburban sprawl, Lancaster has held on to its heritage thanks to good planning and effective preserva-tion efforts.

The mission of Lancaster Farmland Trust is to “preserve and steward the beautiful, pro-ductive farmland of Lancaster County.” Protecting our farms provides many benefits to our community. The products produced on our farms contribute $6 billion to the economy each year. The vast green fields recharge our aquifers. The beautiful landscape draws tourists from around the world.

We are proud of the relationship we have built with farm families. The Trust serves as a resource for farmers and works with them to improve their practices and reduce the envi-ronmental impact of their operations. Our goal is to help farmers meet the many challenges they face because the best way to protect farmland is to ensure the success of the farmer.

The most recent challenge faced by our farmers is the proposed Atlantic Sunrise natural gas pipeline that will traverse 35 miles of Lancaster County — including many preserved farms. While the project has not yet been approved, its impact on farmland is a great con-cern. Our community has made a commitment to protecting what is unique and special about Lancaster County and we are working tirelessly to ensure that this project does not breach that commitment.

When a farm is preserved, the value goes beyond that of the soils. An investment has been made in maintaining the productivity of the soils, our economy, natural resources, agriculture as a way of life, and the ability of future generations to continue the farming tradition.

As we close out another successful year, we thank you for your support and encourage-ment. On behalf of the Board of Trustees and staff of Lancaster Farmland Trust, I wish you and your family a very happy holiday season.

Cordially,

From the Executive Director, Karen MartynickThe corn has been harvested, the hay is in the barn and things are very busy at Lancaster

Farmland Trust. This is our busiest time of the year. Farmers are in from the fields and ready to preserve their farms. With just a few weeks left to go, we have nine farms on our waiting list to be preserved and we’re hoping we can get all the projects completed before the end of the year.

One of the best things about the work we do is getting to know the families who preserve their farms. Their commitment to the land inspires us. They have a love for the land that is deep and abiding. They want to preserve their farms so their children and grandchildren can farm the land as their ancestors have. For them, preserving their land is preserving a way of life!

The farms that dot our countryside like a patchwork quilt, provide a beautiful landscape. But their benefits go far beyond a scenic view. They contribute to our quality of life and make Lancaster a special and unique place to live and visit. By preserving these farms — sav-ing the land we love -- we are leaving a legacy that no one can take away.

This holiday season, as my family gathers around the table, we will give thanks for many things. Among those will be the abundance on our table and the hard-working farmers who grew it. We know we are fortunate to have so much available to us and we are deeply grate-ful that farmers preserve their land so our grandchildren can continue to enjoy these gifts.

We are very thankful that you recognize the importance of preserving our precious farm-land. Your support is very much appreciated and makes our success possible. I hope your holidays are joyful and blessed with family, friends . . . and delicious food!

Cordially,

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Organic Farming – A Local Farmer’s PerspectiveCottage cheese, Swiss and cheddar cheese, as well as butter, but-

termilk, and kefir (a fermented milk drink that tastes a bit like unsweetened yogurt) are some of the dairy products produced at a local organic farm here in Lancaster County. The 81 acre farm was preserved in 2009 through the first transfer of development rights project in Penn Township. The project was a done as a partnership between Lancaster Farmland Trust and Penn Township.

The Amish farmer also raises dairy cattle, free-range broiler chick-ens, swine, and laying hens. The farm family markets some of the farm’s products through on-site retail sales. In a recent conversa-tion, the farmer explained that he uses no chemicals, herbicides, or pesticides because he believes that plant intake of minerals and vitamins is blocked if too much genetically modified or chemical sources are used to grow crops.

The farmer cited a personal experience as his reason for exploring organic farming. He explained that he had always been interested in organic farming; however, his decision to switch from traditional farming to organic was motivated by a family member whose child had a vitamin K deficiency. Traditional healthcare experts had rec-ommended that the boy take medicine for the deficiency for the rest of his life, but when the boy’s parents began to investigate vita-min deficiencies and how they might be corrected with diet, their search led them to eating organic products.

“The more organic you are, the better,” the farmer commented. Historically, the farm supported a traditional grain-based dairy operation, but now the farmer has converted the majority of his

land to pastureland and grassland with only three acres dedicated for grain. While feeding grain is the more com-mon method, the farmer believes that this “wears out the cow sooner and re-sults in more health problems for the herd”.

The farmer learned about organic farming from reading and listening. “Amish farmers would like to get into organic farming, but they are stuck,” he explained. “The cost of transitioning from traditional farm-ing methods to organic holds people back. During the transition, farmers must feed organic forage but cannot market their products as organic until they are certified.” Typically, the process of certification takes three years.

Work on the farm involves a lot of man-ual labor. His wife and six children share the work with him. “I’m not a pioneer, but you can’t do it (organic farming) unless you believe in it; you can’t do it just for the money,” he said. We must “use common sense if we don’t want to have a negative effect on the Chesapeake Bay,” he concluded.

Municipal Outreach ServicesCurrently, many of the Trust’s municipal services are available at no cost, thanks to a

municipal outreach grant from William Penn Foundation. These services include…• Educational presentations on agricultural topics for local residents,

staff, supervisors, planners, and zoning officials• Agricultural zoning & subdivision ordinance revision assistance• Comprehensive plan review• Transferable development rights (TDR) program establishment

& administration• Prioritizing farmland for preservation• GIS mapping services• Technical assistance on land preservation projects• Organizing local agricultural advisory councils

…and more. The Trust is always eager to find new ways to work with municipalities to advance agriculture, land use planning, and the preservation of Lancaster’s farming heritage. Municipal officials – please contact us with your ideas for how we can partner with you!

Organic Farming – A Local Farmer’s Perspective

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photo credit Patty O’Brien

photo credit Patty O’Brien