Vermont Land Trust - Community Effort Under Way to Protect a Local Food Resource

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 10, 2010

For more information contact:
Elise Annes, Vice President for Community Relations, (802) 262-1206
Tracy Zschau, Vermont Land Trust (802) 748-6089

Back to Press Releases List

Community Effort Under Way to Protect a Local Food Resource

Join Us in Conserving Applecheek Farm in Hyde Park!
For over 40 years, the Clark family has owned Applecheek Farm. In this time, this family
dairy has continued to evolve. Today, the Clarks produce organic milk and pasture-raised meat. VLT and the Clark family are working to protect this productive farmland. Read more.

There is an urgent community fundraising effort under way to protect the Applecheek Farm in Hyde Park from subdivision and development.

Community members and the Vermont Land Trust, together with the Clark Family—John and Judy and their sons and daughter-in-laws—are working together to conserve Applecheek Farm, an organic, diversified farm located on McFarlane Road in Hyde Park.

For over 40 years, the Clark family has owned and operated Applecheek Farm. Over the years, this family dairy has continued to expand and evolve. In addition to producing fresh organic milk and pasture-raised meat for local markets, the farm serves as a vital educational and recreational resource for the region and its visitors. These difficult economic times have made the conservation of this farm critical.

“The Clarks are so passionate about sustainable, organic agriculture,” said Hyde Park resident Kevin Fitzgerald. “Their farm is such an important part of this community. We took this on because we know the Clarks, and we believe in land conservation.”

The Clark family offers horse-drawn hay and sleigh rides, walks on their farm trails, picnics, and fabulous food prepared by Chef Jason Clark in their community hall. Over 400 children and adults visit the farm each year. A localvore farm store was recently opened on the farm and offers products year-round.

Many have a connection with Applecheek Farm because they have taken a sleigh ride on a winter day, purchased chicken or eggs from the farm at the Montpelier or Stowe Farmer’s Market, or their children have visited the farm on a school trip. Some might not realize that they are eating an Applecheek hamburger while dining at the Bees Knees or Claire’s Restaurant.

Heather Furman, executive director of the Stowe Land Trust, believes that Applecheek Farm is an important place for all of Lamoille County: “This farm is a place to re-connect with local, sustainable food production and embodies the traditional land-use that shapes the character of our community. Stowe Land Trust heartily endorses the effort to protect this farm.”

The farm has 125 acres of hay meadows and rotational pasture, all containing high-quality agricultural soil. Managed forestland covers the remaining 118 acres, which have a network of trails used in the farm’s sleigh rides and llama treks. Applecheek Farm offers majestic views of Elmore Mountain, the Worcester Range, and Mt. Mansfield. It is also on the road that leads to Green River Reservoir.

Judy Clark is very appreciative of the community’s response. “It makes such a difference to be in this supportive community, and to hear this feeling among people that we’re all in this together,” she said. “Even those that are not involved in farming see the importance of sustaining land and our farm.”

The Vermont Land Trust’s purchase of a conservation easement on Applecheek Farm and related expenses is $310,000. The Freeman Foundation has generously contributed $215,000 toward the farm’s conservation and several local donors have pledged over $73,000. There is just $21,000 left to be raised by March 1, 2010.
“Ensuring that farmers like the Clarks can continue to farm the land is critical to the region’s agricultural future,” said Tracy Zschau, Northeast Kingdom regional director for the Vermont Land Trust. “This project gives Hyde Park, Stowe and surrounding communities a great opportunity to support a vibrant agricultural initiative close to home.”

For more information, contact either Tracy Zschau at the Vermont Land Trust at (802) 748-6089, or Elise Annes at the Vermont Land Trust (802) 223-5234. To make a donation, visit www.vlt.org or mail tax-deductable contributions by March 1, 2010 to Vermont Land Trust, 8 Bailey Ave., Montpelier, VT 05602.
____________________________________________________________________

About the Vermont Land Trust
The Vermont Land Trust is a statewide, member-supported, nonprofit land conservation organization. Since 1977, the Vermont Land Trust has permanently conserved more than 1,580 parcels of land covering 498,000 acres, or about eight percent of the private, undeveloped land in the state. The conserved land includes more than 700 working farms, hundreds of thousands of acres of productive forestland, and numerous parcels of community lands. This conservation work changes the lives of families, invigorates farms, launches new businesses, maintains scenic vistas, encourages recreational opportunity, and fosters a renewed sense of community.