For immediate release: December 28, 2010
Franklin -- After spending ten years in the Marine Corps, Greg Finch longed to return to his New England roots and find a place to farm. In 2002, Greg purchased a Franklin farm with a farmhouse dating back to the mid-1800s and started raising pigs and sheep. Last week, Greg permanently protected the land from development by selling a conservation easement, the Vermont Land Trust announced today.
Since purchasing the 208-acre property, Greg has built a vibrant business selling local meat to communities in Vermont and in the New England region.
"We are very pleased to conserve our farm with VLT," said Greg. "Our primary reason for conservation was to preserve this farm permanently for agricultural use. The proceeds we received will be used to eliminate farm debt and improve cash flow. This will allow continued expansion of our farm production out-of-pocket, and will hopefully allow for the purchase and possible conservation of additional farmland. It is very clear to us that VLT is essential to the future of farming in Vermont."
For several years Greg maintained a job off the farm while he worked on the historic farmhouse and on getting the farm operation on solid footing. As his business grew more successful, Greg has transitioned to farming full-time.
Greg now sells lamb and pork through Black River Produce. Meat from his heritage Berkshire-Chester White cross pigs is sold under Vermont Smoke and Cure's "Vermont Grown" label.
"Greg is supplying local food and bolstering the diversity of Vermont's farm community," said Bob Heiser, Vermont Land Trust's Champlain Valley project manager. "The success of Greg's operation ripples through other area businesses in the local-food economy."
The farm includes over 100 acres of high quality agricultural soils and abuts two farms previously conserved by the Vermont Land Trust.
Land protected by conservation easements continues to be privately owned and managed, landowners pay taxes on the land and can sell their land; however, the conservation easement permanently remains on the property.
Greg generously donated part of the value of the conservation easement. "We see ourselves as stewards of the land and wish to protect it from future development," said Greg. "This is why we elected to donate a substantial portion of the easement value."
Funding also came from both state and federal sources. The Vermont Housing and Conservation Board grant contribution toward the project was matched by the federal Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program managed by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.
The conservation easement includes an affordability provision that ensures the farm will remain affordable to future farmers.
