Lebanon now has 3,532 acres of protected farmland

Jim Gooch (l), executive director of Connecticut Farmland Trust, exchanges paperwork with Atty. Fritz Gahagan, who represents the Skaats family. Contributed photo.

Add another 32 acres to the 3,500 acres of farmland already protected in the town of Lebanon. At the end of December, documents were signed that will ensure there will be no future development at Skaats Farm, located on Clubhouse Road. The farm is a mix of woodland and fields, some of which is currently being leased by Cushman Farms for the growing of feed corn.

Cushman Farms, a member of the Farmer’s Cow cooperative, currently manages 900 acres of corn and 300 acres of grass. The 20 acres leased at the Skaats site represents a small portion of the farm’s growing acreage. “But it’s an important portion,” said Cushman’s Jim Smith. “Every little bit is important.” The preservation of the Skaats land “basically gives us the security of having land to grow on in the future,” said Smith. “It’s also important for the town in maintaining open space, and maintaining the quality of life of the residents of Lebanon.”

Lebanon currently claims “the largest amount of protected farmland in the state,” according to the Connecticut Farmland Trust’s conservation director, Elisabeth Moore.  And that, according to Trust Executive Director Jim Gooch, is a tribute to the town’s dedication to the cause. “Once a town raises its hand and says it’s interested, state, federal and private organizations come running,” he said.

Since 2005, the Connecticut Farmland Trust has been able to protect Slate Farm, Cyr Farm, Mindel Farm, Stoney Hedge Farm, and now Skaats. By purchasing the development rights to Skaats, the Trust ensures that the land will not be developed, and will forever be maintained as farmable land. “These are men and women who are very closely connected to the land,” said Gooch, of the farmers who enter into agreements with the Trust. “They’re trusting us to protect this land in perpetuity.”

In addition to the 15 acres used for growing corn, the Skaats land is home to 1 acre of wetlands, 15 acres of woodland, and 1 acre for a farmhouse and agricultural buildings.

"I'm glad to see this land preserved for future generations," said Richard Skaats, owner of Skaats Farm. "The future of our state's farming community depends on our ability to keep farmland in production and not let it be lost to development."

"We would like to thank the town of Lebanon and the Natural Resources Conservation Service for their partnership in preserving this farmland," said Gooch. "We also need to thank the thousands of contributors across the state that help fund the Connecticut Farmland Trust. In less than a decade, we have been able to preserve more than 2,100 acres of farmland at 26 farms in our state. This is quite an accomplishment. But we still have a long way to go. So many other farms are under threat of development, it is vital that we continue to do our work to help preserve our open spaces for generations to come."

Founded in 2002, the Connecticut Farmland Trust is the only private statewide conservation organization that protects Connecticut's working lands. The non-profit organization protects farmland through the acquisition of farm property and easements. To date, the Trust holds easements on 26 properties across the state, protecting more than 2,100 acres. The group works with farmers, landowners, land trusts, town officials and state agencies to protect agricultural land, and has become the state's leading resource on farmland conservation. For more information, visit www.CTFarmland.org or call 860-247-0202.