The Finger Lakes Land Trust protected 246 acres at Christiansen Farms in the towns of Benton, Milo, and Torrey, Yates County. Funds for the project came from the Farmland Protection Implementation Program (FPIG), administered by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. FPIG funds were used to purchase three agricultural conservation easements protecting three non-contiguous parcels.

This is the second FLLT conservation project completed with the Christiansen family, who operate a third-generation, NOFA-NY-certified organic dairy and crop farm. Presently, the farm ships its milk to the Upstate-Niagara Cooperative, in which the Christiansens are owner-members. They also grow several crops, including corn, soybeans, soft red wheat, soft white wheat, and alfalfa. The soft red wheat and soft white wheat are sold to Wegmans Food Markets for use in their artisanal bakery products.

Photo: Bill Hecht

Located within commuting distance of several Finger Lakes communities, including Penn Yan, Christiansen Farms sits between Seneca and Keuka lakes in an area of increased development pressure. The FLLT is committed to protecting farmland in this area with a focus on water quality and scenic lake views.

One of the three parcels in this project, that includes over 100 acres, is adjacent to forested wetlands which extend north to the Keuka Lake Outlet. The terms of the conservation easement establish a forested buffer zone along this section and the popular Keuka Outlet Trail.

With this latest project, the FLLT has protected over 650 acres at Christiansen Farms with funding from the Farmland Protection Implementation Program. To date, the organization has protected 2,281 acres in Yates County, 1,266 of which are prime farmland.

Conservation easements are voluntary legal agreements that permanently limit future land use in order to protect the land’s conservation value. Lands subject to conservation easements remain in private ownership, on local tax rolls, and available for traditional uses such as farming and hunting.