Chelsea Farm Sells
Development Rights
By M. D. Drysdale

A working farm in the scenic hills west of Chelsea has worked with the Upper Valley Land Trust to conserve 116 acres through sale of development rights, the Land Trust announced this week.

The "Oughta-Be Farm" owned by Merrill andSandra Whitney is an organic dairy farm with more than 60 milking Jersey cows, along with oxen, two horses and 30 chickens.

Three generations of Whitneys currently live on the farm, and they expect to keep the farm as a family operation for the foreseeable future with daughter Sonya at the helm after they retire. Sonya, who is now officially the herd manager, recently graduated from Vermont Technical College in Dairy Farm Technology.

The Upper Valley Land Trust paid $193,000 for the conservation easement of the 116 acres, or about $1660 an acre.

Financial support comes from the Land Trust itself and the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board.

The conserved land includes 68 acres of open farmland and 48 acrest of forested land. Excluded from the easement purchase were 170 acres of managed forest, the residence, and two future home sites for family.

The Land Trust, working with theVermont Land Trust, was able to offer a higher amount than usual for the easements, using a newly-developed model that is aimed at keeping land in active farming.

If a prospective purchaser who is not a farmer shows interest in theproperty, the Land Trust would be able to purchase land (or find a farmer purchaser) for its agricultural value, which would likely be less than the non-farmer would be willing to pay.

Deciding to accept this new model of easement "is a big decision fot eht landowner," noted James Thaxton of the Land Trust, because it limits the amount the land might eventually be sold for.

In this case, however, because the next generation is interested in farming, it made a lot of sense, he said.

The Oughta-Be Farm is located off the Chelsea-Randolph Road on its own road just to the south. It lies just across the road from Maple Lane Farm, where 307 acres are also preserved by the Upper Valley trust. That farm is owned by Peter Flint, founder of the "Organic Cow" brand of dairy products.

The two farms, Thaxton pointed out, "form the western end of several contiguous farms stretching from the hills of southwestern Chelsea down to the valley of the Second Branch."

In case other landowners are interested, Thaxton confirmed that "we’d like to keep working in that area."

Over the last few years the Oughta-Be-Farm has converted to an organic dairy and updated all aspects of its operation. The funds from the conservation easements helped reduce debt and continue to implement their business plan, the Land Trust noted.

The Upper Valley Land Trust, with 1200 members, has conserved more than 30,000 acres in 40 towns in the two states since it was founded in 1985.