Vermont Housing Conservation Board 2005 - Vermont Housing and ...

So Jon and Lise Yandow, whose seven
children are between three and 22 years
old, are staying. Jack Brigham, the Select
Board chair and fellow farmer who also
conserved this year, understands why
they chose to conserve.
“Those of us that stick it out, this is
what’s got to happen,” he says. “I conserved
my farm because it’s been in my
family 200 years. I’ve got houses right
to my border — and if my kids end up
with the farm 20 years from now, the
pressure’s going to be on them to sell it.
I just want to keep it open.
“From a government perspective,
the expense on an acre of open land
is minimal,” Brigham adds. “Whereas,
with one house with two kids, you’ve
got all these expenses. So the more open
land you’ve got in the town, it’s actually
easier on the tax base.”
Swanton
St. Albans
Georgia
Highgate
Fairfax
Franklin
Sheldon
Fairfi eld
Fletcher
map courtesy Jon Osborne, Vermont Land Trust
CONSERVED FARMLAND IN FRANKLIN COUNTY
Yandow Farm
VHCB-funded conserved farmland
other Vemont Land Trust-conserved farms
state and federal lands
21
Since 1987, the Vermont Farmland Conservation Program has used
state and federal funds to conserve working farmland with good
agricultural soils in strong farming communities. The program has
succeeded in conserving large blocks of Vermont's fi nest agricultural
soils. Donations of conservation easements and privately conserved
farms add to the tally.