The Lakes Region Conservation Trust (LRCT) is proud to announce the permanent conservation of Huckins Farm in New Hampton, through LRCT’s recent acquisition of an agricultural land easement that protects 128 acres of productive and scenic farmland and forests of this 200+ year-old farm.
Huckins Farm is a family-owned and operated micro-dairy that produces raw milk, cream, yogurt, kefir, and fresh and aged cheese. Huckins Farm’s products are made in small batches on the farm, where customers can meet the cows, watch the creation of the products, and be welcomed as friends. The farm’s products can be found in the farm store, on the farm website, and at many New Hampshire stores and food cooperatives.
The property has been a working farm since 1784, and the farm has been owned and operated by the Huckins family since 1906.
The Huckins Farm property includes agricultural soils of local and state importance and highly ranked wildlife habitat. The agricultural land easement allows the land to be used for agricultural and forestry activities but not subdivided or developed, thus protecting the land’s natural values and ensuring that it remains available for farming far into the future. As easement holder, LRCT is responsible for regularly monitoring the property and working with the landowner to ensure that the easement terms are satisfied.
Funding for the easement project was provided by significant grants and gifts from private sources. In particular, the New Hampshire Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) provided a $236,500 grant, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service Agricultural Land Easement Program provided a grant of $254,000 for the project. In addition, the project received generous support from the NH Farm Future Fund, the Town of New Hampton, and approximately 100 families and individuals from around the Lakes Region and beyond.
Farm manager and owner, Matty Huckins, said, “The family and staff of Huckins Farm are so grateful and honored to see the support of the community to make a permanent easement for this 200+ year old farm possible. We are all overjoyed to know that the farm will continue into perpetuity, that this land will be set aside to nourish its neighbors, to provide open spaces for all to enjoy its beauty and wildlife, and to always remember those who have farmed the land from its beginning until now.”
LRCT President Don Berry said that “LRCT is extraordinarily grateful to Matty Huckins and her family for their commitment to conserving the farm property and for working with LRCT to fulfill the family’s conservation vision.” He also expressed LRCT’s gratitude for the strong support for the project from LCHIP, NRCS, and the other organizations, families, and individuals that helped to ensure the project’s success.
Berry noted that the Huckins Farm easement is LRCT’s seventh farmland conservation project, and that the organization looks forward to completing additional farmland protection projects in the coming years.
Huckins Farm and LRCT will be celebrating this conservation accomplishment at a fall festival at the farm, 52 Magoon Road in New Hampton, on Saturday, October 21 from 1 to 3 p.m. The public is invited to join in this event. For more information about Huckins Farm, please visit https://www.huckinsfarm.org.
