Preservation Perspectives

Keeping Bedminster Green
Short story written by By Barbara Thomas

Quotes:

The Bedminster Land Conservancy’s first conservation easement was donated by Katherine and Paul Lehnig in 1998, when the Conservancy was just over 1 year old. The easement protects 27 acres of land off Creek Road in the valley of Deep Run, a major tributary of Tohickon Creek. It contains many historic structures including a significant Sycamore tree listed on the Bucks County Register of historic trees, natural woods, steeply sloped hills, pastures/farmland and wildlife habitat. The current owner, R. Porter Brooks offers the following about being the steward of this special property:
“The Brooks family and the Lehnigs were neighbors for many years. Our properties abut each other. I spent much of my childhood walking their [the Lehnig’s] fields and creek beds, fishing in their pond and visiting their home. I know how much they loved and cared for this land. I am proud to be able to now call it my home and know the property will always be protected and kept as the Lehnigs and I remember it.

R. Porter Brooks

In 2005, Phyllis and Louis Burke preserved of their 24- acre property through the Bedminster Township land preservation program. The conservation easement is coheld by Bedminster Land Conservancy with the Township. The property, which is comprised of farmland and woodland, is located along Ridge Road, part of a significant scenic and farmland corridor in Bedminster Township. The landowners offer the following remarks about having preserved their land:

“I am so proud to be part of Bedminster conservation. We love our land and it gives us great pride and means a lot to us to be assured that it will remain part of mother nature.”

Phyllis Burke

Preservation Perspective
Burgess Lea, Solebury

Preface: One of the best things about living in Bucks County is the fact that the landscapes along so many of its roads still look as they did when Daniel Garber, Edward Redfield, and other renowned regional artists painted them nearly a hundred years ago. We support the work of the Bedminster Land Conservancy, which has been instrumental in preserving thousands of acres of land in upper Bucks, encouraging responsible stewardship, and protecting its native plants, wildlife, and ecosystems. The Conservancy's efforts to maintain the unique rural character of our area help to ensure that many years from now, this part of Pennsylvania will still recall the beautiful vistas that inspired the Bucks County Impressionists.

Buz and Janet Teacher

Conserving our Farmland—Literally!

During the last three 100-year floods that did so much damage in Bucks County, we had considered ourselves fortunate that our home, which backs up to the Delaware canal, was spared. The stone house and barn that anchor Burgess Lea Farm, today a 40-acre, certified-organic property, were built in the late 18th century in a choice location on high ground relative to the Delaware River.

But late last April (2007), during a fierce nor’easter, the stream that runs down Laurel Road and under River Road, then alongside the southwest border of our property, tore a fifteen-foot opening in its stream bank and flooded our west field. This field had just been disked, spaded, and harrowed in preparation for planting the very next day. The erosion was devastating: our western field suddenly featured a gushing, three-foot waterfall which was rapidly moving the soil toward the canal, where it would be lost forever.

In the east (front) field, flooded at the same time when the stream overflowed its banks on Laurel Road and swept down our driveway, all the soil had been displaced to a far corner. Great expanses of protruding river rock now stood in place of the smooth, productive soil.

Those two fields, 7 and 10 acres respectively, were recently described by the Bedminster Land Conservancy as Class 1 agricultural soil. We knew we had to act fast to preserve that soil, so our first call was to Jeff Sparks at Sparks Excavating Co. in Doylestown. Jeff came right over, saw the serious nature of the damage, and advised us to call the Bucks County Conservation District (BCCD). The BCCD’s Watershed Specialist Gretchen Schatschneider was kind enough to visit us that afternoon to survey the damage. With her help, we were able to obtain an emergency permit for Jeff and his crew to build a stone wall to reinforce the stream bank on our property. All of the stone came from Delaware Quarries up the road in Lumberville. The people at the quarry were very helpful, and the owner even came to the site himself. It took Sparks & Co. twelve days to complete the project.

Meanwhile, due to the enormity of the situation, we called in another local excavating company, Punkin Hollow Farms in Stockton, NJ. Owner Roger Locandro and his crew brought equipment to move the soil in the front field back where it belonged, and to regrade it. If you drive by now, you’ll see how smooth and level our fields are, and be able to appreciate the skill of the crew. We’re currently in the process of applying for a permit to construct a berm on Laurel Road, directly across from our driveway where the stream flows, to prevent any further flooding.

Buz & Janet Teacher, Burgess Lea Farm, New Hope

The Conservancy applauds the on-going stewardship of the Teachers in protecting the soils and restoring their farmlands on this magnificent property.

Preservation Perspective: One Man's Odyssey

I moved to our farm in July of '69 with no real farming skills or country background. I was 22 years old. A hired hand taught me to plow and plant and we worked side by side, as close as brothers.

As the years passed, I met my wife and started a family. Watching my three sons experience life and death on the farm and learning where their food comes from gave me the satisfaction of knowing they could not have received such an important education off the farm. Some of my fondest recollections are of my boys running up to me after spending hours on one of our creeks; a sucker in hand, and smiling with the joy that only a child bursting with the pride of a successful hunt could produce. Watching them learn to fish, shoot, hunt, and finally make the transition to manhood with the harvesting of their first buck - what a legacy.

From time to time a small piece of land adjoining our farm would come up for sale; first a 4.9 acre piece and then a 2.75 acre piece bringing our total to 109.4 acres. A neighboring farm containing 58 acres was always in my sights as a fitting addition to our homestead. When the neighbor started having some financial difficulties I went with him to our County Agricultural Land Preservation Board and made a presentation to them on his behalf. Little did I realize that this would have such a profound impact on my life. I was so impressed with the work of the County board that I applied for an open position and have proudly served on the Board since October of '96.

My neighbor preserved his 58 acres and shortly afterwards made the decision to move to New York state where dairying and farming in general was easier as the building pressure would be nonexistent. We purchased his farm and now owning a preserved farm, started looking into preserving our home farm. In 2001 the preservation was completed.

Several years later a farm on the North West border of our farm was going to be offered for sale, and containing 120.6 acres, it was not going to be cheap. My sons and I discussed the purchase of the farm and it was an easy decision. It had to be bought and it had to be preserved. It had remained in the same family for 156 years and although several others were trying to buy it, the family chose to sell to us. They had seen what we had done with our own farm and they knew we would preserve it and love it, caring for it as they had done.

The money we anticipated receiving from the sale of the development rights for this 120.6 acres would help to make the purchase cost more palatable as the property was priced for development. Two years after the purchase, the preservation of this land was completed and the rest, as they say, is history.

The preservation of these three properties as farmland insures that my family can remain on this land for as long as they choose and hopefully future generations will enjoy the beaming smiles of their children's faces as they run home with their treasure of a frog, a sucker, or a crawfish in hand.

Ken Goldenberg

Preservation Perspective: A Plumstead Legacy

Land conservation easements were somewhat of a mystery to me before going through the process of conserving our 18-acre property. In addition to the satisfaction of knowing I have added a few acres of farmland and woods to the thousands already preserved in Bucks County, I now feel educated and informed enough to talk to friends and neighbors about the importance and value of an easement.

The property is very close to some of the most beautiful areas in Central Bucks County: Ralph Stover State Park, the beautiful High Rocks vistas overlooking the lovely, sinuous Tohickon Creek, two nearby covered bridges, Covered Bridge Road with the Tohickon Creek on one side and "Towering Rocks" on the other, and the Delaware River, Delaware Canal and towpath. The property is also situated on the outskirts of Smith's Corner, a historic crossroads. The recently-established Plumstead Historical Society will pursue nominating this area with the surrounding landscape to the National Register of Historic Places.

Plumstead Township and Bedminster Land Conservancy have partnered for the first time to co-hold my easement, which was completed with the help of Plumstead Township's Land Use Director Louis Fineberg, my attorney Mike Klimpl, and Bedminster Land Conservancy's Director Barbara Drew. It was a great pleasure to work with Barbara, who put in a lot of time patiently explaining the process, advising me, making phone calls and acting as a liaison with the township; she was always very informed, professional and a delightful person with whom to work.

I have always appreciated the beauty of nature and the intrinsic value of preserving natural areas. I grew up in Philadelphia, where we spent a lot of time walking trails along the Wissahickon Creek, going camping in the summers, and wandering around the famous Morris Arboretum looking at trees and mushroom hunting. Nowadays, I can walk out my driveway and go in any direction to see the infinite variety of nature, which is eternally satisfying and nourishing to my soul.

Undeveloped areas are always under pressure from developers, and now I feel I have done something "real," by turning 18 acres of real estate into preserved land and helping to maintain the beautiful rural character in this corner of Plumstead Township in Upper Bucks County.

Lisa Sandler

The Bedminster Land Conservancy is grateful to the Sandlers for donating their easement.

Ulrich Farm - A Family History and Preservation Story

Located on Bedminster Road and Hill Road in the center of Bedminster, the 37-acre Ulrich farm is now preserved by Bedminster Township and the Bucks County Agricultural Land Preservation Program, with the Bedminster Land Conservancy also named as a cograntee. Bedminster Township purchased the conservation easement with financial assistance from the county farmland program. The Ulrich farm was ranked highly by both the county and township programs due to its productive soils as well as its scenic importance. At the Middletown Grange Fair in August, the county announced that the Ulrich farm preservation was the 99th farm preserved since the program was established in 1989. The county, township, and conservancy have also recently partnered to preserve the nearby 182-acre Buckman Farm.

Landowner Laura Ulrich commented that she wanted to preserve the farm for the future and she “always wanted to be a good steward of our land and protect it from environmental hazards, as God intended. It’s important to leave a place better than when we arrived.” Having lived previously in Lower Bucks County, she saw what happened to the farms there and she thought, “It can’t happen here in Bedminster. My son supports me in this; we both want to see that Bedminster stays rural and keeps land open rather than having all houses.” Laura commented that this farm is important due to its location in Bedminster center. Currently, the farm is linked with other preserved lands that total 743 acres.

Laura explained that the scenic farm has been in her late husband’s family since 1921, and this was one of her main reasons for pursuing preservation. His mother, who was German, bought this property because it looked just like where she had lived in Germany. The family established a dairy farm that had 35 Jersey and Holstein cows that operated for about 45 years. Laura relates that the Ulrich matriarch was a good farmer and knew 5 different languages. She would go to the cattle auctions and she knew just how to choose cows for their dairy farm. In addition to being able to understand Pennsylvania Dutch, she would conduct her own test for milking cows, with her own milk bucket. When she showed the auctioneer which cows she wanted to purchase, the auctioneer would tell her she had picked the best! The Ulrich family had a “huckster route” and would take butter, eggs, milk, meat from the farm to sell in other areas during the 1930’s and 40’s.

Raymond Ulrich, Laura’s late husband, was the youngest of six children. Raised on the farm, he carried on the family farming tradition and continued the dairy farm operation until the cows were very old, around 1967. By then all the farm’s acres were used to grow crops. Today, Laura’s son Peter farms the land with Jack Shannon, with the farm producing crops such as hay, soybeans, corn wheat, and rye. While there aren’t cows anymore, there are 2 donkeys.

Summarizing her sentiments, Laura stated, “I am an advocate for preservation: I believe in it.” She added that she talks to neighbors and other Bedminster residents, and encourages them by saying, “Why don’t you do it, too, why don’t you preserve your land?”

Barbara Drew, with Laura Ulrich, landowner

AGA Farms, Bedminster

“A couple of years ago, I approached my parents about the possibility of preserving their farm that they purchased in 1980. I sat down with them and told them the importance of keeping the farm open and free from development. They told me about their wishes of passing the property down to all their children. This reinforced the necessity of preserving the farm. With six children (and spouses), there would twelve ideas on what to do with the farm.

We filled out the land preservation application forms, and then met with the county and with the township to convey our wishes. Last year Rich Harvey, Coordinator of the Bucks County Agricultural Land Preservation Program, informed us our farm would be considered in 2008. The process went smoothly. In July of 2008, Rich Harvey came in on his vacation time to sign the papers that finalized the easement protecting AGA Farms.

I have lived on the 100 acre family farm since 1985, where my wife and I have raised two daughters and where we continue to run a retail pumpkin patch and Christmas tree farm. I can’t stress enough the importance of talking with your parents if they have a parcel of land that they, and you, feel should be preserved.”

Dan Devery

Brubaker, Bedminster

“I want to thank the Township the county and the state for making it possible for me to keep my promise to the Smakula Family. I purchased the farm from them in 1996 and promised that I would not subdivide the property. Carol and I plan on keeping our home in Bedminster for the rest of our lives and since that is the case, why not preserve the property. We wanted to be a part of the effort not only to preserve our land but help preserve Bedminster Township as well.”

Tom Brubaker