The Sheffield Land Trust

P.O. Box 940, 404 LeGeyt Road, Sheffield, MA 01257-0940
Phone: 413 229-0234; Fax: 413 229-0239; shefland@bcn.net

Balsam Hill Farm

Balsam Hill Farm is an Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) success story! Thanks to the APR, this farm has a new owner -- local dairy farmer Morven Allen. The 153-acre farm on Hewins Street and Maple Avenue along the Housatonic River offers a unique combination of productive farmland and wildlife habitat. The farm is currently used for dairy and hay but it has sufficient acreage and alluvial soils suitable for almost any farm business. The recently completed APR conserves extensive riparian buffer for wildlife habitat and travel corridors and the farm's preservation will prevent fragmentation of this historic landscape. Local residents and visitors alike walk or bike along Hewins Street to enjoy the exercise and the views across the fields to the Housatonic River and the Taconic mountains in the distance. SLT must still raise funds from the community to pay off a loan toward the local contribution on the APR as well as other project costs. To make a contribution or pledge, please print and mail our donation or pledge form. Contributions to SLT are tax-deductible. Thank you!

20th Anniversary Challenge Grant

Donate $1,000 or more in 2008
to any land protection project or fund!

The challenge will match the increase in giving over 2007 of contributors who make gifts of $1,000 or greater in 2008.
Balsam Hill Farm Project Budget
Conservation Costs:
Purchase of Development Rights:
835,000
Other Project Costs:
81,000
Total Conservation Costs :
916,000
Contributions & Income
Agricultural Preservation Program:
756,000
Farm/Property Owners:
3,000
Community Donations:
157,000
Total Contributions & Income:
916,000
The Balsam Hill Farm Campaign

To preserve Balsam Hill Farm, we need to raise $147,000 from the local community. Please click here to make a pledge or a contribution!
The Balsam Hill Farm Campaign
Goal
Received
# of Gifts
One Leadership Gift of $25,000:
25,000
25,000
1
Five contributions of $10,000:
50,000
Eight contributions of $5,000:
40,000
11,000
2
Ten contributions of $2,000:
20,000
13,190
6
Fifteen contributions of $1,000:
15,000
11,375
10
Additional contributions:
7,000
4,518
33
Total Contributions :
147,000
65,083
52
This topographic map of the Balsam Hill Farm Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) in close proximity to other conservation land including the Cavalier APR and the already existing Bennett and Bangs APRs illustrates the growing block of protected farm land which is critical to continued agricultural viability, wildlife habitat and the historic rural character of this neighborhood.
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