Farmland Conservation

Iron Ox Farm is the new operator at the former Green Meadows Farm in Hamilton/Topsfield. View this stunning and informative video to learn about the critical role farmland conservation plays in protecting farmland and ensuring its affordability for young farmers such as Stacey Apple and Alex Cecchinelli at Iron Ox.

From our earliest days, Greenbelt has worked to keep Essex County’s farms intact.  To date, we’ve partnered with landowners to preserve over 50 farm properties, representing more than 1,000 acres of cultivated farmland.

However, over 13,000 acres of Essex County farmland remain unprotected.  These farms face unprecedented obstacles:

• Farmland Loss – New England has one of the highest rates of farmland conversion to development in the nation.  
• Aging Farmers – More than 1/3 of Massachusetts farmland is owned or managed by farmers over 65, and 90% of these farmers don’t have a successor to take over their operation.  
• High Cost of Land – Farm families without successors can easily sell their land for development.  This makes it extremely difficult for young farmers to afford buying farmland.

Land conservation is a necessary but not always sufficient component of ensuring a future for our farms.  Our Farms, Our Future seeks to support farm viability not just through farmland conservation, but through increasing farmland affordability for new farmers; free educational programs on topics ranging from how to find and purchase a farm, to the finances and legal aspects of running a farm business, to farm succession and retirement planning; and educating our members and the public on how they can support local farms.

Our Farms, Our Future has the following goals, intended to assure that our working farmland remains available for food and fiber production to serve residents now and for generations to come:

• Farmland Affordability:   To seek opportunities to provide secure and affordable land tenure to farmers who don’t otherwise have access to farmland in Essex County due to the high cost of housing and land.
• Farm Viability:  To lower barriers to farm viability by coupling affordable land access with creative approaches to infrastructure and farmer housing, within a structure that is flexible and that survives farm evolution and farmer transition.
• Farmer-to-Farmer Farm Transfer:   To support the transfer of farms to farmers by connecting farmers to resources to support their decision-making around farm transition.
• Build Strategic Partnerships: To strengthen relationships with farmland owners and farmland seekers so that when farmland becomes available, Greenbelt has ready partners to facilitate farmland transfer to new farmers; with farm conservation organizations across the country at the forefront of providing affordable farmland access so that Greenbelt can continue to learn and grow from this breadth of farmland conservation experience.
• Ecosystem Health:  To seek opportunities to demonstrate how farming can go hand-in-hand with managing for resilient ecosystems, preserving water quality and enhancing soil health.
• Education and Outreach:  To increase the public awareness of the issues facing farms in our region and what they can do to support local farms; to support farmers at all stages of their careers by, among other activities, hosting free educational programming with organizations that support local farms and farmers.

Walking the Talk
Former Green Meadows Farm as a Model for Farmland Affordability and Viability

The former Green Meadows Farm in Hamilton & Topsfield was once one of the most popular organic farms in the area.  With a thriving farmstand serving fresh farm produce, meats, and prepared foods, its farm animals, and pick-your-own berries, Green Meadows Farm served as a hub for all that farms sustain:  healthy food, scenic lands, strong families, and vibrant community.

When Greenbelt purchased the farm in 2019 with support from Institution for Savings Conservation Fund and many generous donors, we knew we had an opportunity to pilot a model that could make a difference to farmland affordability in Essex County. One of the most powerful tools available to land trusts to preserve farmland and make it affordable over the long term to a new farmer is the ground lease.  

Elements of a Ground Lease

• Greenbelt owns the land, but enters into a long-term lease with a farmer.  This provides stability and gives a farmer confidence to invest in the operations and to farm sustainably.
• The lease can be passed down to the next generation, or transferred to another farmer.
• Farmer has the opportunity to build equity through the construction of agricultural infrastructure on the land.  

Having a long-term lease is critical to a farm’s economic viability.  With the security of long-term tenure, and the ability to build equity, the farmer can qualify for the grants and loans critical to growing their farm business.  The ground lease gives a farmer all the benefits and security of farm ownership, without having to buy the land. 

A long-term ground lease benefits Greenbelt as well: we know that the farmer will be invested in the success of the farm, and will keep our land working productively, providing local food for our communities, and farming sustainably.   

Greenbelt issued a Request for Proposals last year to find the farmer who will realize a new vision for the former Green Meadows Farm – one that is sustainable to both the farmer and the land. 

Seventeen farmers and farm businesses responded to Greenbelt’s request for proposals.  After a year-long review process by staff, board, local farmers and community members, Greenbelt is pleased to announce that Iron Ox Farm of Topsfield, whose principals are Alex Cecchinelli and Stacey Apple, will be the new farm operator at the former Green Meadows Farm in Hamilton and Topsfield starting in 2021. 

Click here to learn more about this exciting news! 

Click here for Salem News article