PRESS RELEASE
June 28, 2006
Montgomery Friends of Open Space is pleased to announce the preservation of a 100 acre farm on Cherry Valley Road in Montgomery Township. The farm, owned by the Raymond family and named Dalhousie Farm, is comprised of a series of open fields and a mature beech forest.
“We have been working hard to achieve this preservation for some time,” said Loraine Otis, Montgomery Friends’ President, “and we are thrilled to be able to announce our success.”
“Dalhousie Farm has an interesting history,” Ms. Otis said. “It was purchased by the Raymond family in 1953. The family established a sheep farm on the property and the present owners were raised there. In 1989, the Raymonds donated a conservation easement on most but not all of the acreage to the New Jersey Conservation Foundation. But under the terms of the easement, five housing opportunities remained.”
“When Montgomery Friends was approached several years ago, we realized that the future of the farm as a farm hung in the balance,” explained Ms. Otis. “There were five residential building opportunities. In this day and age, we all know what that means --- estate lots with megamansions.”
“Working to achieve full preservation of the farm was an easy decision for Montgomery Friends. Dalhousie Farm has very good soils. It is also one of the largest pieces of contiguous open space remaining in Montgomery Township. This project fit perfectly within our mission of trying to reconnect Montgomery with its agricultural past. Preserve an important farm like this and you make it possible for active farming to happen right here in our community,” said Ms. Otis.
“We could not have achieved this preservation without substantial help,” Ms. Otis added. “We have grants from both the NJDEP-Green Acres Program and the State Agricultural Development Committee totaling approximately $700,000. Of course, these funds must be matched dollar for dollar. Montgomery Township stepped forward in a major way and pledged matching funds of $530,000. The remainder of the match will be made by landowner donation.”
“The Raymond farm is one of the most varied and beautiful properties in this region,” said Clem Fiori, Chairman of the Montgomery Township Open Space Committee. “The rolling landscape includes farmland fields, scenic ridges, rich forest, and a lively rockstrewn stream. It was one of the first properties in Montgomery Township to be partially protected by a donated easement in the late 80’s, and now this protection is expanded to include the entire property and provide for a public access trail. We could not ask for a better result. Congratulations to the great initiatives and labors of Montgomery Friends of Open Space and the Raymond family for making this possible,” said Mr. Fiori.
“A combination of agricultural and conservation easements will be placed on the property. A trail easement will connect already preserved open space to the east and west of the property. We are slowly working our way toward a significant trail network in the Cherry Valley Greenway,” said Ms. Otis.
“Montgomery Friends would also like to thank Delaware & Raritan Greenway and the law firm of Drinker, Biddle and Reath, which provided pro bono legal services, for their assistance with this complex transaction, ” said Ms. Otis.
For more information about how you can become a partner in land preservation in your area, please contact Montgomery Friends of Open Space at 908-359-2845 or D&R Greenway at 609-924-4646.