Finger Lakes Land Trust Protects 246 Acres of Farms

By Blake Jackson

The Finger Lakes Land Trust (FLLT) has secured the protection of 246 acres of farmland at Christiansen Farms, located across the towns of Benton, Milo, and Torrey in Yates County.

This conservation effort was supported through the Farmland Protection Implementation Program (FPIG), administered by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. Funding was used to acquire three agricultural conservation easements on separate parcels of land.

This marks the second conservation partnership between FLLT and the Christiansen family, who operate a certified organic, third-generation dairy and crop farm under the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York (NOFA-NY).

The farm supplies milk to the Upstate-Niagara Cooperative, of which they are owner-members. In addition to dairy, the family cultivates corn, soybeans, alfalfa, and both soft red and soft white wheat grains used by Wegmans Food Markets in their artisanal baked goods.

Christiansen Farms is located between Seneca and Keuka Lakes, within commuting distance of communities like Penn Yan. The area is under increasing development pressure, making land preservation efforts more urgent. The FLLT prioritizes this region for farmland conservation due to its scenic lake views and importance to water quality.

One of the conserved parcels, totaling over 100 acres, borders forested wetlands that stretch toward the Keuka Lake Outlet. The conservation easement includes a forested buffer along this section and the well-traveled Keuka Outlet Trail, further protecting local natural resources.

With this addition, the FLLT has now conserved over 650 acres at Christiansen Farms through FPIG funding. In total, the organization has protected 2,281 acres in Yates County, with 1,266 acres designated as prime farmland.

Conservation easements are voluntary agreements that preserve a property's agricultural and environmental value while keeping it privately owned and open for farming, hunting, and other traditional uses.

Photo Credit: gettyimages-sizsus