Protected by: Connecticut Farmland Trust, Salem Land Trust, USDA-NRCS
Years Protected: 2005 and 2006
Acres: 22 (I) and 53.9 (II)
Connecticut Farmland Trust collaborated with the Salem Land Trust to conserve the 76-acre “On the Hill Farm” in two phases. The first (I) includes the property’s 22 acres of woodland, which provide high-quality wildlife habitat at the headwaters of the Eightmile River. The second phase (II) consists of 54 acres of pasture and cropland, a majority of which is covered by prime and statewide important agricultural soils.
For almost 50 years, Frank and Evelyn Cunningham have produced hay and beef cattle and boarded horses on the farm. Cunningham Farm is privately owned and is not open to the public.
The purchase of conservation easements on the farm was funded by the USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Salem Land Trust, and Connecticut Farmland Trust’s Acquisition Fund.
“The important thing is keeping the farm in its natural state. You can’t put a price on that kind of peace of mind.” – Evelyn Cunningham