Featured Farms
Strong Family Farm
“My family and I couldn’t be happier that the farm has ultimately been protected. I dreamed that this would happen, but I didn’t see how. I’m so thankful for CFT’s help in making my dream come true.”
– Nancy Strong
Conserving farms through community building
Strong Family Farm in Vernon is an iconic part of the town’s landscape. With bright yellow barns, the farm is a stronghold against the disappearing history of family farms in suburban Connecticut. The farm was bought in 1878 by Nathan Morgan Strong who built a 7-room farmhouse that still stands today.
Development pressure forced the issue
After the passing of Norman Strong, his children were faced with the reality experienced by many legacy farm families. Without anyone in the family to farm the land, they could not afford to keep the whole property. When the family decided to sell the two parcels without any structures, they received enthusiastic offers from developers.
A catalyst for community
The Vernon community was committed to preserving the property, but they needed to raise $1 million to purchase the property. Ann Letendre, chair of Vernon’s Open Space Task Force, recognized the need for collaboration and innovative thinking. A small group of dedicated residents established Meetinghouse Hill, LLC to purchase the property to get it off the market while funds were raised to protect the land. With federal, state, and local funding, Connecticut Farmland Trust (CFT), Northern CT Land Trust, and more than 470 community donations, the property was temporarily bought by CFT. CFT and the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection protected the land and sold the property to Strong Family Farm, Inc.
The non-profit, which is separate from the family, runs educational programs and a community farm. The protected parcels are leased to local farmers for hay and corn. Thanks to the work of various organizations and town residents the farm will now stay in agriculture with public access to trails.
