Portsmouth Herald
EXETER – The Southeast Land Trust of NH recently completed a conservation easement on Clarke Farm, a 300-acre, grass-based livestock operation that straddles the towns of Newmarket and Epping.
Jack and Linda Clarke originally purchased the property in 1977. The farm raises cattle and sheep on pasture, selling their meats into the local food market.
A 175-acre portion of the property will be secured with an Agricultural Land Easement (ALE), ensuring that the land will be preserved for agricultural use forever. Another 33 acres of forested wetlands on the property will also be protected by the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
“There are so many reasons why conserving this property is important, but the heart of why we’re doing this is to protect our local farms and our ability to produce food here in New Hampshire,” said Jeremy Lougee, conservation project manager and farmland coordinator for SELT. “One of the many things we’ve learned from this pandemic is the fragility of our food supply. When the grocery stores run out, it becomes easier to see just how important our local farms and farmers really are.”