Local farms are so important; they provide fresh, sustainable food from places that we know. And, you may not often think about it, but food is one thing that connects us all to the land. The only way that we can ensure that we consistently have access to good, healthy food is by protecting the places where this food comes from.
We at GWC know this is important and so does our partner in farmland preservation, American Farmland Trust (AFT). And you know who else knows it? Wisconsin’s land trusts, of course. In fact, one of our member land trusts- Geneva Lake Conservancy (GLC), recently connected with AFT to help protect our farmlands.
In December, AFT transferred three agricultural conservation easements in the East Troy area to GLC. Under their management, these three easements will protect nearly 800 acres of organic farmland, now and forever. We’d like to offer both our congratulations and our thanks to GLC, for this valuable service they are providing to their community and to future generations. We’d also like to celebrate the collaboration between AFT and GLC that made this important opportunity a reality.
It’s wonderful to see more of Wisconsin’s farmlands being protected – it ensures that you and I can have a connection to our food now and in the future. Whether it be through a locally-sourced restaurant, farmer’s market, or CSA, there are endless opportunities to get involved in your local food scene and get a sense for why we are so persistent on this farmland preservation thing. Personally, we can’t wait for our local farmer’s market to open up this spring so we can get our hands on some locally grown fruits and veggies!
