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The Ryder Farm, located in the Putnam County town of Southeast, will be permanently protected from non-farm development by a conservation easement, the Westchester Land Trust announced on Tuesday, Oct. 10.
The 128-acre property, which dates back to 1795, is the oldest working farm in Putnam and has been an important part of agriculture in the region for nine generations.
Land Trust officials said that protecting the farm from development was a high priority because of the potential environmental impacts it could result in, as the property drains into the Croton Reservoir system that provides water to Westchester and New York City.
Funding for the legal agreement came from a $2 million grant from the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets as well as the Ryder family's generosity, as they sold the development rights at a discount.
"Ryder Farm is a pillar of the agricultural landscape in our region and serves as a shining example of the importance of family farms," said Westchester Land Trust President Kara Whelan.
"We’re grateful to the Ryder Family for carefully stewarding this iconic local institution for nine generations and thank the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets for their financial support of the project," Whelan continued.
The Ryder family will now continue to own and operate the farm, which now raises organically grown vegetables, herbs, and flowers that are made available to the public through a roadside farm stand.
"Taking care of this land and those we share it with has been the collective work of nine generations of our family," said Julia Gibson, a cousin of the Ryder family.
Gibson added, “It means more to us than I can say to know that the farm will forever remain just that—a place for feeding community, protecting wildlife, and growing family.”
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