_________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Granttham/Reeve Dedication  

In early November, Trust staff gathered with Avis and Rick Reeve and their family and  friends for the dedication of two plaques in honor of their family's conservation efforts. The first, in memory of O. Earl Granttham and Caryl Reeve Granttham by Caryl's former home (now owned by the Trust) on Sound Avenue in Riverhead; the second at the entrance to the Granttham/Reeve Preserve -- 20 acres on Long Island Sound -- dedicated to the Reeve Family Farm and in honor of O. Earl Granttham and Caryl Reeve Granttham and Richard Norman & Avis Tuthill Reeve. It was a beautiful afternoon with friends celebrating the generosity of the Granttham/Reeve family.  For more on this conservation story, see the Trust's Fall 2010 newsletter.   

Trust Works with Sylvester Manor Educational Farm to Conserve 57  Additional Acres of Farmland on Shelter Island 

The conservation of an additional 57.1 acres of farmland at Sylvester Manor, through the sale of development rights to Suffolk County and the Town of Shelter Island, increases the number of acres conserved by the Manor owner, Eben Fiske Ostby, on Shelter Island to more than 105 acres. This Phase II sale, which was completed on November 27, follows an August sale of development rights on an adjacent 26 acres of farmland at Sylvester Manor for a total of 83 acres of permanently protected farmland. When combined with a conservation easement donation of 22 acres of wildlife habitat and upland by Mr. Ostby to the Peconic Land Trust in 2009, the total acreage conserved at the 243-acre Sylvester Manor is now over 105 acres.

As with the August transaction, prior to the  sale of development rights, Mr. Ostby transferred ownership of the acreage to a new non-profit, the Sylvester Manor Educational Farm -- founded by his nephew Bennett Konesni. "Eben and his nephew Bennett's vision for Sylvester Manor is extraordinary, a true gift to the Shelter Island community that benefits the entire East End," said John v.H. Halsey, President of the Trust. "This is the third successful conservation transaction that we have helped the family complete. We look forward to our continued involvement with Eben, Bennett and the entire team at Sylvester Manor Educational Farm."

For more on this latest conservation story, click here.


Charitable Giving Incentive Cap Proposals Could Negatively Impact Conservation and other Charitable Contributions
For immediate action: The Peconic Land Trust, along with many in the non-profit sector, are asking our supporters to reach out to your local Representatives and Senators to ask them to retain tax benefits for charitable giving that are critically important to the work of non-profits across many sectors of our society -- from social services to the environment and land conservation. The current proposal to cap all itemized deductions, including the charitable giving incentive that is being discussed during the current year-end budget negotiations, would not only hurt charitable donations, but also could impact voluntary conservation of family lands. We have all benefited here on Long Island from conservation donations -- both monetary as well as gifts of land and conservation easements. Please let your local representatives and senators know the personal impact conservation has had to you and how important it is to conserve the ability to protect more lands in our communities in the future. For links to access your government officials, visit the public policy page on our website.

Quail Hill Farm Winter Shares Still Available  

Spending the winter on the East End? A winter share to Quail Hill Farm is a great way to buy local through the winter months!

Featuring carrots, beets, cabbage, potatoes, rutabaga, sweet potatoes, squash, garlic, greens and more from our root cellar and greenhouse. Harvest pick up days are Friday & Saturday, every two weeks, November 16, 2012 through  February 23, 2013. For more information, or to join today, call Robin Harris at 631.283.3195 or email RHarris@PeconicLandTrust.org.

Also, keep in mind: Quail Hill Farm's resident feline, Ruby! Farm member Jenny Landry submitted this photo of Ruby on a beautiful fall day. Jenny is collecting donations for her care and feeding -- including wet and dry food, litter and treats. If you are interested in helping with Ruby this winter, contact Kate Rowe at 631.267.8492 or just stop by the farm shop the next time you are in the neighborhood.    

Trust Welcomes Three New Members of the Board of Directors at Fall

Members of the 2012/2013 Board of Directors

Semi-Annual Meeting  

The Board and Staff of the Peconic Land Trust, welcome three new members for 2012/2013.  John E. Larkin, CPA/ABV and a partner with the local firm Markowitz, Fenlon & Bank; Ed Krug, a marketing executive and a founding partner of PitchBlue Group, and Herb Strobel, Ph.D, Executive Director of the Hallockville Museum Farm.

John, Herb and Ed joined the Trust's staff and board (now a total of 15 members) at the Fall Semi-Annual meeting, where discussions around plans the Trust's 30th Anniversary in 2013 took place. We look forward to working with them and our whole board as we cross this important milestone in our organization's history.  

Scott Chaskey, Farm Director/Poet at Quail Hill Farm, to be Honored as Farmer of the Year at the NOFA-NY Winter Conference in January

Congratulations to the Trust's Scott Chaskey for this wonderful honor from his peers at the annual conference of the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York. Scott will also be giving one of the keynote addresses at the conference, which is at the forefront of organic farming education. With a theme of "Resilience," the conference features dozens of workshops tailored from beginner to advance -- and on everything from seeds and soil to marketing and distribution.  

A few of our East End farmers and producers will also be presenting, including: Katie Baldwin and Amanda Merrow of Amber Waves Farm, Jeri Woodhouse from Taste of the North Fork, and the Sylvester Manor Worksongers. Trust Vice Chair, Hilary Leff will also be screening the film she co-produced, Growing Farmers. The conference is January 24-27  in Saratoga Springs, NY. For more info, visit www.nofany.org.