Conservation News

  3rd Generation Farmer  

Hank Kraszewski, III,

Acquires Head of Pond Farm

(formerly Danilevsky)

In December, farmer Hank Kraszewski, III, a third generation farmer from Southampton, purchased 19.2 acres of farmland along Head of Pond Road in Water Mill -- one of two parcels the Trust acquired in July 2014 from the estate of Charlotte Danilevsky. Hank will be working with his family, with plans to grow a full-range of vegetables and, ultimately, to open a retail farmstand.

The Krazewskis joined the Trust along with the entire Southampton Town Board on January 29, 2015 to celebrate the transfer of the property.

"We are pleased to be able to put the farmland back into the hands of an active farmer here on the East End - and especially a farmer who represents the next generation of farming on the South Fork," said John v.H. Halsey, President, Peconic Land Trust.

"I'm looking forward to working with my family - my mother and father - and to growing the business alongside my dad. Buying this farmland is important for the future of our family farm - we know that this is land that we will never lose and have forever," said Hank Kraszewski, III. 

Read the press release on the sale to Hank here! Also, check out coverage of the transaction from the Southampton Press here and the editorial on our partnership with the Town of Southampton in Newsday here.

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Stewardship Team at Work on the Farm:

Meet Dan Heston

The desire to work the land is second nature for many Long Islanders, but that urgent need to really get one's hands in the soil, to cultivate seeds and seedlings to produce fresh locally-grown food, is calling out to more and more people. 

Buying a piece of farmland to grow vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers, not to mention raising chickens or other livestock , is only the first step. Running a productive farm operation requires a breadth of knowledge many new farmers just don't have. We are fortunate at the Trust to have a number of staff who are active in farming -- from Scott Chaskey and Layton Guenther at Quail Hill Farm, to North Fork Stewardship Manager  Denise Market who oversees our Community and Learning Gardens, to fellow North Fork Stewardship Manager Dan Heston who mentors many of the new farmers in our Farms for the Future Initiative.

Dan is busier than ever these days. In addition to working with both new and existing farmers leasing farmland from the Trust, Dan is also spearheading the Trust's work with people who have asked us for assistance in creating their farm plan -- a blueprint that, once implemented, will increase the odds of success for a new venture.  Dan has years of expertise in this area, not only as a valued member of our stewardship team, but also as co-owner, with his wife Prudence, of Salt Air Farm in Cutchogue.  

Getting to know the land and determining what the land is capable of supporting is the beginning. Guiding a new farmer through the many decisions that need to be made is next, including advising what areas to cultivate, how much should remain undisturbed for proper drainage, designing and laying out a new irrigation system that includes placement of field hydrants, mains, and pumps, and so much more. Sourcing, negotiating and purchasing proper farm equipment, helping create a marketing plan, and even connecting the farm with potential employees are all in a day's work. 

Dan's work with start-up farmers provides the Trust with income to support ongoing stewardship responsibilities at properties conserved by the Trust since its inception in 1983. But perhaps more important is the support the Trust provides to these newly-minted farmers, seeking to control where their food comes from and to offer something new or different to the local community as they discover their niche in today's food-aware society.

Interested in working with the Trust on your farmland plan? Contact Dan Heston at 631.283.3195 or DHeston@PeconicLandTrust.org.

 

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Legislative News
 

Conservation Easement Tax Incentive Passes the House . . .

on to the Senate

On February 12, the House of Representatives voted to pass the America Gives More Act of 2015 (H.R. 644), with bipartisan support (279 to 137). H.R. 644 included a key incentive for land conservation -- the Conservation Easement Incentive Act -- which would make permanent a crucial tax incentive encouraging landowners to place conservation easements on their land to protect important agriculture, natural and scenic resources.  This effective easement incentive, in law since 2006, expired January 1, 2015.
 

Thank you to our representatives who voted in favor of the bill, Congressman Peter King, and new members of Congress Lee Zeldin and Kathleen Rice. The bill now moves to the US Senate, where Senators Dean Heller (Nevada) and Debbie Stabenow (Michigan) earlier this month introduced an identical version of the Conservation Easement Incentive Act (S. 330).
 

For more about the America Gives More Act, visit the Land Trust Alliance website.  
 

 

Trust to Join Colleagues in Agriculture and Open Space

in Albany to Discuss Funding for the

Environmental Protection Fund

in late February and early March 
 

NYS Assembly Appoints Setauket's Steve Englebright to Chairmanship of Environmental Conservation Committee
 

The Peconic Land Trust will be joining with our colleagues from American Farmland Trust (February 25), the New York Farm Bureau (March 2-3), and the Land Trust Alliance/Friends of New York's Environment (March 9) for Lobby Days in Albany to discuss funding for the state's Environmental Protection Fund (EPF). Interested in learning more and joining us? Contact Julie Zaykowski at 631.283.3195.
 

We applaud Governor Cuomo's FY 2015/2016 Executive Budget, which proposes $172 million for the EPF in the FY 2015/2016 budget-- a $10 million increase over last year's budget! Progress is being made to restore the deep cuts made during the economic crisis, and we continue to work with our partners to to shine a light on the positive impact funding through the EPF has on our communities -- the EPF supports programs we depend on to protect clean drinking water, conserve lands prioritized in the state's Open Space Conservation Plan, conserve working farmland, enhance access, and create green spaces and healthy recreational opportunities for all New Yorkers. 
 

Also, join us in congratulating Long Island Assemblyman Steve Englebright, who was recently appointed Chairman of the New York State Assembly's Environmental Conservation Committee. Assemblyman Englebright succeeds another Long Island representative, Assemblyman Robert Sweeney, who retired at the end of the year and had been instrumental in protecting the state's natural resources. In a recent editorial, Newsday endorsed Assemblyman Englebright's chairmanship.
 

We are fortunate to have Assemblyman Englebright on this important committee and look forward to working with him and with our East End representatives who also serve on the EnCon committee, Assemblymen Fred Thiele and Anthony Palumbo, to protect and conserve Long Island's working farms and natural lands.   
 

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POSTPONED: Let's Spin for Conservation in NYC!

 

Unfortunately, we have to postpone our spin class scheduled for this Wednesday at New York Sports Clubs. We hope to reschedule in the near future. 
 

Thank you to New York Sports Clubs, Jerry Brown and instructor Susan Eisenberg-Kushner for their support and we hope to see you soon!

 

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BRIDGE GARDENS PRESENTS . . .

Kicks Off on March 1st! 

Special Note: Due to the large amounts of snow we've received in the past weeks, our first talk scheduled for Sunday, March 1 will be held at the Peconic Land Trust's offices in Southampton at 300 Hampton Road.

We hope to resume the series at Bridge Gardens with the March 15 talk, The Appetizer!

Pre-paid Reservations are Required.  Call today at 631.283.3195. 

Come stimulate your thoughts

and whet your appetite for local food!

The schedule:

• Sunday, March 1: The Drink with Jennifer Halsey of Milk Pail Farm, Roman Roth of Wolffer Estate Vineyard, & Richard Scoffier of Honest Man Restaurants
• Sunday, March 15: The Appetizer with Brendan Davison of Good Water Farms, Carissa Waechter of Carissa's Breads, & Jeri Woodhouse of Taste of the North Fork
• Sunday, March 29: The Entrée with Doug Corwin of Crescent Duck Farm, Tom Geppell of Eight Hands Farm, & Hal Goodale of Goodale Farms
• Sunday, April 19: The Dessert with Steve Amaral of North Fork Chocolate Company, Tom Stevenson of Oysterponds Farm, & Mary Woltz of Bees' Needs

We are pleased to announce that Laura Donnelly will be joining us again as our moderator, and Edible East End is our media sponsor. More information, including dates, panelists, and registration details can be found on our online calendar at www.PeconicLandTrust.org. Space is limited. Pre-paid reservations required. Call 631.283.3195 to reserve today.

Also coming up in March...

Saturday March 7, 10 am. 

Camp Tekawitha Traverse 

Red Creek Park, Old Riverhead Road, Hampton Bays 

Get off the couch and on the trails when we partner with the Southampton Trails Preservation Society for a guided walk, led by Jim Crawford. We'll start from the basketball courts and visit the former Camp Tekawitha property to enjoy expansive views across Peconic Bay to the North Fork.

FREE! Reservations requested, rain cancels.

Saturday, March 14, 10 am. 

Growing a Four-Season Garden   

Peconic Community Center, 970 Peconic Lane, Peconic

Meet Renato Stafford of Homegrown and learn all you've ever wanted to know about organic vegetable gardening. Renato's passion, fueled by over 20 years of experience, will inspire you to plan and plant your garden, start making compost, and maybe even can your own produce during the harvest season!

$10/person, reservations requested.

Thursday, March 19, 3:00 pm.

Save Your House! Historic Preservation Options 

Rogers Mansion, 17 Meetinghouse Lane, Southampton

Preserving our local historic structures and community character is more important than ever. Come for an interactive discussion to learn the benefits and opportunities for preservation at this panel presentation, sponsored by the Trust, the Rogers Memorial Library, and the Southampton Historical Museum. 

Free, donations accepted, refreshments to follow. For information, call 631.283.2494.

This program is part of Southampton's 375th Anniversary Celebration. More details can be found online.

Saturday, March 21, 3:00 pm. 

Seedtime - a Reading, Discussion and Book Signing with Scott Chaskey

Bridge Gardens, 36 Mitchell Lane, Bridgehampton

Scott's newest book is a call to action, urging us all to renew our role as citizens of nature. Come hear him read and discuss the urgent and conjoined topics of seeds, biodiversity, and the future of agriculture. Books available for purchase, refreshments provided.

Free, seating is limited, reservations required.

Saturday, March 28, 10:00 am. 

Starting Seeds at the Farm 

Quail Hill Farm, Deep Lane, Amagansett

Help us get the greenhouses started at our annual seeding workshop. Work side by side with Scott and Layton to plant a variety of seeds in trays destined for the greenhouse, and learn how to make compost too.

Free, rain or shine. Park on Deep Lane and meet in farm shop.

Saturday, March 28, 9:00 am.

Community Garden Orientation 

Agriculture Center at Charnews Farm, 

3005 Youngs Avenue, Southold

Grow your veggies, and grow your social network at our community gardens this year! Lease your plot by contacting North Fork Stewardship Manager Denise Markut at 631.734.5630 and then meet her for this annual orientation to get "the lay of the land," share resource information and get your questions answered.

Watercolor Classes Return to the Gardens! 

Bridge Gardens, 36 Mitchell Lane, Bridgehampton

Lois Bender resumes her Springtime series of watercolor classes at Bridge Gardens. Artists of all skill levels will learn to capture floral bouquets and landscapes in a "nature sketchbook-style" - or bring your own project for development!

Classes are: Saturdays in March: 14 & 28 and  

Sundays in April: 12 & 26.

$45/class, space is limited, reservations required through Lois' website at www.GardenSpiritsNY.com. 

For more information on our Connections programs, including our lecture series at Bridge Gardens, visit our online calendar or call us at 631.283.3195 or email to Events@PeconicLandTrust.org