Steve, Lee and Virginia Tate. Bargain Sale of Conservation Easements.
“Sustainable farming is like a three-legged milking stool,
with an environmental leg, an economic leg, and a spiritual leg. For farming to
be sustainable, we must nourish the earth that nourishes us, being careful not
to deplete the soils or leave behind pollutants. Families must be able to make
a living, and farms must create enough wealth to support the local economy and
attract the next generation to choose farming as their life’s work. Finally, we
must nourish our spirit with good work and a balanced lifestyle.”
~ Steve Tate
A 13-acre riparian buffer easement purchased in 2003
protects the water quality of a tributary of Sandy Creek, the drinking water
supply for the Town of Ramseur. This easement prohibits the development and
harvesting of the existing mixed forest within 300 feet of the stream’s bank.
PLC acquired a
second 24-acre easement in 2005 that prohibits non-agricultural development on
the adjacent land encompassing the agricultural buildings, gardens and
pastureland.
Project funding provided by the landowners, the NC Clean Water Management Trust Fund, and the NC Farmland Preservation Trust Fund via the Conservation Trust for North Carolina.