Sutphin Mill Community – Alamance County

Generations of families have farmed the rich lands in the Sutphin Mill Community for hundreds of years, producing milk, raising hay, corn, grains, poultry, and beef for local markets.

Located in southeastern Alamance County between the rapidly growing Triad and Triangle regions, Sutphin Mill faced an uncertain future in 1996 when a centrally located farm went on the market for development. Wanting to preserve their community’s agricultural heritage, the community sought help from the American Farmland Trust and the Piedmont Land Conservancy and made a commitment to seek permanent protection of 1500 acres of farmland.

This community-based farmland protection initiative helps preserve generations old traditions of neighbors helping neighbors, local food supplies, productive agricultural lands, water resources, scenic rural landscapes, and habitat for many species of birds and mammals.

Protected Sites

Patterson Farm

Patterson Farm

Patterson Farm was the first farm protected by PLC in the agricultural community of Sutphin Mill. When put up for sale in 1996, this 138-acre farm was providing support crops to three significant dairies in the community. Additionally, the farm was located squarely within the center of the community; hence, its conversion to non-agricultural development would change the community’s very character. Rather than quietly watching their community change, the community took action to protect their community’s character and heritage. The Patterson Family sold the farm to the American Farmland Trust (AFT), a national organization working to protect farmland. Meanwhile, PLC raised the necessary funds to purchase the farm’s development rights from AFT and the community identified conservation buyers, Charlie Bolton and his wife, Ruth Leight, to purchase the farm subject to an agricultural easement prohibiting non-agricultural development and protecting the farm’s agricultural soils, scenic value, and open space character.

Project funding provided by the Weaver Foundation, Kathleen Price Bryan Family Fund, Hillsdale Fund and the Alamance Foundation.

Hickory Grove Dairy Farm

Hickory Grove Dairy Farm

In 1999, PLC purchased the development rights over 122 acres of Hickory Grove Dairy Farm at a bargain sale (below fair market value). As the fourth farm to be permanently protected in the Sutphin Mill Community, the impact of protecting Hickory Grove Dairy extends beyond its boundaries. Each new easement granted is a reaffirmation of the community’s resolve to cooperatively work together to remain an agriculturally-based community and to preserve shared values.

Project funding provided by the landowner, NC Farmland Preservation Trust Fund via the Conservation Trust for North Carolina, Kathleen Price Bryan Family Fund, and the Alamance Foundation.

Hadley Brothers Farm

Hadley Brothers Farm

For the Hadley Family, selling the development rights to part of their farm provided them with capital needed to successfully transition from a traditional dairy farm to raising heifers for other dairy farms. Adjacent to previously protected Hickory Grove Dairy Farm, Hadley Brothers Farm encompasses several tracts of rolling pastures interspersed with forests and meandering tributaries to Cane Creek. In 2001, PLC purchased conservation easements over three tracts farmed by the Hadley Family in a bargain sale transaction. With the completion of these three easements, 484 contiguous acres on five farms in the Sutphin Mill Community have been permanently protected.

Project funding provided by the landowners and the North Carolina Farmland Preservation Trust Fund via the Conservation Trust for North Carolina.

Jean Handy Farm

Jean Handy Farm

One of the first three conservation easements granted in the Sutphin Mill Community, this farm was protected in 1996. The protection of this farm ensured that the property cannot be developed for non-agricultural purposes and that its open space character will be retained. Situated adjacent to the previously protected Crider Farm, the protection of this farm contributes to the long-term viability of agriculture in the Sutphin Mill Community and brought the total protected acres in Sutphin Mill to about 220 acres.

Project funding provided by the landowner and the Weaver Foundation.

Crider Farm

Crider Farm

Protected in 1996, the Crider-Phillips Farm was the second farm protected in the Sutphin Mill Community and the first donated easement. As with Patterson Farm, this easement prohibits non-agricultural development on the property and ensures that prime agricultural soils are protected. Additionally, the easement protects a wooded stream corridor whose wildlife habitat and scenic value further enhances the rural character of Sutphin Mill.

Project funding provided by the landowner and the Weaver Foundation.