Protecting Savannah Farms
73 acres of Farmland Protected in Alamance County
September 2025
When asked why he wanted to protect his farm, Sam Kiser didn’t hesitate:
“In 100 years someone’s going to look back and say, ‘Who in the world did this?’
But we really wanted to preserve the farm. We’re losing too many of them as it is.”
Savannah Farms, near Snow Camp in southern Alamance County, isn’t a farm passed down through generations. Instead, it’s a passion project that Sam and his wife, Deborah, built from the ground up. As of August 26, 2025, 73 acres of it are now permanently protected for agriculture.
Sam started his career in a textile mill right out of high school, working his way up to the top of Burlington Industries. But corporate life never felt like home. He loved the country, loved being outdoors, and wondered if farming could sustain his family. When the Kisers found this property, the house was falling apart and the fields were overgrown, but they saw potential.
They restored the land, built their first chicken house in 1992, and never looked back. Today, Savannah Farms is thriving with cattle, chickens, donkeys, bees, and acres of hay. This September alone, they harvested around 3,000 round rolls. Even in his late 70s, Sam still works the land alongside his son-in-law, who shares his passion.
The Kisers’ love for animals runs deep. They’ve rescued donkeys from neglect and often adopt the oldest dogs at the local shelter, giving them a peaceful home on the farm.
The conservation agreement includes large areas of forest, and two decades ago a wide buffer was already protected along their creek by a Stewardship Easement held by the Department of Environmental Quality. Much of their farmland is left for wildlife, and the Kisers often see it firsthand. Last spring, Sam watched from his back porch as two Great Blue Herons chicks left the nest and took their first steps.
This protection was made possible through Piedmont Land Conservancy’s partnership with the Alamance County Soil and Water Conservation District and North Carolina’s Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund.
Protecting farmland takes patience, but once it’s done, it’s forever.
By conserving Savannah Farms, the Kisers have secured their life’s work and added to a growing network of farmland protected in Alamance County, now totaling more than 1,800 acres. Each new easement strengthens the local farming community and helps ensure that local agriculture remains a way of life for generations to come.
