376-Acre Howard Young Farm Protected by Land Trust Easement
CHERRY VALLEY—Dairy farmer Howard Young has permanently protected 376 acres of family farmland in Cherry Valley through a partnership with Otsego Land Trust and New York State.
On January 30, Young, his son Zach, and daughter-in-law Christy Koban signed agreements ensuring the land will remain available for agriculture in perpetuity. According to a press release, the closing concluded a multiyear process in which Otsego Land Trust, using state funding, purchased a conservation easement on the property.
The easement prevents future development while allowing the Young family to continue owning, farming and living on the land. The property can be sold or passed to heirs, but it must remain available for agricultural use, OLT officials said.
“Farms like the Youngs’ have long been central to Otsego County’s economy and identity,” the press release reads. “However, farm consolidation, rising input costs, globalization, development pressure and shifting climate patterns are placing increasing pressure on family farms.”
At the same time, agricultural experts warn that current production patterns in parts of the western U.S. are becoming less sustainable because of water scarcity and climate stress.
As demand grows for more localized food systems, protecting farmland in upstate New York is seen as a critical investment in both food security and rural communities.
“My son is currently farming, and I always want the land to be available to him and to my grandson,” Young said. “The land is the only thing on this earth that we cannot get back or make more of.”
The Youngs family worked with May Leinhart, land protection director at Otsego Land Trust, for two years to secure protection for three strategically important properties. The parcels include prime agricultural soils, scenic open space surrounding the Village of Cherry Valley and Route 20, and land important for water quality improvement.
“For me as a conservationist, this program is exciting because it gives land trusts the means to fairly compensate farm families for the overlooked benefits they provide,” Leinhart said. “When farmers continue farming, they’re not just producing food—they’re protecting scenic views, improving water quality, reducing erosion and flooding, and storing carbon. We want to ensure that those community benefits are named and valued in economic terms.”
The Young family and the land trust navigated a thorough review process to ensure development values were fairly assessed, natural resources legally protected, and farm eligibility verified.
“The Youngs kept their eye on the end goal, complied with requirements and helped us every step of the way,” Leinhart said.
“This project marks a major milestone in local farmland protection efforts,” said OLT Executive Director Phoebe Schreiner. “Protecting farmland is central to our mission, and with state support, we will continue safeguarding our region’s agricultural lands for generations to come.”
Otsego Land Trust is a community-based nonprofit protecting local fields, forests and waterways in perpetuity. To learn more about conserving agricultural land, visit otsegolandtrust.org or contact Justin Williams, agricultural specialist, at jwilliams@otsegolandtrust.org.
