When Jerry Kelenske was a little boy, he didn’t have many toys to play with. His parents were farmers who had their only child late in life. So he entertained […]
Category Archives: Farmland Protection Stories
Hohnke Farm Preserved: Ben Hohnke’s Very Fine Life
The kitchen table at Ben Hohnke’s farmhouse is round and covered with a vinyl cloth. Sunlight streams in from two corner windows. It is a good vantage point to learn […]
Hohnke Farm Preserved: Ben Hohnke’s Very Fine Life
The kitchen table at Ben Hohnke’s farmhouse is round and covered with a vinyl cloth. Sunlight streams in from two corner windows. It is a good vantage point to learn […]
The Esch Farm Preserved: An Essay on Faith, Hope & Charity
by Tom Nelson, Director of Farm Programs This is the story of a journey—one bound by the timeless virtues of faith, hope, and charity. Driving out into the verdant hills […]
Farm Conservation News: We are on a Roll!
Q: How do you top conserving over 500 acres of prime Leelanau farmland in a single year? A: By securing matching funds from the USDA to conserve nearly 700 more! […]
Conservancy Partners with Four More Families to Protect 688 Acres of Farmland
Over the last three years, the Leelanau Conservancy has partnered with nine farm families to access available funding to conserve their farms. This year, four additional farm families will be […]
Egeler Farm Protected: 116 Acres of Prime Fruit Growing Land
It wasn’t easy to arrange a meeting with farmers Mike and Jeanette Egeler. Both work seven days a week, most days well into the evening. Between their cherry farm, Mike’s […]
Two Families Continue the Tradition of Farming at DeYoung Natural Area
For five years, Samantha put her heart into a piece of land, establishing and growing an orchard using the innovative methods of permaculture. When life circumstances required her to leave […]
Gregory Family & Cherry Bay Orchards Protect Farmland
Above: Emily and Mark Miezio with Sam and baby Amelia; the land that has been preserved Gregorys and Cherry Bay Orchards: Two Generations’ Love for the Land The year was […]
Conservancy Partners with Three Families Again for New Farmland Protection
From our 2012 Summer Newsletter For the third year running, the Leelanau Conservancy has partnered with three farm families to successfully apply for funding to conserve their farms. With the […]
