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Preserving
Wilderness and Farm Land
Farmland Preservation Tools in Motion
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Butterfly Hollow Farm ____ The Path Leading Us Here ____ How The Farm Got Its Name ____ Restoring the Old Farmhouse ____ Where The Beefalo Roam ____ Saddle Up The Horses ____ Saving Wilderness and Farm Land ____ Farm Journals ____ Sharing The Farm ____ Guest Book ____ Site Map ____ |
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Howard
County Howard County was the fastest growing county in Maryland in the 1970's. The county's farmland protection movement began at the urging of a county councilwomen to form a citizens' task force. The group's efforts were backed by a variety of interests, including farmers, local clubs, urban and rural residents. The state also showed its support by giving the task force a grant for $10,000. The first recommendation of the task force was to create a local PACE program to supplement the state program. By the late 1980's the county program had purchased easements on 7700 acres. In 1989, they revised the local program and adopted an installment purchase plan to buy easements. It allowed the county to pay landowners for easements in installments, with interest. The payments are made over a 30 year period, with the remaining amount of the purchase price paid in a lump sum at the end of term. The landowners had the advantage of interest payments being exempt from income taxes and the deferral of capital gain until they receive the principal amount. The county benefited since the installment payments gave more money in the short term for the purchase of easements. The county funded the interest payment with proceeds from real estate taxes. By 1996 the county protected 17,000 acres and nearly 40% of their county farmland.
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info@butterflyhollow.com
Butterfly
Hollow
Gordonsville,
TN 38563