LELAND -- Jim Bardenhagen envisions his 80-acre farm being passed down through his family for generations to come.
The Suttons Bay resident is the fifth generation of Bardenhagens to turn soil at the Leelanau County farm since his ancestors homesteaded the land more than 125 years ago. A conservation agreement he signed with the Leelanau Conservancy in December ensures the acreage will remain true to its agricultural roots.
"It means that we are going to be able to pass it down to the next generation and in our case it has also helped to reduce the debt and make the farm more viable," said Bardenhagen, a retired Leelanau County agricultural agent who currently grows a variety of cherries, apples and other fruits and vegetables.
The family farm on East Pertner Road is among four in the county recently preserved through the conservancy. Bardenhagen was paid 75 percent of the difference between his land's agricultural value and potential developed value to sign a deed that "permanently eliminates the ability to put a housing subdivision on that farmland," said Tom Nelson, the conservancy's preservation specialist.
"The real important, critical aspect of that is these projects are helping to transfer ownership of the family farm to the next generation of farmers. It's helping keep agriculture and agri-tourism in the region viable," Nelson said, adding that the conservancy preserved over 1,000 acres of farmland and natural areas over the past year.
"In return, the farm families receive income for giving up those real estate rights which they use to reduce their debt and enhance their farming operations and diversify. Those funds are generated through private dollars, through the conservancy and through federal farm bill money," he said.
Bardenhagen received about $252,000 in the deal, which he used to pay off debt, he said. He's now working with his son Chris to break into the organic food market with free-range poultry.
Bardenhagen's brother Gary and his wife Christi also signed an agreement with the conservancy for their 184-acre property in 2007, before selling the farm to their son Steve, Jim Bardenhagen said.
Both farm owners can claim federal tax deductions, though the properties remain on local and state tax rolls, Nelson said.
Indiana resident Steve Grossnickle said he saved substantial tax money when he recently signed a conservation easement for a 100-acre farm along M-204, but he wasn't paid for the development rights.
Grossnickle plans to open a new winery, 45 North, at the site in June. He said the tax savings wasn't his only incentive to preserve the property.
"My family has been coming up since the mid-1960s," he said. "It would have been done without the tax thing. My family has great memories of Leelanau County and we are going to preserve those memories as we recall them."
A fourth farm owned by Ann Arbor resident Roger Newton located across M-204 from 45 North also was tied up by the conservancy through a conservation easement.
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