Food, Fun and Fellowship
As the September full moon rose over the hill, more than 100 supporters of Otsego Land Trust gathered under a festive tent at June and Kent Barwick’s home in Cherry Valley. The Otsego Land Frolic was our culminating event, held to honor Otsego Land Trust’s many donors and landowners. Campbell Farm, the Barwicks’ privately-owned 218-acre property, has been protected forever through a conservation easement with Otsego Land Trust since 1998.
Earlier in the day, people gathered for guided nature walks on two other conservation easement properties in Cherry Valley. At the Solomon property, a 193-acre diverse farm and wetland landscape owned by Maria Camargo, participants learned about the ecological importance of wetlands and probed the pond for a peek at native amphibians. At Glensfoot Farm, a 508-acre farm owned by the Kingery, Schwartz and Wertenbaker clan, hikers learned how to spot a healthy forest and how to identify (and eradicate) invasive plants.
Marvin Glass, Otsego Land Trust’s newest conservation easement donor, spoke about his decision to permanently conserve 248 acres of his farmland at the confluence of two creeks just outside the town of East Meredith. “What can I do as an individual to offset the environmental impact of my time on this planet?” he asked. “And what can I do to ensure that anyone driving by will always be able to enjoy this beautiful landscape?”
Everyone present was inspired and moved by Glass’s comments and by the stories shared by Kent Barwick about his own property. OLT Chair Carla Hall and Executive Director Gregory Farmer spoke about the importance of stewarding the land – taking advantage of the present moment to appreciate what we have and making a commitment to the future.
“Cherry Valley is a unique community and is treasured for its historical, cultural and scenic qualities. Its uncluttered landscape consists of a blend of forested mountains, agricultural valleys and upland areas along with numerous areas of abandoned farm fields” – Cherry Valley NY Website.
Through conservation easements with private landowners, Otsego Land Trust protects more than 1,000 acres of land in Cherry Valley with many more acres in the queue for conservation. Easements on private land significantly contribute to the pastoral landscape and environmental resilience of the Cherry Valley area. Otsego Land Trust is proud to be a partner in conserving this special corner of the county.