FALL 2011 W i ll i stown C onservat i on T r u st Jeanne B. Van Alen President/Executive Director
A Young Shepherdess Finds a Preserved Willistown Farm for Her Flock
Board of Trustees Douglas C. Walker Chairman Peter S. Strawbridge Acting Chairman Alice E. Hausmann Vice Chairman Elizabeth C. Hucker Treasurer Langhorne B. Smith Secretary James L. Van Alen II Assistant Secretary
Sixteen year old Bronwyn Livezey, a member of the Delaware County 4H Club, has found a home for her growing flock of rare Tunis sheep on Peter and Alice Hausmann’s Plumsock Farm, protected by conservation easement since 1982. Bronwyn was interested in developing the breed and honing her farming skills, but needed a home for her project. Doug Newbold, committee member of the Trust’s Community Farm Program, introduced Brownyn to Trust board member Alice Hausmann, and a partnership was made.
16 year old Bronwyn is working to develop her flock of rare Tunis sheep.
This summer Bronwyn’s flock of eight ewes and one ram joined Alice’s flock of Cheviot and Dorset ewes. With the rich Plumsock Farm pastures to graze on, Bronwyn hopes to grow her flock to 10 to 15 producing ewes. Tunis is a heritage breed, considered “Threatened” by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, and developed from stock imported from Africa in 1799. The breed, known for its reddish coat and gentle nature, was nearly wiped out during the Civil War, but is rapidly regaining popularity and is ideally suited as a meat or wool producer for the small farm.
One of Bronwyn’s Tunis ewes peers through the fence at her new home at Plumsock Farm.
925 Providence Road · Newtown Square, Pennsylvania 19073 (610) 353-2562 ~ Fax: (610) 325-0869 ~ www.wctrust.org
We look forward to hearing more from Bronwyn now that she and her flock are part of the local farm community. It’s another example of wonderful use for preserved land in Willistown. Thank you, Alice, Peter and Bronwyn.
The Hausmann’s Plumsock Farm on Delchester Road in Willistown, preserved from development by conservation easement, is the perfect spot for sheep.
Timothy B. Barnard, Esq. Bryan D. Colket V. Richard Eales W. Anthony Hitschler William T. Howard Mark T. Ledger F. Arthur McMorris, Ph.D. Jennifer Moller Janice Murdoch Arthur E. Newbold Christine S. Seving Anson W. H. Taylor, III Tana Wall
Staff Ashley Brister Rushton Farm Field Manager Sue R. Costello GIS Coordinator Fred de Long Director of Community Farm Program Elaine Gilmartin Director of Development and Community Outreach Blake Goll Nature and Education Coordinator William R. Hartman, Jr. Director of Stewardship Lisa Kiziuk Director of Bird Conservation Program Susie MacDonnell Events and PR Coordinator Nancy K. Rosin Associate Director of Development Joyce D. Spragins Communications and Technology Manager John G. Turgeon Director of Land Protection and Public Grants Joannah Whitnah Rushton Farm Assistant Grower Lisa Wimble Rushton Farm Assistant Farm Manager Willistown Conservation Trust is a nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation under Section 501(c)3 of the I.R.S. Code. Donations are tax deductible. A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the PA Department of State by calling toll free, within Pennsylvania, 1 (800) 732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.
The Leaflet Newsbrief of
W i ll i stown C onservat i on T r u st
Trust Nurtures Farmers and the Local Food Network Lending a Hand with PASA’s Land Leasing Program
The Willistown Conservation Trust is dedicated to preserving the open land, rural character, scenic, historic and ecologically significant resources of the Willistown area and nearby communities, with particular emphasis on the Crum, Ridley and Darby Creek watersheds. Eleanor Morris Illoway
The Leaflet
NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID SOUTHEASTERN, PA PERMIT NO. 96
Together with Wayne Art Center we present NOVEMBER 5 - DECEMBER 3, 2011
A Bounty of Farms Preview Reception Saturday November 5th 5:30 - 9:00 pm featuring cocktails & local foods
The Trust’s Director of Community Farm Program, Fred de Long (far right), has been providing guidance to farmers TJ and Chris Costa at their new Turning Roots at Lundale Farm.
Where will new farmers farm? The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) is working to develop our regional economy and strengthen local food production through its Greater Philadelphia Food System Plan and Food System Grants. Since January 2011, Fred de Long, the Trust’s Community Farm Program director, has been acting as a consultant to the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA), a grantee of the plan, with its Land Leasing program.
HORIZONTAL FSC Options- MUST BE PLACED AT 100% As the number of farms in the Philadelphia “foodshed” has Call 610-688-3553 for tickets (these are all scaled to size - DO NOT ENLARGE OR REDUCE) decreased and land costs have escalated, aspiring young farmers Wayne Art Center 413 Maplewood Ave Wayne
SGP Exhibition & Sale of Recent Works Sustainable Green Printing Partnership
Capturing the Rural Beauty of Willistown Through the Seasons Proceeds support the Trust and the Wayne Art Center
SGP Sustainable Green Printing Partnership
assessing potential farm sites. After they match the farmers and farms, Fred will provide guidance to the selected farmers. The first farmers to benefit from this program were TJ and Chris Costa, who were paired with Lundale Farm in South Coventry Township. The historic Lundale Farm is permanently protected from future development by a conservation easement held by French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust, and like the Trust’s Rushton Farm, is a wonderful example of preserved lands being used for small scale sustainable agriculture.
cannot find affordable land to farm. One solution for would-be farmers is to lease rather than purchase land. The PASA Land Leasing program seeks to establish a process that assists hopeful new farmers by matching them with preserved or available land and the people who own it.
TJ and Chris are committed to organic and biodynamic growing practices, and have just finished their first season at Lundale Farm with great success, operating a CSA, a farm stand and selling at a local farmer’s market. They specialize in heirloom variety vegetables, eggs from their own flock of hens and honey from their carefully tended hives.
Together with PASA’s Southeastern Pennsylvania regional director, Marilyn Anthony, Fred has assisted with reviewing applications and selecting farmers as well as visiting and
We look forward to continuing our work with PASA and nurturing new farmers and sustainable agriculture in the Philadelphia area.
The Leaflet is an interim publication to supplement our annual newsletter, THE SYCAMORE. Through The Leaflet, the Trust brings you interesting and timely information about Willistown Conservation Trust activities, news and upcoming events.