In September of 2011, the entire Almond Family, all six siblings and their mother Christine, gathered around their family table and met with LandTrust associate director Crystal Cockman to discuss conservation options for their family farm. Their father, Coy Almond, had instilled in them a conservation ethic by working hard to purchase, put together, and keep this 80-acre family farm going.
It seemed natural then to them that all six siblings would agree that they needed to preserve the farm to honor their father and mother’s wishes. Land Trust staff put together an application for the North Carolina Agricultural and Farmland Development Trust Fund (NCADFP) that December, followed by a grant to the U.S. Farm and Ranchland Protection Program (FRPP) that following spring. Funding was granted from both agencies, but the creation of a conservation easement that perfectly fit the needs of all took some time. All parties were glad to see it come to fruition in December 2014.
This beautiful farm situated on gorgeous, rolling Stanly County farmland is a small but diverse one. The farm contains some pastureland, which houses beef cattle, along with a couple of friendly mules. In addition, Earl has cultivated a blackberry orchard and he sells these at the local farmer’s market. On one corner of the property he has even started a small Christmas tree farm. Thanks to this special family for coming together and preserving another wonderful piece of farmland in NC’s heartland. Thanks also to the NC ADFP Trust Fund, FRPP, and the Conservation Trust for North Carolina’s Farmland Forever Fund for contributing towards this project.
