Working with a far-sighted and conservation-minded landowner, the Land Conservancy of Adams County recently completed a year-long process of preserving two Mount Joy Township farms. More than 50 years ago, Bruce Stair’s parents bought 85 acres of historic land on Barlow-Two Taverns Road. Today, polled Herefords graze peacefully on the farm, which is the site of the Civil War-era Jesse Worley Farm, where wounded Union soldiers of the Third Division, Fifth Corps were cared for following the Battle of Gettysburg. A shaded section of Little’s Run passes through the property.
A short distance down the road is another farm, which Stair bought 15 years after his parents’ purchase. This 68-acre parcel has a number of hay fields separated by thick stands of trees. Due to a realignment of the road that took place more than sixty years ago, the house now sits with its back to the road, keeping company with a historic red Pennsylvania barn.
The Stair Property
In donating conservation easements on his farms, Stair agreed to give up any potential income he could have made by selling the farms to developers. It was a sacrifice he was more than willing to make, because he wanted these old fields and historic spaces to remain undeveloped in perpetuity. “I go by my great grandfather’s farm every time I go up to my farm,” Stair said. “I’m a turkey hunter and a fisherman, and I don’t like what I see going on around here. So it just makes sense to me.”
Sarah Kipp, the Land Conservancy’s land conservation coordinator, agrees. “It makes great sense to preserve these farms,” she said. “The surrounding area is rural, but it’s showing signs of converting away from an agricultural landscape, so preserving these parcels helps protect the agrarian character of the area. They have significant road frontage, enabling passersby to enjoy the scenery—and since the farms are in the vicinity of the Gettysburg National Military Park, preserving them also helps protect the vistas tourists come from all over to see. Protecting the farm that once served as a field hospital during the Battle of Gettysburg contributes directly to our historic landscape. We’re grateful to Mr. Stair for having the foresight and the commitment to preserve his farms.”
The Land Conservancy of Adams County is a member-supported, nonprofit land trust with the mission of preserving the rural lands and character of Adams County, Pennsylvania. For more information, visit PreserveAdams.org.