Coalition Forever Preserves Three Dartmouth Farms

Right before the end of the year, the Buzzards Bay Coalition closed on the purchase of permanent Conservation Restrictions (CRs) on both the 32-acre Jordan Farm and 11-acre farm at the site of the former Wainer/Jansal Valley Farm.

These 43 acres of prime farmland will remain open and continue contributing to the coastal agricultural landscape and follow on the September protection of the 150-acre Tavares Farm just up the road in Russells Mills village. Together, these nearly 200 acres of new land protected represent the largest farmland protection victory in Dartmouth in decades.

The CR at Jordan Farm, at the corner of Jordan and Allens Neck Roads, adds to the existing protected farmland in the area and protects the Allens Pond watershed.

The Wainer Farm, also located on Barneys Joy Road, contains prime agricultural soils, which will be protected by the CR, which removes the threat of residential subdivision of the property. This acquisition was done through a “Buy-Protect-Sell” transaction, in which the Coalition purchased the land to get it off the real estate market protected it with a CR, and then sold it to farmers Tucker Manley and Bethany Costa, owners of the Russells Mills Flower Company.

These two farms (pictured) are part of a trio of farms (the Tavares farm being the third) that were brought before the Dartmouth Select Board for approval for conservation in the fall of 2024, made possible by our “certified entity” status.

During the summer of 2024, we became one of a select few organizations nationwide to receive this vital designation from the United States Department of Agriculture that would streamline such preservation projects as they move through application, enrollment, and closing.

We are actively looking to work with more South Coast farmers to utilize this program to preserve more watershed lands in the year ahead.