Saving a Family Legacy

In the Landowner’s Words

By Michael Soufrine

A Century of Land Stewardship

The farm has been in the family since the 1920s. My great-grandfather bought the land in 1921; he operated a dairy farm until the 1940s. Dairy farming became very difficult to turn a profit, so he switched to vegetables and chickens which were raised for food.

Tragic Loss Halts Operations, Twice

My uncle ran the farm with his son until 1971. Tragically, my cousin was killed in a farming accident, which halted farming operations. In 1976, my father and I bought the farm from my uncle, and we farmed the land until 2011. In 2011, my son was tragically killed in Afghanistan, and once again, the farming operation was put on hold.

Difficult Decisions

In 2012, we decided to stop farming and subdivide the land with the plan on selling the lots to a residential developer. The town approved this subdivision plan. Although the subdivision has been approved by the town, my father and I decided we would like to keep the land in our name and not sell. The land is too small for it to be a successful farm and actually turn a profit.

Our Last Hope to Keep the Land

The proposed solar project’s rental income will be the only way for us to hold onto the land without having to sell to a residential developer. Between the taxes and insurance to hold the land, we will need to sell the property if the solar project does not move forward.