62 Acres of Kent County Farmland Permanently Protected

St. Brigid’s Farm

A new conservation easement permanently protected 62 acres of important farmland in Kennedyville from development. The Fry Gifford family gifted the conservation easement on St. Brigid’s Farm to the Maryland Environmental Trust and the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy.

“We are thrilled to work with the property owners and our local land trust partner to help keep the land of St. Brigid’s Farm a productive part of the local economy” Maryland Environmental Trust Director Bill Leahy said.

The pastures of St. Brigid’s Farm, owned and operated by Bob Fry and Judy Gifford, will be protected from development through their conservation easement gift. Located in an area where agriculture is vital to the county, the farm has been a source of grass-finished beef and dairy products. The property also provides sweeping pastoral views from Locust Grove Road, and is part of a larger conservation area that includes several thousand acres in its immediate vicinity.

“Not only does St. Brigid’s Farm sell their products directly to the local food market, they generously support local charities through their farm-to-table dinners,” Eastern Shore Land Conservancy Land Protection Specialist Jared Parks said. “It was a pleasure working with them and our partners to preserve a family farm that gives so much back to the local community.”

The Maryland Environmental Trust is a unit of the Department of Natural Resources and is governed by a citizen board of trustees. The trust holds more than 1,080 easements totaling around 133,000 acres in Maryland. For more information, visit www.dnr.maryland.gov/met