Along the busy corridor of Route One from Waldoboro to Rockland, School House Farm has endured selling fresh local product from an 18th century one room schoolhouse, on 55 acres of great farm soils, along the tidal stretch of the St. George River. Views of Meadow, Spruce and Pleasant Mountains are the backdrop to this farmland. Now the farm is protected as a farm, with a conservation easement held by Georges River Land Trust.

Over a dozen years ago Bill Beckwith, then owner of School House Farm was determined to see that his farmland not get “gobbled up” by development which he could see happening in the area on good open land. His dream was that by putting his farm into conservation, others would follow. He understood that access to viable farmland is essential to keeping agriculture going in this region, and most of the farms are interdependent in one way or another by way of shared support services, leasing additional land and the attraction to farm friendly consumers. Now his widow, Yelena Burdina, with the support of Bill’s three children, has conserved the farm.

Yelena reflects that Bill left her an incredible gift for her own child Sasha who has the opportunity to live on this land and be part of a farming lifestyle. “It is a lot of work, “ Yelena muses, “but I understand Bill’s vision for why he wanted to conserve the land and I myself loving being able to work in the soil and see the result of that effort.”

This farm abuts another track of conserved farmland to the north along Route One, and several acres of cropland are leased to School House on the adjacent easement property. Together these adjoining tracks create 120 acres of conserved farmland, ½ mile of protected shorefront and 12 acres of marshland, resilient to rising sea levels, along the St. George River.

The story of conservation happens one piece at a time through the generosity of people like Ms. Burdina. The Georges River Land Trust, since 1987 has been working throughout the Georges River watershed to conserve and protect the natural resources and traditional character of the 225-square mile Georges River watershed region.

For more information about the Land Trust and its programs to conserve working lands as well as engage people in the value outdoor spaces, check out the website www.georgesriver.org, or email at annette@grlt.org.