News

BEDMINSTER TWP. – A 24-acre horse farm on Burnt Mills Road, the site of numerous shows and camps, has been permanently preserved as farmland.

On Oct. 26, the nonprofit New Jersey Conservation Foundation purchased the development rights on the Palermo Show Stable property for $368,688 from Palermo Show Stable LLC. Palermo still owns the property, but it is now permanently restricted to agricultural uses.

“The Palermo Show Stable property is an iconic location in Bedminster. We are pleased to have been involved in the process with our partners at New Jersey Conservation Foundation to keep this property in agricultural and equestrian use,” said Mayor Larry Jacobs. “It is comforting to know that Bedminster residents will continue to enjoy seeing those beautiful horses running along Burnt Mills Road for years to come.”

“The Palermo Show Stable property is located between two other preserved farms, and its preservation creates an unbroken swath of over 500 acres in the heart of Bedminster farmland,” said Michele S. Byers, executive director of New Jersey Conservation Foundation. “We’re happy that this beautiful equestrian property will remain farmland forever, and we’re very grateful to our funding partners for making this possible.”

Funds for the land preservation project came from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and New Jersey’s farmland preservation program, operated by the State Agriculture Development Committee.

New Jersey Conservation intends to turn the farmland easement over to Somerset County, which holds and monitors the easements on the two adjacent farms.

Preserving the Palermo Show Stable property maintains the rural and scenic character of the area, and safeguards the soils for future farming and food production. The landowner has agreed to an impervious cover limit, which will ensure that the property remains open and pervious for groundwater recharge.

“The Palermo Show Stable property is not only a beautiful part of Bedminster Township, but an important piece of agricultural land that is comprised of 100 percent prime and statewide important soils,” said Edwin Muniz, State Soil Scientist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service. “Soils are classified by the combination of physical and chemical characteristics for producing food, feed, forage, and fiber. The preservation of farms such as this one is important to protect the long-term viability of the nation’s food supply and to help our fragile ecosystem.”

“The State Agriculture Development Committee and New Jersey Conservation Foundation have a shared interest in preserving farmland throughout New Jersey,” said New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas Fisher. “We are pleased to have provided the necessary funding to preserve the Palermo farm permanently.  We congratulate New Jersey Conservation and Bedminster Township for their continued commitment to farmland preservation.”

About New Jersey Conservation Foundation

A private nonprofit based in Far Hills, New Jersey Conservation Foundation’s mission is to preserve land and natural resources throughout New Jersey for the benefit of all. In addition to protecting over 125,000 acres of open space, farmland and parks, New Jersey Conservation promotes strong land conservation policies at the local, county, state and federal levels, and provides support and technical assistance to hundreds of partner groups.

For more information about New Jersey Conservation Foundation and its programs and preserves, visit www.njconservation.org or call 1-888-LANDSAVE (1-888-526-3728).