Family, Land Trust, State Protect Ryder Farm In Southeast

SOUTHEAST, NY — A new conservation easement means the oldest working farm in Putnam County will forever remain free from non-farm development.

Officials at the Farm Westchester Land Trust recently announced the permanent protection of the 128-acre Ryder Farm in Southeast.

The Ryder family will continue to own the property, which has been home for the past 15 years to SPACE on Ryder Farm. Co-founded by Emily Simoness, an eighth-generation Ryder, its two-fold mission is to provide time and space for artists and innovators to develop new work while contributing to the sustainability and resourceful preservation of the farm.

SPACE has helped restore and manage many of the farm’s historic buildings. At the end of the 2018 growing season, when Betsey Ryder retired after 40 years of growing organic vegetables, flowers and herbs, SPACE took on the agricultural operations and hired a farm manager.

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"We at SPACE on Ryder Farm know intimately how important this land is to the Brewster area —and the greater agricultural region," Executive Director Kelly Burdick told Patch. "We are very pleased that it will be protected and continue to produce fresh, organic produce for our community and to provide a fertile environment for artists from a broad range of backgrounds to come and create. We are thankful to our partners in the Ryder family and for the work of Westchester Land Trust that made this possible."

Ryder Farm was established in 1795 and is the oldest working farm in Putnam County. With more than 3,000 feet of frontage on Peach Lake, protecting this property was a high priority for Westchester Land Trust due to development pressure and the risk of high-density housing that could have caused negative environmental impacts, WLT officials said.

Restricting further development there also provides drinking water protection, as the area drains into the Croton Reservoir system, which serves Westchester County and New York City. Since its founding, WLT has protected more than 925 acres of farmland across 16 properties.

"Ryder Farm is a pillar of the agricultural landscape in our region and serves as a shining example of the importance of family farms," said Kara Whelan, WLT president. "We’re grateful to the Ryder Family for carefully stewarding this iconic local institution for nine generations and thank the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets for their financial support of the project."

During its early history, Ryder Farm housed a variety of operations, including a working farm with a general store, a dairy farm, and a leisure farm with a tennis court. By the 1970s, Ryder Farm was one of the first adopters of the organic farming movement and was one of the original participating farms in New York City’s Union Square Greenmarket.

"Taking care of this land and those we share it with has been the collective work of nine generations of our family," said Julia Gibson, Ryder cousin and board member.

"It means more to us than I can say to know that the farm will forever remain just that—a place for feeding community, protecting wildlife, and growing family," Gibson said.

Ryder Farm was identified in Southeast’s 2014 Comprehensive Plan Update as a "Significant Feature" within the town’s open space resources and is included as part of the "cultural landscape that is integral to Southeast’s overall community character." The newly protected property preserves the only remaining undeveloped lake frontage and buffers Peach Lake from nutrient and stormwater runoff.

"This easement not only protects recreational and scenic Peach Lake, but drinking water for New York City and Westchester County," said Gentian Falstrom, WLT’s land project manager. "Ryder Farm is located in the East Branch Reservoir Drainage Basin, a highly developed and high priority basin that is part of the Croton Reservoir system. The farm property is a delight to walk, with open fields and enchanting forest paths that have been in place for hundreds of years. It is not only an historic farm providing connection to the area’s agricultural past, but a haven of undeveloped space for biodiversity alongside human cultivation."

Agricultural production on Ryder Farm plays a crucial role in the regional economy, helping to meet the increasing demand for locally sourced organic produce. The farm currently raises organically grown vegetables, herbs, and flowers, which are available to the public at a roadside farmstand and through a Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.

In recognition of their contributions to the regional agricultural community, WLT will honor the Ryder Family with the Farmland Protection Award at its Annual Benefit on June 8, 2024.

Westchester Land Trust officials also acknowledged Putnam County Land Trust’s support and participation in early conversations, as well as a prior application to the state.