MANALAPAN – The Anne Ellen Christmas Tree Farm became part of Monmouth County’s growing list of properties permanently preserved for agricultural use on Nov. 13, when Monmouth County, the State Agriculture Development Committee and the township of Manalapan partnered to preserve 104 acres owned by the Lois K. Rogers GST Trust and farmed by Jeff Sangello.
“The preservation of this property is most timely,” Monmouth County Freeholder Deputy Director Lillian G. Burry said. “The farm is entering our farmland preservation program just as it begins its busy seasonal time of harvesting evergreen trees. Because of the efforts by these preservation partners, future generations will be able to choose and cut their own Christmas trees and 104 acres will remain a positive part of our ecosystem.”
According to a press release from the county, the county acquired two agricultural easements on the property, which encompass 53 and 51 acres, respectively, at 114 Daum Road. Manalapan currently has 845 acres of preserved farmland in its 1,500 acres of permanently protected open space.
According to the press release, this year has proven to be a busy one for farmland preservation in Manalapan. With the help of the state and municipality, the county has acquired six agricultural easements in Manalapan this year. In addition to the easements on the Anne Ellen Christmas Tree Farm, the county recently preserved the Schultz Family Living Trust and Moccia farms on McCaffrey Road, Cannon Hill on Main Street (in the Tennent section of Manalapan), and the Sullivan Silsbe farm on Iron Ore Road.
The Monmouth County Board of Freeholders established the Monmouth County Agriculture Development Board (MCADB) in 1981 to promote and coordinate agricultural preservation activities in the county. The MCADB is staffed by professional planners from the Monmouth County Planning Board. One of the MCADB’s primary responsibilities is to purchase agricultural easements from interested landowners.
Preservation of a farm is a voluntary process in which willing landowners sell the development rights to their property for a value determined by two independent appraisers. The property remains in private ownership and can be used for any agricultural purpose, according to the press release.