Westchester Land Trust (WLT), a nationally accredited land conservation nonprofit, is honored to announce that, in partnership with the Ryder family and the state of New York, it has permanently protected the 128-acre Ryder Farm, the oldest working farm in Putnam County. Located in the town of Southeast, the farm is now preserved in perpetuity by a conservation easement, which ensures that Ryder Farm will forever remain free from non-farm development and be reserved for continued agricultural use.

Ryder Farm was established in 1795 and has been owned and operated by the Ryder family for nine generations. With more than 3,000 feet of frontage on Peach Lake, protecting this property has been a high priority for WLT due to development pressure. The conservation easement helps to protect drinking water quality, as the area drains into the Croton Reservoir system, which serves Westchester County and New York City.

“Ryder Farm is a pillar of the agricultural landscape in our region and serves as a shining example of the importance of family farms,” says 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.”