Batchelder Farm Conservation a 'Done Deal'

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Years and hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of work have paid off for locals seeking to protect a historic farm.

by Kyle Stucker

Hampton-NorthHamptonPatch, August 15, 2012

[The following article is courtesy of Hampton-NorthHampton Patch.com.]


Batchelder Farm [Photo courtesy of the Hampton Union.]

Officials say they are truly "indebted" to the town now that Batchelder Farm is officially protected from future development, the successful end to a lengthy process that began after residents and elected leaders took hold of the vision to conserve the historic property.

Jay Diener, the chair of the Hampton Conservation Commission, said the farm's conservation easement was officially "a done deal" as of Monday morning, which is when the required documentation was delivered to the registry of deeds.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars were raised through various means to fund the conservation easement, including $250,000 through Hampton's annual town meeting, over $100,000 from private donations, and money and aid through numerous regional and state grant programs.

Diener said he was "grateful" for both the town and state as whole for "putting faith" and money into the conservation efforts, as well as the Batchelder family for their "foresight in seeing the value" of the roughly 103-acre property, located along Exeter Road near Heritage Drive.

"To me it demonstrates what can happen when everybody pulls together behind a common cause and make something happen that will benefit all of us forever," said Diener.

Nathan Page, a conservation commission member, said the easement wouldn't have happened if not for the work of past and present commission members as well as the work of local residents and elected officials. Page was among several individuals that thanked the community for its efforts during Monday's selectmen meeting.

"This is a big success for the town of Hampton, and good job," said Rick Griffin, chairman of the Hampton Board of Selectmen.


Batchelder Farm. [Photo courtesy of the Southeast Land Trust via Pete Ingraham]


This aerial map shows Batchelder Farm and nearby properties. [Photo courtesy of the Town of Hampton]
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