Since December 1970, thousands of people like you have given Kestrel Land Trust the inspiration and ability to save the landscapes that shaped our past and create our future. In the last 5 decades, we’ve worked together to conserve more than 25,000 acres of forests and woodlands for wildlife, natural parks and trails close to … Read more
Join Kestrel Land Trust for a mini-tour of Barstow’s Dairy Farm with Denise Barstow to learn how they care for their cows and for the land. The latest in our “Learning with the Land” series!
Last week I finished up my TerraCorps (AmeriCorps) year of service at Kestrel Land Trust. It was a year full of accomplishments and learning as I worked with underserved populations in the Valley, conducted programming to promote the preservation of open space, and helped with a project that will ultimately protect more farmland and farms … Read more
Kestrel Land Trust | Blog Denise Barstow just completed her year-long service year as Kestrel’s Community Engagement and Regional Conservation Coordinator through the TerraCorps AmeriCorps program. She also works at Barstow’s Longview Farm in Hadley, owned by her family for 7 generations. In 2014, when my dad and uncle called a family meeting to discuss … Read more
Big news! The nesting bald eagles in the meadow have not one, not two, but THREE eaglets in the nest! We are so happy for the proud parents! *A quick reminder that the meadow is private property* A recent bird count in the meadow also accounted for the species listed below. A great reminder that … Read more
A birder did a recent survey of the upper and lower meadow for a spring bird count. In some non-COVID19 related news, check out the species that he saw right here in Hockanum Meadow! Please note that the Hockanum Meadow is private property and the birder who completed this survey secured permission from all landowners … Read more
Barstow’s Dairy Store and Bakery and Barstow’s Longview Farm are proud supporters of Kestrel Land Trust, a local nonprofit that protects and cares for land in the Pioneer Valley. Kestrel Land Trust has just launched their Spring Membership Drive! A gift of any amount makes you a Kestrel Land Trust member for one year. You … Read more
American dairy farmers are struggling. At this point, this should be news to no one. It is mentioned on every news station from NPR to Fox. But nobody is doing a very good job of explaining why they are struggling or what could in fact be done about it. There’s a lot of things going … Read more
Dairy farms are dotted across the New England landscape. But with recent trends of low milk prices, over-supply, increased costs of doing business, consolidation of agricultural conglomerates, and the power and wealth in ag going to only a few: those dairies are being shuttered. Dairy farmers, especially small family farms in New England, are in … Read more
Barstow’s Dairy Store and Bakery visitors and land conservationist Lee Halasz of the Kestrel Land Trust enjoyed a educational stroll down through conserved farmland for the Dairy Month Lecture Series on Sunday, June 10! In case you missed it, we have this short recap for you: The Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) program preserves and protects agricultural land, … Read more