Morris and Otsego

Mill owner’s house on Oaks Creek

The priceless value of these historic easements is well captured by Philip Hodgins—“People will spend a lot of money to hang a painting on a wall, but [land] is a piece of art you can really enjoy, all while preserving history and the environment.”

He and his wife, Annbritt, and their three children: Finn, Maya, and Anya, are the recent donors of two conservation easements in Otsego County.

 

The family began searching for an upstate farm in 2003, driven by their desire to fulfi ll Philip’s late father’s dream—to have title to his own land. “It was love at fi rst sight,” says Hodgins of their 294-acre farm in Morris, now protected by a donated conservation easement, “We decided on the spot that this was where we wanted to be.” The Hodgins’ intuition was right, as the farm quickly proved to be an excellent weekend retreat where the family could enjoy every season, fi shing, hiking, picnicking, watching the deer, playing in the mud, sleigh riding, and hunting for fossils.

But the family longed for community, and so bought the 73-acre Toad Hall estate in Fly Creek to be closer to village life. Of exceptional historical value, it is said to have been a mill owner’s estate, with a late Federal-style stone house (circa 1828) and wooden stable and barn (circa 1830) eligible for listing on the National Register of Historical Places. Although Hodgins has traveled the world extensively, he maintains that “there is no other place as special or as beautiful” as this area of New York. Moreover, their love of land and collaboration with Otsego Land have infl uenced the Hodgins family at a deeper level.

“It has redefined what I do for a living,” he confi des, leading him to search for ways to promote rural economies while simultaneously protecting the environment at his job with Merrill Lynch. He furthered his support for the conservation movement by joining the Land Trust’s board last year. But perhaps the greatest reward for the Hodgins’ is that their children understand the value of protecting the land. Describing the concept of a conservation easement to his 10-year old son Finn, Hodgins explained they chose to keep the land available for agricultural and forestry uses by keeping most of it open space, and that when Finn inherits the property, he “won’t be able to build a bunch of houses on it.” Finn’s response was simply, “Well why would I ever want to do that?”

These sites offer a glimpse back to a time when agriculture dominated the local landscape, reminding us of our past as well as our progress. They embody a succession of memories, chronicling the lives of those who devoted their time here. Although increasingly rare throughout the country, Otsego County retains a concentration of such farmsteads, imbuing it with an unequivocal pastoral quality. Thus, under ever-increasing threats of subdivision and development, their protection ensures the preservation of Otsego County’s distinctive rural character and honors the memory of the families who recognized and revered the area’s innate beauty and value.