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29 The Nutter- Seibert Maple View Dairy Farm, Orange County conservation easement donated to the Triangle Land Conservancy The Nutter family demonstrate that farm owners who are motivated by love of the land and their farniing traditions can voluntarily give up unwanted development rights and earn substantial financial benefits from income, estate, and property tax reductions. The Nutter's phased donations of conservation easements over the Maple View Dairy Farm have been part of their long -term farm business and estate planning. The farm is located on the outskirts of the Chapel Hill- Carrboro urban area and the surrounding locale has been subject to development of residential subdivisions. The "show case" dairy farm provides milk to local groceries in the greater Research Triangle region and its fresh milk products are in popular demand. About 300 animals are kept on the farm, of which 130 comprise the milking herd. The farm has on -site milk production, bottling and ice cream making operations. The farm consists of pastures, crop lands, managed forests and part of the Pickards Mountain natural area. It is within the Morgan Creek - University Lake public drinking water supply watershed. The scenic Dairyland Road runs through the farm, Maple View Farm is part of a voluntary Agricultural Protection District. This $15,000 grant from the NC Farmland Preservation Trust Fund helps reimburse the substantial costs incurred in donating a permanent conservation easement—professional fees for conservation planning, surveys, financial and legal advice and long -term stewardship monitoring expenses. The Nutter's long -term plan has been to partner with the Triangle Land Conservancy to convey conservation easements in stages that ultimately will protect 350 acres. This easement over 80 acres brings the total to 187 acres under permanent protection. Donations of a series of easements allows the Nutters to take full advantage of the tax benefits that accompany the conveyance of perpetual easements for land conservation purposes. This grant demonstrates the utility of the NC Farmland Preservation Trust Fund program in helping working farmers who love their land to continue to sustainably manage agricultural and natural resources for the benefit of the general public.