Local businessman and agritourism advocate Al Hammond has spent much of his life piecing back together the family farm in Roanoke and Bedford counties. Now, he is ensuring its permanent protection by placing it under a conservation easement with the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy.
Al and wife Nancy, owners of Printech and proprietors of Boxtree Lodge and Braeloch, have placed two easements on the Glenburn farm to forever conserve its natural, agricultural and scenic values. In a conservation easement, the property owner retains possession of the land, but transfers some development rights to a conservation group like the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy. Easement terms are spelled out in a written legal agreement, and they are tailored to fit each property.
Al Hammond’s long journey to reunify the farm started when his mother purchased its 19th century farmhouse in the 1930s. In the 1950s, Al began purchasing additional adjacent tracts once belonging to the property, and his mission was completed in 2011 with the purchase of a former Explorer Park parcel.
The farm, located on the eastern edge of Roanoke County with a small portion in Bedford County, now spans over 360 acres. In 2006, the Hammonds placed 88 acres of the farm under a conservation easement with the Virginia Outdoors Foundation. The new easements protect the remainder of the farm, which totals more than 300 acres.
The property offers panoramic views of downtown Roanoke and the mountains circling the Roanoke Valley as well as over 2,900 feet of forested Roanoke River frontage. The Hammonds’ agreements with the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy allows them to continue their agritourism endeavors at Boxtree Lodge and Braeloch, two popular locations for weddings, meetings and corporate events, while protecting more than 210 acres of agricultural fields and forests from intense development. The easements protect views from the Blue Ridge Parkway, limit the built environment and protect the Roanoke River with forested buffers.
“We wanted to do something that would provide income for the farm to keep it running,” said Al Hammond. “You can’t make any money farming these days. Our agritourism activities help make certain that the farm is viable in the future.”
“The Blue Ridge Land Conservancy was pleased to work with Al and Nancy to protect this beautiful farm,” stated Executive Director David Perry. “It’s an important property because it’s adjacent to both the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Roanoke River. All citizens of Virginia and the many travelers along the Parkway will benefit from the Hammonds’ efforts to preserve their family farm.”
The Blue Ridge Land Conservancy (BRLC), formerly known as the Western Virginia Land Trust, is a nationally accredited land trust dedicated to promoting the conservation of southwest Virginia’s farms, forests, waterways and rural landscapes. BRLC serves seven counties including Bedford, Botetourt, Craig, Floyd, Franklin, Montgomery, and Roanoke. BRLC protects more than 16,000 acres of land and 34 miles of streams in 43 conservation easements. For more information visit www.blueridgelandconservancy.org.
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