A Conservation Solution for Hi-Hope Farm

Tim Schad has conserved 58 acres of farm and forestland with views to Mount Ascutney from Cornish’s scenic Upper East Road. The productive hayfields and old barn evoke the area’s agricultural history, dating back to the late 1700’s. Protecting rural landscapes and active agricultural fields is a priority for the Cornish Conservation Commission which provided funding to support UVLT’s work on this project.

Tim Schad lived and worked on his sister’s farm next door to this property from the time he was 18 years old, through most of his twenties.  Through that experience, he developed a deep attachment and appreciation for the whole neighborhood and wanted to ensure that the rural character of the community would be preserved. This dedication led Tim to acquire the “Hi-Hope Farm” from Harold Fox when Harold was getting on in years. Harold retained a life estate and Tim told Harold that he intended to conserve the farm in the future.

Following Harold’s death last summer, Tim put his conservation intentions into action. He decided that dividing the property into three separate parcels (a road divides a portion already), conserving each, and selling the parcels individually (two to abutting neighbors) would be the best way to achieve this goal. He worked with the Cornish Planning Board, Conservation Commission and UVLT to accomplish this. One parcel is made up of an open meadow that will remain open and undeveloped. Another consists of farmland and the current residence, while the third is made up of mostly forestland and has a reserved housesite.

Now these parcels will transition to new ownership, while their rural heritage remains intact.  The three conservation easements donated by Tim Schad will go a long way toward ensuring that Upper East Road remains a special, inspiring place for years to come.