20-Acre Franklin Township Farm Preserved

Warren County
 
On December 28, 2011 the R. Sigler, Sr. Farm, a 20-acre farm in Franklin Township was preserved. The Land Conservancy of New Jersey worked with Franklin Township and Warren County on the preservation of this farm and it is the third farm preserved in the municipality this year. The R. Sigler Sr. Farm is located in close proximity to other preserved farmland and with the preservation of this farm, there is now a contiguous belt of 828 acres of preserved farmland stretching across Mountain View Road in the heart of Franklin Township.

The 20-acre R. Sigler Sr. Farm is a fifth generation farm located in the Asbury section of the Township. Historically operating as a dairy farm, during the 1970s it was also the summertime home of NASCAR driver David Reutimann. This 20-acre property was preserved through the Municipal Planning Incentive Grant program provided through the State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC) in partnership with the Warren County Agriculture Development Board (CADB). The development easement was purchased using local funding, as well as county and state funds.

In partnership with The Land Conservancy, Franklin Township has preserved 721 acres and received over $4 million in state and county grant funds for land preservation. Earlier this year, the 57-acre Leaveans Farm and 88-acre Santini Farm were also permanently protected.