Lowell Urie’s 603-acre Westview Farm, of which 145 acres is located in Greensboro and the remaining 458 in Glover, offers a stunning landscape with a mix of open and wooded lands and impressive views in many directions. The farm has been owned by one or the other side of Lowell’s family tree for the past six generations.
The open lands are highly productive with 110 acres of prime agricultural soil and 154 acres of statewide important soil (as ranked by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service). The farm is close to the Craftsbury line and the surrounding lands are in active agricultural use. The property contains a 50-acre, high quality white cedar swamp of statewide significance to which the easement gives special protection. Whitney Brook flows through on its way to the Black River, which flows north to Lake Memphramagog out of the Hosmer Ponds. The brook is known locally for its great fishing and has some beautiful waterfalls. In years past, it supported hydro-powered mills in at least three locations.
With more than four miles of road frontage, beautiful pastures and stellar views, the property would have been ripe for residential (including vacation home) development if not conserved. Lowell farms by himself, currently milking about 45 cows in an older barn converted into a free-stall. Conservation of the farm will help facilitate a transfer of the farm to a qualified successor to Lowell. The VLT purchased a so-called “farmland easement,” which includes a legal mechanism to help ensure the farm remains in operating farmer ownership.
