BLC Newsletter_2017 Summer-Fall

Bluegrass Land Conservancy’s
First Conservation Easement in Louisville Region
Summer-Fall 2017

Board of Directors
Helen Alexander, Chair
W. Austin Musselman, Jr., Vice-Chair
Michael Burns, Secretary
Steve Ragan, Treasurer
Brutus Clay
Robert Clay
John S. Egan
Luke Fallon
Peek Garlington III
Margaret Graves
Russell Gray
Boo Hardy
Libby Jones
Betty Kenan
Mary M. Lowry
Natalie H. Lyster
Boyce F. Martin III
Connie Jo Miller
Maegan F. Nicholson
Michael Potapov
Nancy S. Theiss
Miriam N. Tinnell
Joel B. Turner
Katie Martin, Ex-Officio
Ned Bonnie, Emeritus
Nina Bonnie, Emeritus
Laura Lee Brown, Emeritus
Lendy Brown, Emeritus
Laurel Catto, Emeritus
Hoppy Henton, Emeritus
Steve Wilson, Emeritus
Our Team
Jessie Wilder
Executive Director
Louise Allen
Associate Director
Ashley Greathouse
Counsel, Director of Conservation
Laura Miller
Communications & Events Manager
Amy Samples
Development Coordinator
Nicole Zub
Conservation & Stewardship Coordinator
Addie Sublett
Education & Outreach Assistant
Lauren Hardesty
Office Manager
A PLACE WHERE TIME
Bluegrass Land Conservancy worked with Donna
When they were ready to move away from
city life, Donna and Jim Ludwig knew
they wanted a place that would not
be too far outside the comforts and conveniences
of Louisville, but would also have ample space
for animals, and they wanted their new property
to have an “old, historical home.” They found
everything they were looking for in Henry Country
with a property just west of Smithfield, previously
known as the Callaway-Goodridge-Robertson Farm.
Donna and Jim renamed the property to Springstone Farm. But they have
restored the Calloway house with such care for its historical significance
that remaining descendants—many of whom have turned up from Alabama,
Georgia, North Carolina, and Washington—continually express heartfelt
gratitude for the life the Ludwigs have breathed back into the home while
remaining so true to its original design and structures.
With prompting, Donna shared some of the early restoration projects of this
historic Henry County house. One of the first renovations they undertook was
to replace the windows. This came about thanks to the first winter after they
purchased the farm. To alleviate the ill-fit of the windows along the northwest
side of the house, they had to stuff old magazines into the gaps to serve as
makeshift insulation. The trick did help to lessen the winter wind from whipping
through the house, but it was not able to prevent snow drifts from mounting
in the dining room and an upstairs bedroom.
There was also the rubbered backed carpeting that had been glued down
over ash floors, which took a team of workers a number of weeks to remove
by hand. Not to mention the discovery of cloth covered wiring throughout the
entire second floor of the house, all of which required a full update.
Rather than succumbing to panic over all there was to be done, Donna and Jim
took a practical approach, asking: what do we need to do? Donna surmises,
the answer to this question led to a robust education to plumbing and electricity.
BLC-Protected Springstone Farm
County: Henry County
Acres: 52.25
Access: Private
Visit BluegrassLandConservancy.org
for more information on our team
and a listing of our committees.
2 | BluegrassLandConservancy.org

STANDS STILL
and Jim Ludwig to permanently protect their Henry County farm
But historical restoration is not called a labor of love for no reason;
old historic houses hold history, and, while pulling up no less than four
coverings over the kitchen floor, Donna discovered Courier-Journal
newspapers circa 1916-1918 that had been used for insulation.
When asked for the defining characteristics that make this
200-year-old house so special, Donna did not talk about the
rounded bricks fashioned on site crown arches above the
windows, the meticulously restored front entry way which still
has a hook where a lantern hung before electricity, the remodeled
kitchen ceiling that includes salvaged wood from an old barn,
or the servants cabin that has been repurposed into a place to
extract honey from bees, which the Ludwigs now affectionately
refer to as the “honey house.”
Donna spoke about the people who love this house and property
so much that they return for visits year after year. They walk through the
house and around the farm, talking and sharing pieces of the past: stories of childhood mischief that include beloved
family members. And while some of the starring characters of these stories are no longer here, the memories of those
held dear are easier to recall when they are in the place that Donna and Jim have not allowed time to erase.
Is a conservation easement right
for you and your family?
Thanks to the conservation easement Donna and Jim
Ludwig have placed on Springstone Farm, in Henry County,
this beautiful piece of Bluegrass land and Kentucky history
will be able to remain special forever.
Contact Ashley Greathouse, (859) 255-4552, or
agreathouse@bluegrassconservancy.org, for more information,
including the potential significant tax savings associated
with an easement donation.
Bluegrass Land Conservancy is excited to be working on 18 active projects, consisting of
2,704 acres, in eight counties across our 23-county service area. The greater Bluegrass Region’s
farmland is globally recognized for its exceptional soils and abundant waters.
There is no place like it—and the time to protect it is right now.
– W. Austin Musselman, Jr.
Vice-Chair, Bluegrass Land Conservancy
3

TAKING CARE OF THE LAND, EVERY
To all those who have conserved or own protected farms, we are grateful and inspired. Thank you for
all you do for the land, every day. Family farms are the backbone of Kentucky, and your partnership
represents the future of our community.
Anderson County
Ann and Darrell Gabhart
Panther Rock Farm
Patricia and Dennis Monohan
Monohan Farm
Bourbon County
Mary Clay and John Berry
Auvergne
Sara Clay and George Branch
Canefield Farm
Felicia and Doug Branham
Hurricane Hills
Hurricane Hills North
Hurricane Hills West
Flying High Farm
Lendy and Darrell Brown
Stonereath Farm
Brenda and R. Berle Clay
Auvergne
Isabel McHenry Clay
The Larches
Rhonda Cornum and
Kory Cornum
Munroc Farm
Louise Courtelis
Town and Country*
Seth, Clay, and Dell Hancock
Claiborne Farm
Seth and Deborah Hancock
Cherry Valley
Staci and Arthur Hancock
Stone Farm
Edwina and Robert Hensley
Resting Acres Division*
Hinkle Brothers, LLC
Hinkle Farm
Sherry and Steve Judy
Kane Farm dba 4 Sons Farm*
Gayle and Jim Kane
Kane Angus
Margaret A. Lake
Lake Farm
Lary Farm, LLC
Glenlary
Nicholas M. Lotz
Briarbrooke
Pam and Bart McFarland
Resting Acres
Narolla, LLC
Stonereath Stud*
Pamela and Charles Parker
The Parker Farm
Kristina and John Penn
Pennland
Beatrice Clay Moran
Canefield Farm
Katie Sutphin
Victory Haven
Yoder Family
Lake Farm*
Boyle County
Bright Family LLC
Bright Family Farm
Drs. Katherine L. Bright and
Daniel J. Moran
Katherine Bright Farm
Louise and Fred Dearborn
Fieldstone Farm
Mary Pat and Scott Hankla and
Faye and Ren Hankla
Hankla Farm
Martha and Angereau McConnell
Springhouse Farm
Clark County
Linda and Nelson Barnes
Barnes Stoner Bend Farm
Ben C. Kaufmann and Janet Zusman
CallieCash Farm
Carolyn King
The Richard Hunt Smith Nature
and Wildlife Sanctuary
Leesa and Keith Moorman
Bow Wood Farm
Katie Sutphin
Sutphin Farm
Dr. and Mrs. John van Nagell
Boone Valley Farm
Brookfield Farm
Fayette County
Amy and Jason Akers
Akers Farm*
Helen C. Alexander
Middlebrook Farm
Estate of Hilary J. Boone, Jr.
Wimbledon Farm
Samuel A. B. Boone
Wimbledon Farm*
Jeanne Cox and Michael Owens
Cornerstone Farm
Susanna and Leon Creek
and Ann J. Parker
Polohunt Farm
Patricia and Johnny Elkins
Chestnut Hill Farm
Clay Hancock
EIEIO Farm
Betty and Jim Kenan
Kenan Farm
Alston and Johnny Kerr
Greenfields
Lori Kirk-Wagner
Lori Kirk-Wagner Farm
Bonnie and Dick Maynard
Maynard Farm
Dede McGehee
Heaven Trees
Newtownanner Stud Farm
Newtown Anner Stud Farm*
Alinka and Gary Niva
Artisais Stables*
Beth and Dan Pride
Oxford Farm
TK Stables LLC
Maynard Farm*
Dr. and Mrs. John van Nagell
Brookfield Farm
Boone Valley Farm
Franklin County
Frances P. Canty
Arrowhead Farm
Mary Alice Dacosse
Arrowhead Farm*
Harrison County
Russell Gray
Gray’s Run Farm
Susan and R. M. Richards
Chicory Ridge
Henry County
Donna and Jim Ludwig
Springstone Farm
Jessamine County
Brownwood Property, LLC
Brownwood Farm*
Estate of Richard J. Corman
R. J. Corman Farm
Marijo and Tom Foster
La Fontaine
Estate of Barbara Hunter
Brownwood Farm
Ann and James Robert Wilson
The Judge Place
Pleasant Grove
Madison County
Lois Combs-Richards
Combs-Richards Farm
Mary Elizabeth Richards
Combs-Richards Farm
Mercer County
John D. Stuart
High Peak Farm-Mercer Co.
Scott County
Mr. and Mrs. David Greathouse
Cockaigne
Laura D. and Robert L. Riddle
Riddle Family Farm
Anna and Paul Isaacs
Shagbark Farm
Woodford County
Anonymous
Helen C. Alexander
Spring Station Farm
Gay and Michael Barnett
Blackburn Farm
Mina Berger
Woodstock Farm
Borges Torrealba Holdings, LLC
Three Chimneys Farm*
Frances P. Canty
Ridge Farm
Shawn Canty
Ridge Farm*
Mary and Joseph Carter Family
Carter Farms
Dr. and Mrs. John Caton
Hillside Farm
Mr. and Mrs. Robert N. Clay
Three Chimneys Farm
Pam and Roger Conley
Wildflower Farm
Susanna and Leon Creek
and Ann J. Parker
Polohunt Farm
Mr. and Mrs. William Curlin
Dunvegan
Dr. and Mrs. Mike Daugherty
Three Springs Farm
Drs. Claire and Rolf Embertson
Chancey Mill Farm
Gerald Ford
Diamond A Farms*
Drs. Laurie and David Haas
Lookout Farm
Gloria and Jack Halter
The Halter Farm
Hoppy Henton
Henton Farms
Dr. Stephen and Debbie Jackson
Jackson Purchase
Margaret and David Jeffiers
Trailside Farm
Libby and Brereton Jones
Airdrie Stud
Airdrie: Gratz Place and Home Place
Woodburn Farm
JMI Farms, LLC
Chanteclair*
Captain and Mrs. Richard Kane
Horseshoe Bend Farm
Alice Carneal Kinkead
Braestone Farm
Dorothy and William Mathews V
Hanlen Farm
Newtownanner Stud Farm
Newtownanner Stud Farm*
Randle Properties, LLC
Ashley House Farm
Allison and Danny Richardson
Buckhead Ranch
Sally and Andrew Schneider
Millwood Springs Farm*
Shenton Business Limited
Shenton Farm*
Suzi Shoemaker
Lantern Hill Farm
John D. Stuart
High Peak Farms
Jan and Ben Taylor
Taylor Farms
Andrea and Bernard V. Tew
Willow Springs Farm
Nancy A. Vanier, Jennifer E. Allen,
Lyda Williamson
High Peak Farms*
Elaine and Ben Walden
Paul’s Mill
Dr. and Mrs. Smiser West
Waterford and Millford Farms
Sheryl Wood and Craig Wood
Millwood Springs Farm
*Current Easement Owner
4 | BluegrassLandConservancy.org

DAY...
Friends of BLC and Woodford
Forward Have Fun on the Farm
For six decades, writer and Kentuckian, Wendell Berry has spoken out in
defense of local agriculture, rural communities, and the importance of caring
for the land.
On August 19 th , Friends of BLC and Woodford Forward partnered together
to share an outdoor screening of Look & See, A Portrait of Wendell Berry.
Waverly Farm of BLC-protected Henton Farms hosted the event, providing
a picture-perfect backdrop for the evening. Woodford Reserve Chef de
Cuisine Nat Henton prepared a delightful local summer menu, which paired
with a Woodford Reserve cocktail—all thanks to a generous Brown-Forman
sponsorship for the event.
Nobody can discover the
world for somebody else.
Only when we discover it
for ourselves does it become
common ground and a
common bond and we
cease to be alone.
– Wendell Berry
Friends of BLC co-hosted this screening with Woodford Forward
to bring people together to increase awareness of the importance
of conserving the beautiful farmland we have in this area. With
this event, Friends of BLC raised $2,133 to be put towards a
stewardship assistance fund, to help enable landowners to take
advantage of the amazing opportunities that Bluegrass Land
Conservancy provides through conservation easements.
– Katie Martin, Friends of BLC Chair
5

Education & Outreach Spotlight on Healthy Waterways
This summer, Bluegrass Land Conservancy participated in three family-friendly programs, all promoting
the importance of healthy waterways and the impact of our interactions with the environment.
Kentucky has tens of thousands
of miles of streams and rivers.
That’s a lot of water. And a
lot of responsibility. It all flows
downstream, so let’s be good
upstream neighbors. Learn
about your local streams and
watersheds—and do your
part to lessen your impact
on everyone’s water.
– Dr. Amanda A. Gumbert
Water Quality Extension Specialist,
University of Kentucky College of
Agriculture, Food & Environment
BLC and Oldham County Fiscal Court’s Curry’s Fork Watershed Project partnered
for our first creek clean-up on Curry’s Fork in Oldham County. Local volunteers
pulled a truckload of trash, including: three mattress springs, tires, paint cans,
car parts, a satellite dish, and an old mailbox out of South Curry’s Fork tributary
in La Grange on July 19th.
Special shout out to I Love
Kentucky Water for letting
Dale Booth come teach us about
our Curry’s Fork creek critters.
BLC and Bluegrass Greensource partnered for the fourth year at the Riddle Farm in Scott
County. Thank you to Laura and Bob Riddle for providing lunch to our crew of 14 volunteers.
It’s important to understand
how our actions in the
environment affect the health
of our waterways because we
rely on our local streams to
provide us with important
resources, such as drinking water.
– Jessica Schuster
Kentucky Division of Water
KY Division of Water came out for our second summer of splish splashin’ fun at BLC-protected
Kenan Farm, where kids got to flip over rocks and poke around through vegetation along the
North Elkhorn Creek. Showing kids just how much life there is in our waterways and sharing
this firsthand experience helps our community’s next generation understand the importance
of protecting our freshwater resources.
6 | BluegrassLandConservancy.org

A Special Thank You
As a community-supported land trust, our mission-critical land
conservation work relies on the support of generous donors.
Conservation Partners
Anonymous
Ms. Helen C. Alexander
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Beach IV
Mr. and Mrs. Allen M. Bond III
Mr. and Mrs. Ned S. Bonnie
Ms. Sandra Frazier
Mr. and Mrs. Peek Garlington III
Mr. and Mrs. Greg Goodman
Hilary Boone Foundation, Inc.
Governor and Mrs. Brereton C. Jones
Mr. and Mrs. James G. Kenan
Mr. and Mrs. David Richard Masson
Mr. and Mrs. W. Austin Musselman, Jr.
Spray Foundation, Inc.
Mrs. Milly Stewart
Ms. Anna Trzebinski
William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust
Catalysts
Mr. and Mrs. Craig Bernick
Toyota Motor Manufacturing,
Kentucky, Inc.
Benefactors
Mr. and Mrs. Warner L.J. Brown, Sr.
Mr. and Mrs. John Catto
Mr. and Mrs. Robert N. Clay
Ms. Margaret Graves and
Mr. Jeff Hallos
Ms. Nina Hahn
Mr. and Mrs. John R. Hall
Mr. Boyce F. Martin III
Mary K. Oxley Foundation
Dr. and Mrs. Emler Neuman
Mr. Art Preston
Mr. and Mrs. Shane Ryan
Dr. and Mrs. Norman W. Umphenour
Stewards
Mr. and Mrs. J. Darrell Brown
Mr. and Mrs. Michael T. Burns
Mr. and Mrs. John Eagan
Ms. Ashley Greathouse
Group CJ
Ms. Waddell W. Hancock II
Mr. and Mrs. G. Watts Humphrey, Jr.
Kentucky Thoroughbreds Owners &
Breeders, Inc.
Mr. and Mrs. Greg Ladd
Ms. Mary Lowry
Ms. Eleanor Bingham Miller
Mr. and Mrs. James C. Nicholson
Mr. John A. Stuart and
Ms. Margaret D. Wise
The Wooks
Mr. and Mrs. Isaac C. VanMeter
Mr. Matthew White
Mr. and Mrs. Chris Young
Patrons
Ashford Stud
Ms. Nancy Barnett and
Mr. Michael Potapov
Mrs. Caroline Huger Boone
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Boyd
Ms. A. Cary Brown
Ms. Laura Lee Brown and
Mr. Steve Wilson
Mr. Brent Bruner and Mr. Matt Carter
Mr. Alex G. Campbell, Jr.
Ms. Linda W. Carey
Mr. and Mrs. William S. Chapman, Jr.
Clifton Foundation, Inc.
Mr. and Mrs. Sam Conner
E. S. Barr & Company
Ms. Tawana Edwards
Dr. and Mrs. Luke Fallon
Mr. and Mrs. George Gans III
Mr. and Mrs. Russell Gray
Mrs. Helen K. Groves
Mr. and Mrs. Seth W. Hancock
Ms. Susan G. Harkins
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas S. Hinkle
Mr. and Mrs. Bret Jones
LG&E and KU Foundation
The Lary Foundation, Inc.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Martin
Dr. Dede McGehee
Ms. Connie Jo Miller and
Mr. Lynn Cravens
National Christian Foundation Kentucky
Dr. and Mrs. Bruce Nicol
Mr. Charles E. Noell
Mr. and Mrs. James O’Brien
Dr. and Mrs. David C. Parrish III
Dr. and Mrs. Frederick Peterson
Mr. and Mrs. Steve Ragan
Mr. Don M. Robinson
Ms. Mary F. Rounsavall
Mr. Rob Samuels
Mr. Steve W. South and
Ms. Sue Van Patten
Dr. and Mrs. John Stewart
Mr. and Mrs. Chris Sullivan
Mr. and Mrs. Jim Theiss
Mr. Joel B. Turner
The Turner Foundation
W Design
Dr. and Mrs. J. Sloan Warner, Jr.
Dr. and Mrs. Jay Zwischenberger
Stewardship Fund
Contributors
Dr. and Mrs. John C. Caton
Mr. and Mrs. Rudolf B. Clay
Dr. and Mrs. Michael Daugherty
Capt. and Mrs. Richard E. Kane
Ms. Martha McConnell
Mr. W. Allen Northcutt
Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin G. Taylor
In Honor of
Helen Alexander
from
Mr. and Mrs. Edward L. Bowen
Allyson Handley
from
Mr. and Mrs. Ken S. Johnson
Darrel & Lendy Brown
from
Ms. Mary Margaret Bell
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Brewer
Mr. William G. Lussky and
Ms. Marcia Gray
In Memory of
Edwin Randle
from
Mr. and Mrs. William Coblin Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. William Cull
Billy Van Pelt
from
EOP Architects, PSC
Mr. and Mrs. Charles E. Gorton
Mr. Alfred McGregor
Ms. Julia Offutt
Ms. Ellen A. Plummer
Richard F. Randolph Jr.
from
Ms. Nina Hahn
Ann Knight Gutman
from
Mr. Ben Kaufmann and
Ms. Janet Zusman
Clay Hancock
from
Mr. and Mrs. G. Watts Humphrey, Jr.
Mrs. Linda Bark
from
Ms. Joan P. Mayer
Mary Simpson March
from
Mrs. Catesby Simpson
Ms. Catesby Spears Simpson
Mr. Matt Simpson
These gifts were received
between June 1, 2016
– June 30, 2017. We
sincerely apologize for any
errors or omissions. Please
contact Amy if you have
any corrections. Thank you.
17 th Annual Farmland Conservation Celebration & Auction Sponsors and Live Item Donors
Chinquapin Oak
Antony and Angela Beck of
Gainesway Farm
Farm Credit Mid-America
Godolphin
Kenan Farm
Middlebrook Farm &
Spring Station Farm
Blue Ash
Darrell and Lendy Brown
Dean Dorton Allen Ford, PLLC
Edge Capital Partners
Hagyard Equine Medical Institute
Kentucky Bank
Matthew Carter Interiors
Republic Bank & Trust Co.
UK HealthCare
Watts and Sally Humphrey
Woodford Reserve
Black Walnut
Abercrombie Foundation
Cambus-Kenneth Farm
Central Bank & Trust
Central Kentucky Ag Credit
Clay Ingels Company
Columbia Gas of Kentucky
Diamond A Farms
Golden Age Farm
Joe and Debbie Graviss of
Graviss McDonald’s Restaurants
Green’s Toyota of Lexington
Donna S. Hall and John R. Hall
McBrayer Law Firm
Offutt-Cole Farm
White River Coal Sales, Inc.
Shagbark Hickory
Brewer Private Wealth of
Raymond James
Breeders’ Cup Ltd.
Clay Ward Agency
James Motor Company
Land Matters LLC
Emler and Celeste Neuman
James D. Rouse and Sharon B. Rouse
James Motor Company
Steve South and Sue Van Patten
Sterling G. Thompson Company LLC
The Forestland Group
Billy Van Pelt II
Auctioneer
Field Ladd of Cross Gate Gallery
Host
Fasig-Tipton
Live Auction Item
Donors
Helen Alexander
Barbara Banke
McCall and Warner Brown
The Flagler System
Peek and Jennie Garlington
Lucy Hamilton
Henkel Denmark
Longwood Antique Woods
Maker’s Mark
Janie and Austin Musselman
Brenda and Brent Rice
7

Dudley Square
380 S. Mill Street
Suite 205
Lexington, KY 40508-2560
Non-Profit
U.S. Postage
PAID
Lexington, KY
Permit No. 1478
BluegrassLandConservancy.org
Lexington: 859-255-4552
Louisville: 502-297-1596
facebook.com/bluegrassconservancy
@bgconservancy
@bgconservancy
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Bluegrass Land Conservancy protects land
in the greater Bluegrass Region of Kentucky
through permanent conservation easements
for current and future generations.
We do this through education and by
promoting the preservation of land for
agriculture, historic and cultural heritage,
wildlife habitat, natural resources,
water quality, and scenic open
space, in order to sustain a high
quality of life.
CONSERVATION SNAPSHOT...
What is the Cost of Conservation?
Did you know, on average, it costs Bluegrass Land Conservancy (BLC)
$25,000 to protect and steward a farm here in the Bluegrass?
BLC protects every property in our portfolio in perpetuity. We consider the preservation
value to our community and future generations to be well worth the price tag. But our
goal to increase the pace of conservation while maintaining the level of excellence
we have achieved as a nationally accredited land trust, which currently protects
119 properties, is dependent on the generosity of BLC supporters.
• Our average conservation easement is 219 acres.
• The cost Bluegrass Land Conservancy incurs to complete one
conservation easement is roughly $16,000.
• After the conservation easement is recorded, it costs the organization roughly
$800 per year for that easement’s monitoring and stewardship obligations.
• The average cost to a land trust to challenge an easement violation is $5,000
— and this cost does not include staff resources.
Multi-year pledges, monthly online giving, and planned gifts are generous
and sustaining approaches to taking action on your commitment to land and cultural
preservation. Your support goes directly to mission-critical needs, including, the ongoing
stewardship obligations of BLC, current and future land protection outreach and projects,
and education efforts on the lasting benefits of land conservation.