Kibbe Farm Conservation Project

Photos by the Lalumiere Family & SHLT

Above the limestone cliffs of Keeler Bay lies a plateau of rolling hills, forested wetlands, and open fields known as Kibbe Farm. The farm has been in operation since the early 1800s, when Ebenzer Kibbe began grazing sheep on Kibbe Point. Starting as tenant farmers, the Lalumiere family purchased the land in 1940, and have farmed it ever since.

Right now, we have the opportunity to help the family permanently conserve this important landscape through a conservation easement co-held by Vermont Land Trust and the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board. If we are successful, over 100 acres of prime agricultural soils, 60 acres of forested wetlands, and 1,550 feet of undeveloped shoreline on Keeler Bay will be protected forever.

But we can’t do it without support from people like you.

A Benefit to the Community  

Kibbe Farm’s expansive fields, situated above the flood plain, support farm viability and food security for our region. To honor the Lalumiere family’s deep agricultural history, the family is bringing together farm business planning experts at the Intervale Center and UVM Extension to carefully explore options for the future of this working farm that are practical, community-minded, and fiscally sustainable. 

Looking forward, the Lalumiere family’s vision is to reinvest conservation funds into farm infrastructure to support beginning farmers. They also plan to expand the farm’s role in the community as a resource and gathering space. The family is keeping approximately 50 acres out of the easement to allow for modest additions of farm infrastructure and housing if desired. Through conservation, you can help this family write the next chapter in the story of Kibbe Farm.

Support Wildlife & Water Quality

Conserving the farm will safeguard key habitat for many species of wildlife. Bobcat, white-tailed deer, and blue-spotted salamander find refuge in the forested interior. Aquatic species such as perch, northern pike, and landlocked salmon benefit from clean water filtered by wetlands, while bald eagles perch high in the limestone bluff cedar-pine forest, a rare natural community type in Vermont. The extensive wetlands on the farm also provide important water quality benefits to Keeler Bay by reducing erosion and filtering pollutants. 

With your help, we can protect this special landscape, support the growth of a local farm business, and keep the land affordable for future generations.

Your donation, no matter the size, will make a difference.

The cost to buy, conserve, and establish a modest stewardship fund is around $1,998,500.  Currently, about $1,733,500  is committed, including $611,750  from the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board, and $953,500 from the NRCS Agricultural Conservation Easement Program. The Lalumiere family is also contributing to the project through a $165,000 reduction in the land’s price relative to its appraised value.

Please help us raise the final 13%!

We are 87% of the way there. Donations from generous community members can help us reach the finish line. We want to meet this goal by July 31, 2027

Donations can be made online through our secure platform below, or mailed to:

South Hero Land Trust 
Po Box 455
South Hero VT 05486 

Please make checks payable  to South Hero Land Trust and include  “Kibbe Farm” in the memo line. 

Gifts are tax deductible as allowed by law.