Farmland Forever

Sponsored by Alaska Farmland Trust and originally published in our Winter 2023 issue.

On a sunny September evening, the Alaska Farmland Trust gathered with the Moffitt family and project partners at Palmer restaurant Feather & Flour in celebration of a successful multiyear effort to permanently protect 96 acres of the Moffitt Farm.

Located in Palmer and owned by Kathy and Tracy Moffitt, the Moffitt Farm has been a working form for eight decades. Since 1945, three generations of Moffitt have stewarded the land. Kathy and Tracy raise a herd of 230 beef cattle and tend the hayfields that feed the cattle. They sell the beef they produce to local individuals and restaurants like 49th State Brewing in Anchorage.

On hay harvest days, the whole family works together. “Our grandchildren play on the side of the fields while our children help bale the hay,” says Kathy. “The most rewarding aspect of our work is when family is involved.” Kathy and Tracy’s children grew up on the farm, still help work it, and intend to continue their family’s legacy.

The agricultural conservation easement with Alaska Farmland Trust ensures that this land will remain farmland forever. “The biggest benefit of the easement is knowing that it’s going to be protected,” Tracy says. “It secures the legacy of the farm and our passion for farming.” Protecting their farmland and therefore the beef they produce is crucial to strengthening Alaska’s food security.

Contributions from donors across the state make this and future projects possible. We are set to finalize another easement in 2024 that will permanently protect an iconic 120-acre form along the Springer System in Palmer. Your support is vital to protecting farmland—covering essential acquisition costs like appraisals, land surveys, and title work. Together, we are building a food-secure future for Alaska.

Alaska Farmland Trust is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to protect Alaska's farmlands by securing agricultural conservation easements to build a food-secure state for current and future generations.

Protect critical farmland and donate today!
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info@akfarmland.com
907-390-9084