Whether or not the township of Milford or Santos Farm existed in the region first is unclear.
"It sounds like yeah, the farm had a good head start," said Liam Hutchison, owner of BetterWorld, a sustainable market and cafe in Milford borough.
Hutchison is part of a group of Pike County residents who formed a nonprofit to save the historic farm between Milford and Matamoras on Routes 6 and 209. They're hoping to raise $2 million to purchase the contract for the property and save it from development.
“It needs to be preserved, protected," said Bill Kiger, a member of the group. "It works for our town and it works for the program that these people have in mind, which is sustainable living and that's part of our history."
Kiger said commercial development is a pressure everywhere.
"Milford does not have any land space within its boundary. But they've got Santos farm, so it's very vulnerable," he said.
The Delaware River borders the 28-acre farm. It’s owned by Julio Santos who, now in his 80s, has run the farm with his family for many years. While he still sells hay and straw off the land, it was once a full-scale dairy farm.
The farm was on the market for 18 years. Pike County bought some of the property and is developing an 88-acre riverfront park. The group hopes to be able to raise $2 million to purchase the rest from a developer who currently holds the contract.
"We'd seen a sale pending sign on the farm for so many years. And it was always an element of it just being a pipe dream, until they presented us with the option of being able to buy the contract back from them," said Hutchison.
The current developer is Legend Properties, based in the Philadelphia area. The land is listed on LoopNet. Plans on the website include a convenient store, fast food restaurant, office building, retail space and a coffee shop. The group who wants to save the farm said the developer is also planning to build condos on the property.
The idea to save the farm has been talked about over coffee and in small groups in Milford for the past year. Within the last six weeks the group has raised $182,000.
"It's looking really optimistic that we're going to be able to pull this off," said Hutchison.
The group wants to renovate the old barn that’s still standing. Santos lives in a small home on the farm. It was at one time the dairy farm’s creamery. If they’re able to purchase the property, he and his wife will stay in that home. There’s another housing structure that needs some interior work but is otherwise sturdy.
The Save Santos Farm group has big and sustainable goals for the farm.
Hutchison is interested in regenerative agriculture and wants to bring animals back.
"That would mean alpacas, maybe some Highland cows as well," he said.
They’d like to use the alpaca’s fleece to create clothing to bring that type of manufacturing back to the region and the country.
"It would be a farm to fashion line of clothing from the alpacas and maybe some other animals as well," he said.
The group also plans to grow fresh produce and have community gardens.
"If we could transform this farm here on the border of our town into a food producing wonderland ... it might put some people's concerns at ease to have so much food locally available," said Kristin Albretch, a member of the effort.
They do hope to have volunteer programs, workshops and educational curriculum available, she said.
"So that people can gather and learn," said Albretch.
Ultimately, they want to save the historic farm from development along with the river.
"It's going to look a lot nicer than a strip mall, gas station, condos," said Jerry Reganess, who lives close to the property. "It would make it a beautiful destination — it already is. I think that would add to it.”
The group is planning to create billboards, lawn signs and T-shirts to bring more public awareness to the campaign.
"The big picture is to preserve this not only for ourselves, but our for our children, their children or grandchildren," said Reganess.
For more details visit savesantosfarm.com.
