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Family Eases Farmland into Conservation Agreement
By Tim Allen
The Winchester Star
Judy McCann Slaughter could easily make millions of dollars selling her farmland to a home developer.
In the next 20 years, a 2,500-unit planned community will be constructed next to her family’s farm, and its pastoral, rolling meadows easily could turn into an ideal habitat for suburban life.
But McCann Slaughter prefers to provide a home for cattle, sheep, and wildlife on her 98-acre farm.
Last month, McCann Slaughter donated a 15-acre conservation easement to the Potomac Conservancy, a group focused on protecting land around rivers and streams in the Potomac and Shenandoah river basins.
A conservation easement allows property owners to continue to live on their land, but no new development can take place. The easement stays with the land if it is sold.
“I wanted to do this for my daughter,” she said, looking over at her 9-year-old, Kathryn. “I want her to have the opportunity to see this land as it’s been for hundreds of years.”
The McCann family has held the land since 1892.
“Five generations have raised purebred shorthorn cattle on this farm, as I do now,” McCann Slaughter said. “(Kathryn) would be the sixth generation.”
McCann Slaughter knows most youngsters these days don’t go into farming, but she wants to offer Kathryn the opportunity.
“Even if she decided to follow a different path, I still wanted to ensure that whoever lives on this land at any time in the future will be able to enjoy the beauty and peacefulness,” McCann Slaughter said.
She already donated an easement for 15 acres and plans to cover the entire 98-acre parcel, which includes Hiatt Run — a tributary of Opequon Creek, which flows into the Potomac River.
“This property will be surrounded by development some day, so this will be an important agricultural easement that will not allow new structures,” said Meredith Lathbury, director of land protection for the Potomac Conservancy.
McCann Slaughter said she respects the work of the Potomac Conservancy and wants to place the remainder of her farm with them.
“I’ve honestly been waiting because I wanted to see if Congress passed a new law governing tax credits for charitable donations, but even if they don’t do it this year, I’ll go ahead,” and donate the remaining easements, she said.
The farm contains 60 head of beef cattle, which are raised free of hormones and antibiotics. McCann Slaughter also raises about 12 sheep and grows organic asparagus.
The land with the easement also contains a 200-year-old stone farmhouse and other auxiliary farm buildings.
A portion of the farm has been designated core battlefield land because it saw action in the Civil War’s Third Battle of Winchester.
However, this land is not the same property the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation tried to obtain in 2003. That was a separate 98-acre parcel owned by the McCann family trust.
“I have an interest in that land, but it’s not just me, so I can’t say what the future of that property will be,” McCann Slaughter said.
The attempt by the foundation to buy the land was unsuccessful because the group did not receive a federal grant.
By Tim Allen
The Winchester Star
Judy McCann Slaughter could easily make millions of dollars selling her farmland to a home developer.
In the next 20 years, a 2,500-unit planned community will be constructed next to her family’s farm, and its pastoral, rolling meadows easily could turn into an ideal habitat for suburban life.
But McCann Slaughter prefers to provide a home for cattle, sheep, and wildlife on her 98-acre farm.
Last month, McCann Slaughter donated a 15-acre conservation easement to the Potomac Conservancy, a group focused on protecting land around rivers and streams in the Potomac and Shenandoah river basins.
A conservation easement allows property owners to continue to live on their land, but no new development can take place. The easement stays with the land if it is sold.
 Judy McCann Slaughter and her daughter, Kathryn, 9, walk along Hiatt Run, which eventually feeds into the Potomac River. The stream is on their property off Milburn Road near Stephenson, and in the background is the Milburn house (right) and some of its farm buildings. The stone house dates to the 1700s. McCann Slaughter has donated a portion of the farm as a conservation easement to the Potomac Conservancy. (Photos by Rick Foster)  |
“I wanted to do this for my daughter,” she said, looking over at her 9-year-old, Kathryn. “I want her to have the opportunity to see this land as it’s been for hundreds of years.”
The McCann family has held the land since 1892.
“Five generations have raised purebred shorthorn cattle on this farm, as I do now,” McCann Slaughter said. “(Kathryn) would be the sixth generation.”
McCann Slaughter knows most youngsters these days don’t go into farming, but she wants to offer Kathryn the opportunity.
“Even if she decided to follow a different path, I still wanted to ensure that whoever lives on this land at any time in the future will be able to enjoy the beauty and peacefulness,” McCann Slaughter said.
She already donated an easement for 15 acres and plans to cover the entire 98-acre parcel, which includes Hiatt Run — a tributary of Opequon Creek, which flows into the Potomac River.
“This property will be surrounded by development some day, so this will be an important agricultural easement that will not allow new structures,” said Meredith Lathbury, director of land protection for the Potomac Conservancy.
McCann Slaughter said she respects the work of the Potomac Conservancy and wants to place the remainder of her farm with them.
“I’ve honestly been waiting because I wanted to see if Congress passed a new law governing tax credits for charitable donations, but even if they don’t do it this year, I’ll go ahead,” and donate the remaining easements, she said.
The farm contains 60 head of beef cattle, which are raised free of hormones and antibiotics. McCann Slaughter also raises about 12 sheep and grows organic asparagus.
The land with the easement also contains a 200-year-old stone farmhouse and other auxiliary farm buildings.
A portion of the farm has been designated core battlefield land because it saw action in the Civil War’s Third Battle of Winchester.
However, this land is not the same property the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation tried to obtain in 2003. That was a separate 98-acre parcel owned by the McCann family trust.
“I have an interest in that land, but it’s not just me, so I can’t say what the future of that property will be,” McCann Slaughter said.
The attempt by the foundation to buy the land was unsuccessful because the group did not receive a federal grant.