378-year old continuously run family farm goes up for sale

[Kingspoint]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100801/...ld_family_farm

DOVER, N.H. – In 1632, John Tuttle arrived from England to a settlement near the Maine-New Hampshire border, using a small land grant from King Charles I to start a farm. Eleven generations and 378 years later, his field-weary descendants — arthritic from picking fruits and vegetables and battered by competition from supermarkets and pick-it-yourself farms — are selling their spread, which is among the oldest continuously operated family farms in America.

News articles dating to the 1930s confirm its age, and the Tuttles said they've never been challenged over the distinction. In 1989, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said the nation's oldest farm was the Tuttle Farm, but it made no mention of the Shirley Plantation in Charles City, Va., which was founded in 1613 and was in business in 1638.

[OldRightHander]

I just hope it doesn't become another darn subdivision.

[klw]

I pity the poor attorney having to do the title search on this one. It will either be the easiest or the biggest pain in the neck search to do. NH has there records computerized by county and I think a 50 year search is the standard. Having to find a deed or something proving ownership that is satisfactory could be difficult especially if a bank loan is in play.

I see the article mentions a 2006 deed restriction so i assume much of this has been cleared up along the way and possibly quitclaims were done at some point to transfer among family members.

[Rojo]

Originally Posted by OldRightHander

I just hope it doesn't become another darn subdivision.

Many places have agricultural or conservation land trusts that will buy these kinds of parcels.

[pedro]

Originally Posted by OldRightHander

I just hope it doesn't become another darn subdivision.

One of the reason's I love Oregon's land use laws. It would be very hard for that to ever happen.

http://www.metro-region.org/index.cfm/go/by.web/id=277

[westofyou]

What's a subdivision?

Haven't lived in one in 25 years myself.

[reds1869]

Originally Posted by pedro

One of the reason's I love Oregon's land use laws. It would be very hard for that to ever happen.

http://www.metro-region.org/index.cfm/go/by.web/id=277

Seems very similar to the UK's "green belt" regulations. People here would resist such laws until they visited an area with them and saw how well it works.

[pedro]

Originally Posted by reds1869

Seems very similar to the UK's "green belt" regulations. People here would resist such laws until they visited an area with them and saw how well it works.

It isn't universally loved here in Oregon but I do believe it has served to keep Portland a better place, particularly in the close in neighborhoods that typically would have become run down as people with money moved to the far out suburbs, which because of the growth boundary, don't really exist.

[Kingspoint]

Originally Posted by OldRightHander

I just hope it doesn't become another darn subdivision.

In the article it states that in 2006 a law/code was passed that the land can only be used for farming. The current family is going to take it's time finding the right owner who has a passion for farming and a love for the land.

[Kingspoint]

Originally Posted by pedro

It isn't universally loved here in Oregon but I do believe it has served to keep Portland a better place, particularly in the close in neighborhoods that typically would have become run down as people with money moved to the far out suburbs, which because of the growth boundary, don't really exist.

I raised my children on the Eastern edge of Portland's growth boundary. That subdivision was built in the late '70's/early 80's. There were literally no houses to the East of me and only farms. When the kids were really little we played in the snow in a field where the grade school they would eventually go to was built. (I worked in Beaverton half the time, but also half the time I worked 8 minutes from home. When I worked in Beaverton (40 miles away on the Western side of Portland Metro for those who don't know), always made sure that I got home by 4:30 for Little League (to coach) and other sporting events.)

I thought that it would be the final edge to the growth, but no....about 5 years ago another 4000 homes were built to the North and East of there, all the way up to 282nd Avenue. I do believe, though that 282nd Ave will be the final edge.

Of course, when I was a kid I'd pick berries all the way out on the farms that are currently 182nd Avenue.

After the kids grew, it was back to the inner-city (14th and Ainsworth) as it got to be too much out there (not enough diversity). After 7 years of that, it was enough. Now I'm out in the country....much more peaceful.

[Trace's Daddy]

Wow, I always thought the Shirley Plantation here in VA was the oldest. Hope it stays operational and it doesn't become a Wal-Mart or something.

[Chip R]

I saw "378 year old" and I thought this thread was going to be about RFS.