Patterson Farm is owned by the township of Lower Makefield so it’s preserved and safe from development, right? Well….not quite. Much of Patterson Farm is protected by conservation easements but its homes, barns and buildings as well as the land they are built on and a significant amount of prime farmland remain unprotected.

Government defunding of the farms maintenance has taken a toll. Patterson Farm has produced an abundance of income, that’s not the issue. The problem is, the income has not been dedicated for upkeep. It’s a “planned obsolescence” by the governing body that is frankly mystifying when one considers the importance of small, local farms in a world faced with climate change, supply line & farm labor shortages, concerns about food deserts, and a decreasing number of American farmers. Our community deserves to have a place where food is grown and sold by our local farmers, especially young farmers as is the case with Patterson Farm. Shouldn’t we be more supportive of our young farmer neighbors? Harvests from Patterson Farm support local food pantries. So why haven’t elected officials taken better care of this gem?

Please sign our petition to tell elected officials to save a place for local agriculture, support Lower Makefield farmers, and adopt an affirmative maintenance plan for the farms essential homes, barns and outbuildings. We, and future generations, thank you.