WESTPORT — It’s a picture that should accompany a Robert Frost poem: a stone wall fence, black-and-white cows grazing in a field, as well as barns and a wind turbine.
This “iconic” image on Main Road was in danger of vanishing, but the Westport Land Conservation Trust is planning to purchase the Shy Brothers Farm and preserve its agricultural charm, officials say.
The WLCT entered into a purchase and sales agreement with the Santos brothers — Kevin, Arthur, Norman and Karl — who are retiring as dairy farmers. They are scheduled to finalize the sale in October for this approximately 125-acre property, next to the Herb Hadfield Conservation area, streams and other natural treasures. The brothers are still operating their cheese business and running the farm through the closing, according to the trust.
“This is the iconic farm that you see coming down Main Road,” said Selectmen Vice Chairman Brain Valcourt. “It is in every historical Westport book I have ever seen. We all know it. We all love it.”
WLCT recently met with the Agricultural Open Space Council, the Community Preservation Committee and selectmen. CPC agreed to finance $500,000 toward the $4.25 million purchase. Most funds will come from private donations and other sources that the WLCT has and will seek out, including the state Division of Fish & Game.
WLCT Land Specialist Steve Sloan told the agricultural council that the WLCT has been working with the Santos brothers for close to two years. Negotiations were not always smooth, according to town officials. The brothers listed the property for sale in August, but not before the WLCT persuaded the four Santos siblings to sell the property to the WLCT.
Sloan told the agricultural council that both sources met in the middle. The WLCT would have liked to purchase the property for a lower amount while the Santos brothers would have liked to sell higher.
The agricultural council agreed to match the CPC contribution of $500,000, putting the town’s potential contribution to the project at around $1 million. However, the agricultural council has $658,000 in its coffers.
Valcourt stressed that it is a good investment.
Valcourt added that a tract of land not used for farming will stretch out to the Herb Hadfield property.
Cole and Moran mentioned that most of their projects — which have included preserving fields that will be used for youth athletics, community parks and farms — rely on town funding for only a small percentage. Moran said there is mostly a 7-1 ratio for WLCT projects, with the town incurring the smaller end of that breakdown.