Agricultural Conservation Easement Program - Agricultural Land Easements

Kiessel Orchard

Brothers Ed and Don Kiessel grow cherries in Leelanau County, Michigan. "Just cherries,” said Ed. "I always say smart farmers grow something else, like apples, to give a longer season for your help, more diversified income, all of that. But it becomes about economies of scale. You’ve got to get different equipment for different trees; you need more acreage and volume to make it worthwhile," he said. "To say it’s a labor of love would be an understatement," Ed grins.

About the Orchard

The land has had a long track record of successful farming, which Ed attributes to its elevation and soil quality. The excellent soil, sloping beauty, and connectivity to other farms make this land highly attractive to developers.

Why the Landowner Chose Permanent Protection

Over on the elevated portion of young cherry trees, one can almost get a view of land and trees. A collection of newly constructed homes blips the panorama. Ed, while saddened by the hardy farmland being sold off, understands the harsh realities of farming. “It’s not easy. These last three years, in particular, have been brutal. Labor is a big challenge right now. Everything we use for day-to-day operations has gone up in price.”

He said there are also climate concerns to deal with. Over the last several seasons, late March or early April temperatures have warmed enough to cause early budding of the cherry trees. After the warm spell is gone, another frost will likely occur, and they’ll lose a portion of their crop.

Frustrating as the circumstances can get, for the Kiessels, farming is a way of life. Placing their orchard into a conservation easement provided both funding and protection to ensure the land remained in agricultural production and would never be developed. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) partners with entities like the LeeLanau Conservancy to purchase conservation easements to protect working farms and ranches. Easements allow farmers to keep the land as a working farm in perpetuity and profit from its increased market value without having to sell it for development.

How the Land was Protected

The 108-acre Kiessel Orchard was protected with funding from the LeeLanau Conservancy and NRCS. NRCS's uses its Agricultural Conservation Easement Program - Agricultural Land Easement (ACEP-ALE) to work with partners to secure easements.

What was Accomplished

Ed’s and Don’s deep roots in Leelanua could never have allowed it to be anything other than farmland. Their semi-retirement plans include spending more time getting back to those farming roots.

Working the Farm

There’s a checklist that’s never quite finished when it comes to chores. No matter what else is going on in their lives, there are always trees to prune, land to reshape, or a piece of equipment to work on. They wouldn’t have it any other way. Both Ed and Don grew up working on the family farm. Days were spent pruning and fertilizing trees, picking up brush, burning brush piles, and staying out of their mom’s hair.

“Don and I are 11 months apart. We have a younger sister, and my mom was a stay-at-home mom. My dad needed the work done, and my mom needed us out of the house, so it worked out really well,” Ed explained.

About the Partners

Leelanua Conservancy 

The Leelanua Conservancy preserves the beauty and ecological integrity of the Leelanua Peninsula upholding the founding fathers vision to keep the Peninsula healthy and a nurturing community that cherishes the Peninsula’s waters, forests, and farms.