In the heart of Alaska’s rich agricultural region, the Alaska Farmland Trust Corporation (AFTC), in partnership with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), permanently protected the 115.22-acre Grover Farm through a conservation easement that ensures the land will remain in agricultural use forever.

Established in 1948 by Clifton and Vera Grover, the farm has stood for over seven decades as a pillar of family farming in the Matanuska Valley. Originally a dairy operation, they shifted over time to running cattle and began to lease portions of the property to other local farmers— continuing a legacy of local food production and stewardship.

“We came up in November of 1948 the first year we plowed all the land in oats and peas and vetch that we used for silage and hay. It is excellent soil. It is very important to learn how wonderful this soil is, this land here is excellent farmland,” said Wesley Grover, longtime valley resident and farmland owner, who worked hard over the past five years with AFTC to see his land stay farmland. “You need the land to plant the crops, you can’t get that any place, they don’t make any more of it. We need to save this good farmland.” 

With the Matanuska-Susitna Valley facing increasing development pressure as the region’s population grows, AFT is stepping up its efforts to safeguard productive farmland. "Across the Valley, we’re seeing farmland converted into housing and non-agricultural uses," said Margaret Adsit, Lands Coordinator for AFTC. "Once it’s gone, it’s gone for good. That’s why it’s crucial to act now."

The Grover Farm conservation easement — which closed on June 13, 2025 — represents not only the protection of valuable farmland but also a deeply personal legacy. Through AFTC’s voluntary conservation program, the Grover family will retain ownership of the land while receiving financial compensation for permanently retiring development rights. This means the land will never be subdivided or paved over — and future generations of farmers will have the opportunity to grow food on it.

“Protecting the Grover family farm is an incredible milestone and an important step toward preserving some of the best soils in the State on the Springer system in Palmer,” said Leslie Senden, AFTC Board President, “This land isn’t just an iconic farm, but it has about 15 feet of beautiful topsoil located close to markets and is perfectly situated for food production in the future.  We at the Farmland Trust are so grateful that the Grover family chose to preserve not only their family’s legacy, but to ensure that this land is available to continue to feed Alaskans in perpetuity.”

“Conservation easements help protect the heart of what makes Alaska so special—its wild spaces, working lands, and the people who have cared for them for generations. These agreements can give families a way to preserve their legacy, keeping their land intact and meaningful for the future. It’s not just about protecting wildlife corridors or farmland—it’s about honoring the stories, memories, and hard work tied to the land, and ensuring that connection lives on," said Jackie Kragel, who coordinates the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) for the NRCS, a key funding and technical partner in the effort. 

This project is part of AFTC’s broader mission to preserve Alaska’s best agricultural soils through voluntary conservation and farmer-centered land access programs. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the closing of the Grover easement marks 519 acres conserved to date. The organization is working toward a more food-secure Alaska, where farmers have the land they need to grow.

The Grover Farm effort also aligns with AFTC’s FarmLink program, which helps connect farmland owners with aspiring farmers to ensure that land stays in active agricultural use.