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06/13/2006
Conservancy buys farm
Volunteer Jay Swink holds a hand-forged nail salvaged from an old piece of timber of the hay barn on the DeYoung property. TRAVERSE CITY — It's official — the Leelanau Conservancy bought the farm. The nonprofit closed May 30 on the purchase of the 145-acre Louis DeYoung farmstead, located in Leelanau County's Elmwood Township. Plans call for preserving the property as a natural area open to the public for hiking, fishing, cross-country skiing and wildlife observation. Total project costs are estimated at about $2 million, and the conservancy hoped to raise $500,000 before the June 1 closing deadline. Since December it raised $230,554 in donations, plus another large gift from a former resident who lived near the property. The conservancy plans to obtain a loan to meet other costs while continuing fundraising, director Brian Price said. "The fundraising for this project is not a sprint, it's a marathon and we expect it will take a few years to complete," he said. "We've had a very broad base of support. I think we're where we hoped to be at this time." Those efforts will include a grant application to the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund that will be submitted in April 2007. 
Volunteers clean up the old DeYoung hay barn in Elmwood Township during a Leelanau Conservancy work bee. The conservancy closed May 30 on the purchase of the 145-acre farmstead. The conservancy put down $50,000 in December for an option to buy the property that is surrounded by rapid development. The parcel stretches across Cherry Bend Road and features nearly a mile of undeveloped Cedar Lake shoreline, clear streams and hilltop views of Grand Traverse Bay. The land became available when DeYoung died in 2004. Possible improvements include a boardwalk trail near Cedar Lake and foot paths through the property that could connect to the Leelanau Trail. Volunteers converged last week to clean out the hay barn and begin restoring gardens around the aging, mustard-colored farmhouse, which recently had its roof replaced. Guided hikes through the property are scheduled throughout the summer. Visitors can also explore the DeYoung Natural Area on Aug. 3 during the Leelanau Conservancy's annual picnic and silent auction, which will be held on the property. For more information, call (231) 256-9665 or visit www.theconservancy.com.
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