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We are at a very exciting point with the Bender Melon Farm project. Following a wonderful $250,000 pledge toward the project, we are down to less than $93,000 to close on the property! (updated 10-5-20) This includes the potential sale of a 20-acre area across from Stewart’s Shop on Route 85 to help meet the Town of New Scotland’s hamlet zoning vision, with the remaining 175+/- acres of the Bender Melon Farm Property to be preserved.

With convenient access from the Albany County Helderberg-Hudson Rail Trail, the scenic landscape holds tremendous potential for numerous recreational and educational possibilities. We envision a variety of uses for the land including trails accessible from the Rail Trail, possible ongoing agricultural uses, and vital habitat improvement and restoration. MHLC will also coordinate closely with the Town of New Scotland as they advance the adjacent Hilton Barn restoration. This truly is a historic opportunity to shape future land use in the area. We believe the combination of the Hilton Barn, the Rail Trail, and the Bender Melon Farm will create a community asset unlike any other in the Capital District – linking communities, history, recreation, and conservation.

Generous support from the community has made a profound impact on this project, and our goal is now in sight! Please help us to spread the word about this conservation project—your passion for this land is the voice we need to rally support from the community. Together, we can see this project through, protecting Bender Melon Farm and preserving the rural character of our region for generations to come.

Our October 29th deadline is quickly approaching; please act now to help us reach our goal.

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