A 15-acre farm in Landenberg owned by the family of Sophie Rodney Pyle Homsey, a descendant of artist Howard Pyle, has been permanently preserved by Natural Lands, writes Michael Rellahan for the Daily Local News. 

In addition to preserving forests and meadows, the conservation easement also makes sure that more than 600 feet of a tributary to East Branch White Clay Creek is also protected. 

Homsey lived on the farm for over three decades. She tended to the property with her husband, and she was dedicated to keeping it as nature had intended. After her death three years ago, her family put the conservation plan in place. 

“She had a love of the land,” said her son, Andrew Homsey. “For us, this is a real statement of her legacy and what drew her to the region in the first place. We feel this is an important part of the ideals she represented when she was still alive.” 

The Homsey conservation easement prevents subdivision and development and places limits on the activities that could result in soil-laden run-offs and sedimentation, most notably on the farm’s steep slopes, woodlands, and stream edges. 

Read more about the preserved farm in the Daily Local News.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in July 2022.