Newsfeed

Deeper than any flower, vegetable, or tree, the strongest roots on some land are those of the families who call it home. For this family, that truth has been passed down through generations like a cherished heirloom.

In the early 1950s, my grandmother, her best friend, and their daughters drove up a nearly abandoned farm road to visit a property her mother (my great-grandmother) once loved.

Years earlier, a fire had destroyed the original home. Only a chimney, old barn, chicken coop, and memories of a once-working farm remained. Heartbroken, my great-grandmother had never returned.

But my grandmother saw something else. Potential.

She dreamed of bringing the land back to life, turning a place of sorrow into joy. So the women camped out, dug a latrine, built a fireplace, cooked over open flames, and hauled water from a spring. It wasn’t easy, but it was healing.

“The girls were enchanted by the land, by the freedom and adventure,” the women recalled, “they kept telling their mother (my great-grandmother) they needed to stay"

And stay they did.

Over time the women convinced my great-grandmother to return. They led her to sweeping views of the Valley, through sunlit meadows, and down to the pond for a swim in clear waters.

Slowly, the farm came alive again, and so did her love for it.

Soon after, a new house was built. What was once a site of grief became a home alive with laughter, gathering, and peace. From then on, generation after generation has returned — to rest, to celebrate, to maintain the house and barn, and to reconnect with nature.

Part of a community

This story is one of many, where families connect deeply to the land. In the Valley, land is more than property. It holds memories, identity, and belonging, and becomes a part of your family, and your family becomes part of the land.

But as development pressures grow, we risk losing more than forests and fields. We risk losing the ties between people and place, ties that root generations to the land and each other.

The Mount Washington Valley is now one of New Hampshire’s most sought-after places to live and visit. Without thoughtful conservation, that popularity could permanently change its character and displace families where the land defines them.

For this family, conserving their land has ensured it will remain a place of peace and connection, whether passed to their children or shared with a new family who will love it just as deeply.

“Conserving your land is one of the greatest gifts you can give to your family and the community,” reflects this landowner.

They’re not alone

Today, more than a dozen families in eleven towns are actively exploring land conservation — each one reflecting on how to protect the places they love and uphold their own legacy.

Note: This family shared their story while wishing to remain anonymous. We respect their privacy and are honored to pass their story on to you. The farm in the photo is representative of the farm in the story, but is not the same farm.