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Land Use
Although Saratoga County has experienced one of the fastest rates of
growth in New York State, and has lost 130,000 acres of farmland in the
last forty years, a significant portion of Saratoga County remains rural
and agricultural. In fact agriculture remains one of the largest
industries in the county. There are over 400 farms covering over 70,000
acres of land. Agricultural operations range from Christmas tree farms,
roadside vegetable stands, pick your own orchards, nurseries, and sod
farms, to sheep, horse and dairy farms. In fact, the dairy industry
remains the largest portion of the agricultural sector in Saratoga County
totaling close to 60 farms and accounting for the largest agricultural
land use. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga works closely with the
Saratoga County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board, representing a
broad-based groups of farmers, agricultural business persons, and county
agencies. This board strives to promote agriculture and protect farmland
in the county, and completed an Agricultural & Farmland Protection
Plan for Saratoga County in December of 1997. Copies of the Executive
Summary can be obtained by contacting our office or emailing a request. We are also in the process of updating Saratoga Farms A Resource
Guide to Farms in Saratoga County originally published in 1997 by a
collaboration of groups. The guide includes a farm map, directory, list of
events, and highlights four seasons of farm products and activities to do
right here in Saratoga County. One important agricultural promotion project is Bacon Hill Farms Beckon;
A Guide to the Farm Heritage of Bacon Hill, a website and brochure. This was a collaborative project with American
Farmland Trust, a private, non-profit conservation organization, and
included support from the agricultural community, local historians, and
many others. To find out more, please check it out at The value of farms reaches far beyond the products and fresh food farms supply, to include the economic benefits of jobs for the community, scenic open space, rural character, and the tourism that these landscapes and activities attract. Agricultural land is a finite resource, one to help preserve for generations to come.
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visitors since 01/11/2007