It Contains Multitudes: a Farm in Sams Valley
A 133-acre privately conserved farm on Meadows Road in Sams Valley, north of the Table Rocks, supports a multitude of conservation values.
A federally endangered lily
Crop land for alfalfa and barley
Pastures with seasonal grazing
Un-grazed valley-floor oak woodlands, meadows, and chaparral
A pine plantation
Prime deer and elk habitat
Western pond turtles swimming in Snider Creek
The owner, Jud Parsons, strongly believes working lands and conservation should go hand in hand. The bustling of bluebirds and swallows in the bird boxes, the carefully managed cattle pastures, and the buffering of the streamside forest from adjacent agricultural use all demonstrate Jud’s commitment to conservation, farming, and wildlife.
History
In 2002, the owner placed a conservation easement on this diverse property and years later, in 2011, a patch of a federally endangered lily, Gentner’s fritillary, was discovered by SOLC staff. Which just goes to show, land conservation includes protecting species and other conservation values not always readily apparent. It is a gift that keeps on giving.
Of historical note: private properties in rural Sams Valley were condemned during World War II to make way for artillery training for troops stationed at nearby Camp White. Farm houses and barns were razed to the ground. Even headstones were placed on their sides in the pioneer cemetery on Antioch Road. This property contains the remnant foundation of an old homestead, still marked to this day by a bloom of daffodils in the spring. The restored historical cemetery is adjacent to another conserved 128-acre farm in Sams Valley.
Please note this property is privately conserved and not open to the public.
Farm pond, oak woodlands, and chaparral.
Owner Jud Parsons, leans against a large oak tree.
Gentner’s fritillary, a federally endangered wildflower.
Meadow with view of Mount McLoughlin photo by Thomas Kirchen.
