Belonging to the land by Madison Acra
My grandfather, Lee Payne, purchased the slice of land we consider heaven in 1961. “Lee Lee” as all the grandchildren called him, had the foresight to secure this property so that his children and their children would learn to appreciate everything nature has to give. Our Bearskin cabin, along with Seaview and Rose Cottage, sit upon Finney Creek in Accomack County. This land has become an oasis for both my immediate and extended family. A quiet haven away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Only an hour and a half drive from our home in Hampton Roads, by the time we get to Bearskin, it feels as if we are in a whole other world.
Encouraged by my grandfather, to make sure that not only my generation but hopefully future generations would enjoy this land, my parents decided to put an easement on the property in 2006. I firmly believe this was one of the best decisions they have ever made. Knowing this property will maintain its natural beauty for many generations to follow, is truly extraordinary. I look forward to continuing the tradition, created by my grandfather, of belonging to a special landscape – our home on the shore.
Read Madison’s full story about Bearskin.
More than home, a place to share with nature and the next generation by Meriwether Payne
I first came to Rose Cottage Farm, now my brother Ben’s home, in 1961 when my parents, Eunice and Lee Payne, purchased it. I was three. It was a weekend wonderland for us kids with fields, woods, saltwater, dirt, sand, mud and all the critters we could possibly try to catch from tiny tadpoles in the pond to monster sharks off the pier. I couldn’t have been luckier.
My father purchased a neighboring property, Seaview, in 1969. For me, Seaview Farm, where I now live, is more than just my home. It is nature’s portal to Finney Creek, which leads out to Burton’s Bay, which backs up to Cedar Island with the ocean beyond. It’s all connected. I believe that being a good steward of this farm will protect the adjacent creeks and marshes for all the creatures that live in them and all those who depend on them for their livelihood and recreation. It was an easy decision to protect in perpetuity what was my second home for the first 30 years of my life and where I’ve lived for the last 30 years.
Read Meriwether’s full story about Seaview.
Nature connects generations by Ben Payne
My parents purchased the Rose Cottage farm in the months before I was born, and it was the idyllic escape from our Tidewater home, travelling by ferry back then, where the whole family could explore the outdoors and experience the unique environs of the Eastern Shore peninsula. My sisters and I were frequently turned loose here, and we grew up with a special appreciation for the natural world, flora and fauna, that most of our urban counterparts missed.
My wife and I took ownership in the 1990’s. We’ve turned our own 3 children loose on it, allowing the land to stimulate a full appreciation of the natural world and the outdoors in all of us. This chance to preserve this unique setting and retain the opportunity for future people to have it imprint on their lives was assured when we chose to put a conservation easement on Rose Cottage, creating, with several of our neighbors, a unique sanctuary in our seaside creek.
Read Ben’s full story about Rose Cottage.
History
Meriwether Payne placed a conservation easement on her farm, Seaview, in December of 2005. Her brother, Ben, and sister, Ruth (Madison’s mom) and their families followed protecting Rose Cottage and Bearskin in December of 2006. The three properties were originally purchased in the 60s by their father, Lee Payne, who encouraged them all to preserve the land. Together they represent 406.5 acres of conserved land along Finney Creek in Accomack County, Va. They are adjacent to Nickawampus Farm 379 acres also protected with an easement through VES Land Trust. Meriwether serves on the VES Land Trust Board of Directors.