Bob’s Beloved Land

The Straub Family Woodlands

On December  24, 1942, Robert C. Straub and Eileen R. Potts united their lives in marriage.  They spent their honeymoon at an old farmhouse on the property which Bob’s parents, Joseph and Sara Straub,  purchased in 1934.  This property overlooks the east shore of Round Lake, northeast of Columbia City, Indiana.  Within a few months after the honeymoon, Bob enlisted in the Navy to serve during WWII....

 more about Bob's woodlands

Martz Family Farm in Whitley County

As told by Hugh Martz, modern-day conservationist and historian

 The Martz story

Photo credit: rwkvisual via Foter.com / CC BY

Eigsti Farm 

Thousands of people in Elkhart County drive by this land and never give it a glance.  Located just east of Goshen on State Road 4, there is nothing unique about the land. There are a few old buildings, a hay field and some brush and trees. And except for the conservation easement on this small parcel of farmland, it would be just another prime spot for new residential development in a rapidly growing county. And in 1998, Wood Land Lakes Land Trust accepted its first conservation easement on this 36 acres.  This seemingly modest start for a new land trust represents something much more important than a simple easement on a small parcel of land.  The Eigsti Farm was owned by Orie Eigsti, the developer of the seedless watermelon. While it is unclear if Orie conducted any research at this location, his family’s deep love for agriculture and the land provided our land trust with its inaugural conservation easement and a chance to preserve a piece of agricultural history.

Eigsti Family story

Mike and Rhonda Yoder 

Until retiring from dairy farming in 2020, Mike and Rhonda Yoder were stewards of Crystal Valley Dairy Farms in Elkhart County, Indiana.

The 450 cow dairy operation and 160 acres were part of a innovative  pilot project in Elkhart County.  The project leased development rights utilizing an Elkhart County Agricultural Tax Incremental Financing district. The farmland was sold to another farm family and now Mike and Rhonda  reside on a 70-acre ruminant of the farm. This 70 acres has a conservation easement held by Wood-Land-Lakes Land Trust.  It features 30 acres of tillable land, a scenic farm pond, and a woodland and wetland area that each year rolls out a breathtaking palette of wildflowers, including a large display of trillium.  

The dairy farm operation was an early adapter of management practices which incorporated cover crops and reducing herbicide inputs.   Click here to learn more about the dairy farm and its cover crop practices

Waugh Farm 

Located in White County Indiana, this conservation easement includes about 7,500 acres of diversified farmland.  This farm boasts traditional cropland, woodlands, pastures, a wind farm, and even two city parks!  The wind turbines are part of a larger wind farm, producing environmentally-friendly energy for Indiana.

Additional information soon.

Poyser Family Farm

Video interview