LEWES, Del. — The Sussex County Land Trust has successfully obtained to preserve the 88-acre Ard Na Gréine farm in Lewes, securing one of the last large stretches of open space east of Route 1 and keeping it as a working agricultural property for years to come.
The effort began in 2019 and reached completion this week after years of coordination, funding and planning. The land trust went under contract in 2023 and worked through multiple partnerships to finalize the preservation of the property, which has long been tied to the Wells family.
“This project represents the very best of what partnership can accomplish,” said Sara Bluhm, executive director of the Sussex County Land Trust. “Ard Na Gréine is a truly special place, and from the very beginning, there was a shared commitment to doing this the right way. This is about more than preserving land—it’s about honoring a family legacy, supporting agriculture, and creating a thoughtful vision for the future of this region.”
The farm has been cared for by Linda Miller for the past 21 years, continuing a family connection that spans decades in Sussex County.
“My family’s roots are in Sussex County,” Miller said. “For more than 70 years, this family farm has always been a very special place, and I was honored to be its caretaker for the last 21 years. We are most grateful to everyone who recognizes the value of agriculture and its heritage in this area.”
Funding for the project came from a mix of public and private sources. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service supported an agricultural land easement, while the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control backed a recreational easement connecting to the Georgetown-Lewes Trail. Additional funding came from Sussex County Council, the Longwood Foundation and $1.25 million in private donations raised with the Greater Lewes Foundation.
The property will remain an active farm and is not currently open to the public. Access from Donovan’s Road will stay private while the land trust develops a long-term plan that could include limited public use such as passive recreation.
Leaders say the preservation marks both a milestone and a starting point, as the Sussex County Land Trust begins planning for the land’s future while balancing agriculture, conservation and community input.
