For Cynthia Potter Johnson, the Potter Farm is more than just a piece of land. It is the living pulse of her family’s legacy.

That’s where she grew up.

This 90-acre farm on Oak Hill Road in Concord has been in the Potter family for at least two centuries, and their ancestors valued their land.

“It brings back good memories,” Johnson said, her voice shaking with emotion as she thought back to the farm that had shaped her youth. “It was quiet. It was that point in my life – my carefree days.”

Although she now lives in Keene, Johnson’s connection to the farm remains strong.

She was determined to protect the land from development and made a decision that honors both her ancestors and future generations.

Johnson has ensured the farm’s preservation by placing the entire property under conservation protection with the Five Rivers Conservation Trust, a move that will ensure the land remains pristine for generations to come.

But her strongest motivation was not environmental protection, but the preservation of the Potter name – a name that her father bore with immense pride.

“My father was very proud to be a Potter,” Johnson said. “I know the preservation is excellent, especially in this day and age, but for me it was more about keeping the name there.”

The preserve includes 56 acres of forest used for maple sugar production and lumber, while another 27 acres adjacent to Turtle Pond are open fields for growing hay and produce.

Dave Potter, Johnson’s nephew, now tends the farm and lives on the property. He grows vegetables and berries that are sold at the Potter farm stand. His extensive gardens produce an array of fresh vegetables, from cucumbers to pumpkins, and he also makes maple sugar products, including maple syrup aged in bourbon barrels.

The effort to protect Potter Farm is a long-term project led by Five Rivers that includes years of fundraising and the completion of the purchase of conservation easements.

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Agricultural Land Easement Program and the City of Concord each contributed 50% of the purchase price of the easement. In addition, the City of Concord funded the survey and required assessments, both important components of the project.

“The preservation of Potter Farm has been a long time coming through the efforts of many individuals,” said Liz Short, executive director of the Five Rivers Trust, in an email statement. “Through it all, Cynthia has been the driving force that got us across the finish line. Her vision and determination to permanently protect her family farm are the foundation of everything we have done.”

Johnson doesn’t visit the farm often, but every walk she takes there still evokes deep emotions.

“It’s mostly because of my dad,” Johnson says of her decision to donate the land to conservation.