This past summer, Jim and Gayle Kane conserved their farm. The 343-acre Bourbon County farm located in the Cooper’s Run National Historic District, features rolling hills and meadows, beautiful woodlands, and a diversity of wildlife habitat. Home to the Kane family, as well as a large herd of Black Angus cattle and a variety of wildlife, this land is indeed special.

“I came to this area because I realized how important open land is to me, my family, and to the place I call home,” remarked Jim. A businessman by day and always a farmer on the side, Jim came to Kentucky in 1962. Within ten years he had settled the family on a Harrison County farm, where he planned to spend the rest of his days enjoying the panoramic views and peacefully quiet countryside. 

But by the time Jim was able to retire from business, the family farm had been surrounded by developments, traffic, and noise.  After three decades on their Harrison County land, the Kanes reluctantly began looking for a new home. 

On the return trip down Cynthiana Road from seeing another property, the Kanes noticed a For Sale sign had been put up on what would later become Kane Angus Farm. As soon as they walked the land, the Kanes knew “this was it.” After buying the first two tracts Jim actually sold part of the original purchase (an act he says he’ll always regret).  But not long after that experience,  the Kanes were buying instead of selling the land around them – even small, pricey lots from developers – in order to save their farm from the same development fate as their previous Harrison County land.

Deciding to conserve the farm
Jim approached the decision to conserve the family farm much as he does any business venture – with decisiveness. He’d lost one family farm to encroaching development and now had worked tirelessly to build and secure another one.  Jim and Gayle realized that protecting the land would become an excellent retirement and estate planning tool. By taking advantage of federal tax deductions for conserving their land, the Kanes were able to reduce the tax burden related to their retirement plans. 

“I wanted to make sure that what happened to our first farm, didn’t happen to this farm,” remarked Jim, adding “we need places like this in the future. Each community will need a bit of quiet open space to treasure and a place to grow our food.”

The Kanes have a big, close-knit family – eight children, many grandchildren, and another grandchild on the way – including son Bill who manages the herd of Black Angus cattle.  As part of their conservation plan, the Kanes will be able to build future structures and rural businesses that are compatible with the land. As Jim and Gayle watch the sun set and the blue heron flying low across the fields towards Cooper’s Run, they comment on what it means to conserve their family’s land.  “Our kids will always have a place that they can look to, and know that their legacy is part of the community,” remarked Gayle. “As a family, we now have a sense of pride knowing that our land is no longer at risk of massive development.”

Land conserved and in private ownership, like the Kane family’s farm, remains on the local tax roles. The land can be sold, bequeathed, or transferred to new owners yet the commitment to keep the land conserved remains into the future.

“Everything seemed to come together for a reason,” Jim said. “Once the land is out of your hands, you have no idea what someone else may do with it, so it makes a lot of sense to preserve the picturesque setting, the quietness, and the wildlife,” while you can.

Photos by Boo Hardy.