“When I decided to move to America, my dream was to own a farm that would hand-raise free-range, grass-fed, chemical-free animals in a humane way for the people of my community,” says Michael Vestergaard. The Denmark native took a first step toward realizing that dream when he bought the 113-acre Frederick Farm on Wagner Rd. near Ann Arbor–Saline Rd. in 2010, and a second in 2019, when he opened an on-site market.
Now his dream—and his workload—have doubled: with a big boost from Scio Township’s farmland preservation program, he’s buying the 101-acre Renz Farm farther north on Wagner, near Liberty.
“I had been looking around for more land, but I quickly learned I would have to go very far from Ann Arbor to find land I could afford,” Vestergaard says. “Then I heard that Scio Township was interested in buying a conservation easement for the Renz Farm.”
Although the property has always been prime agricultural land, the township’s master plan permits one-acre residential development there. “We knew that developers would jump at the chance to acquire the land when they heard it was for sale,” says Scio’s preservation consultant, Barry Lonik. When they learned that the Renz heirs were ready to sell, “that motivated us to work fast.”
The township has a dedicated millage to purchase conservation easements on lands a 2004 survey rated as “high-priority properties.” Owners agree to maintain their property as farmland in exchange for the value they would have received if it were developed.
Vestergaard and other local farmers toured the farm, and three submitted proposals for its conservation and food production. Vestergaard’s was chosen. It helped, Lonik says, that he already had land nearby and he offered to hold educational programs.
The township cobbled together funds from local, regional, state, and national sources to pay the Renz heirs “just shy of $3 million” for the conservation easement, according to Lonik. Vestergaard then paid them $330,000.
“I’ve never dealt with so much money and so many sources in all my years in preservation,” says Lonik, with awe in his voice.
Immediately after the deal was reached, Scio’s fire chief suggested that nine acres of the property would be an ideal site for a future fire station. Vestergaard agreed to amend the contract. Until funding is approved for the new station, he will use the land as pasturage.
“I believe that local, organic farms will do as much—or more—to resolve environmental concerns than just driving electric cars,” the farmer says. “The average age of the American farmer is sixty. We need to inspire younger generations to farm.”
