The Marin Agricultural Land Trust closed on an agricultural easement for the Fallon Ranch, a 186-acre ranch in Tomales that supports grazing and row cropping. The purchase of the easement, which cost $825,000 and requires that the land remain in agriculture, was funded through private donations, a county grant and a grant from the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Owner Scott Murphy purchased the property in 1979 and has since planted trees and installed fencing to keep cattle out of Stemple Creek. MALT said that 20 bird species have returned to the riparian zone since a restoration project was completed. The land has also been certified organic. These days, Mr. Murphy leases virtually all of the ranchlands to other producers: the owner of Petaluma Creamery grazes dairy cattle on 120 acres, and David Little, who owns Little Organic Farm, dry farms potatoes on 23 acres. Another 35 acres is leased for growing silage.
The money from the easement will permit Mr. Murphy to buy the other half of the ranch—which is comprised of two legal lots—from his former wife, Anne Murphy, who is moving out of the area. Without the easement, the property could have sold and fallen out of agricultural use.