Photo Courtesy of Hugh Kenny

Photo Courtesy of Hugh Kenny

Eight generations of cattle farming had taken its toll on the streams and land at Dean and Carina Elgin’s Mountain Hollow Farm in northern Fauquier County. The foot traffic and waste of 200+ cattle had led to severe streambank erosion, grossly polluted streams, and pastures struggling to remain productive. And although the Elgins qualified for local cost-share funding for modern-day land management practices, they couldn’t afford the more than $120,000 upfront costs.

In 2019, the Elgins got help by way of a short-term loan from the Piedmont Environmental Council’s James M. Rowley Goose Creek Conservation Fund. They fenced out more than 4,100 feet of streams and installed a new well, watering system, hardened stream crossings, and field cross-fencing at Mountain Hollow Farm, giving the farm a new lease on life. They repaid the PEC loan after being reimbursed from the cost-share program, and in the end, will have incurred no out-of-pocket expenses.

Photo Courtesy of Piedmont Environmental Council