Final harvest set for Harmans farm
Source: hometownannapolis.com, by GRANT HUANG, Staff Writer
February 26, 2007
After more than a century of growing peaches, pumpkins and other produce in Harmans, the Boyers are calling it quits.
Ridgely Boyer and his family have agreed to sell their 52-acre farm to a Severna Park developer who plans to put more than 200 homes on the land, a rural speck in an ever-growing stretch of suburbia.
Mr. Boyer, who has been running the farm since 1983 with brother-in-law, Gregg Gibson, said it wasn't an easy decision to sell a part of his family history.
"It took a lot of soul-searching to do this," Mr. Boyer said. "It's not like a stock I owned that I want to get rid of now."
While the farm's profits have been fairly steady, he said his health was a major factor in the decision.
"I've been doing this since I was 18 and my body's wearing out," said Mr. Boyer, 54. "What we do on a small farm like this requires a lot of hand work. I'm getting older and things have changed. It's a fact of life."
The Boyer family has signed a contract to sell the land to Dreamcraft Homes. At a Harman Civic Association meeting Thursday night, the company unveiled plans for a mix of townhouses and single-family homes at the intersection of Harmans Road and Severn Road. The area sits about one mile from Arundel Mills mall, and almost two miles from BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport.
"We're in the very early stages at this point," Dreamcraft President Milt Horn said. "We haven't submitted anything to the county yet."
Not surprisingly, few of the roughly 30 area residents at the meeting liked the idea of losing the farmland.
"I've been here since (1989)," said Bobi Dutton, who lives on Macedonia Drive. "It was always beautiful. I'll be very sad to see it go. Nobody wants to see this happen … but we knew it would."
Since the late 1800s, Boyer Farms has been growing peaches, plums, apples, pumpkins and a variety of other fruits and vegetables. From mid-April to October, the Boyer family sells the produce at a stand near the edge of their property.
The demise of the Boyer farm will leave two working farms in north county, once home to dozens of small truck farms.
The largest is Papa John's Farm, also known as Schillinger's Farm Inc. The Schillinger family has 80 acres in Millersville and Severn, as well as another 170 acres on the Eastern Shore. Pumphrey's Farm in Millersville totals 45 acres.
Mr. Boyer said the new homes are part of the county's natural progression as its population grows. An influx of 10,000 defense-related jobs to the area around Fort Meade is expected to bring more changes to north county over the next decade.
"For a farmer, our retirement comes from the soil," Mr. Boyer said. "I don't get a pension or health insurance."
Mr. Boyer said he is satisfied with Dreamcraft's work so far. Dreamcraft has been a home developer in the county for more than 20 years.
"I've been very impressed with (Mr. Horn). He's been very forthright."
Neither Mr. Horn nor Mr. Boyer would disclose financial terms of the sale.
The Boyers will retain their house on the land, but most of their farm buildings - including greenhouses - will be removed during construction, Mr. Horn said.
According to Mr. Horn, the development process should be relatively smooth. The land is zoned for townhouses and single-family homes, with no variances needed.
The townhouses will have between three and four bedrooms, with the majority of the single-family homes having four bedrooms.
A traffic study has been conducted and the development phase will include the widening of Harman Road to better accommodate future crowding. Along the same lines, the townhouses will feature two-car garages to reduce the need for outside parking space.
"The impact along Harman Road should be minimal," Mr. Horn said.
Nevertheless, area residents were skeptical about traffic and the addition of townhouses in a community now defined by single-family homes.
"Traffic is going to be a problem … especially on our street," said Klaus Fischer, who lives on Macedonia Drive. "And the effect that townhouses will have on the community is definitely going to be negative. The idea is that things need to be consistent."
The project will also preserve a large amount of "green space" to give the future community a park-like feel. Dreamcraft also is considering ways to preserve two ponds already on the property.
"I always try to be a good neighbor," Mr. Horn said.
He estimated it would take at least two years to begin construction, though he had no official timeframe.
Association President Wayne Dixon summed up the community's reaction as resigned but assertive.
"The community's feeling is that this is something that was always going to happen," he said. "(Dreamcraft) is ahead of the pack, so let's put their feet to the fire and try to get the most reasonable fit we can."
