Pure Branding to develop brand for world’s first organic homesites and visionary model for farmland preservation
Posted on Fri, Aug 28, 2009
Leverett, MA — Pure Branding has been engaged by FarmSavers Trust for a comprehensive brand launch. The company, created by visionary real estate developer Bruce Poor, preserves precious farmland by converting the infertile portions of unprofitable farms into luxury organic homesites crafted in partnership with the working farmland. Poor’s model creates a new model for sustainable housing and organic farming — truly, land that works.
Developer, entrepreneur, VW rally car driver, and self-professed “troublemaker” Bruce Poor can now add another moniker to his mantle: luxury agro-style living pioneer. He’s on his way to establishing the world’s first certified organic homesites on a 320-acre organic farm in the southern Berkshires in Western Massachusetts, and in the process create a ground-breaking development model that will help save American farmland.
Poor’s track record includes the conversion of over 1% of Nantucket’s total land mass into conservation land through developments clustered around open land that preserve the island’s fishing village character. After multiple successes in Nantucket, Poor purchased the 320-acre Konkapot Farm in the Berkshire foothills in 2000 for $900,000, and set about to redefine organic agro-style living. Poor was inspired by the traditional farm estates in the Scottish Highlands and incorporated their approach of using livestock to help clear the land. Poor began acquiring a number of heritage breeds—rare and endangered livestock such as Belted Galloway cows, Soay sheep and Exmoor ponies—that decrease the need for tractors and heavy equipment to manage the land.
After a decade and $3.5 million investment to groom and contour the land, the 71-year-old Poor decided to offer others the opportunity to share in the stewardship of the land. In contrast to other developments where the emphasis is on the housing rather than the land, Poor has committed to only four homesites that leave the most fertile 80% of the land for farming. The homesites will each be 15 certified organic acres—owners will have five acres on which to build and ten acres that will be integrated into the farm as a buffer. Each owner’s ten-acre farmstead is under an Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR)—and can never be re-divided or repurposed. Owners will enjoy access to all 320 acres of the organic farm’s riding trails, ponds, meadows, woodland, and waterways. The homesites are priced from $950,000.
Poor launched FarmSavers with the vision to expand agro-style living across the Northeast to save farms from development. Every minute, we are losing two acres of America’s prime farmland. “Once its gone, it’s gone for good. I want to help reverse this trend. Working organic farms embrace conservation, nutritional diversity and whole living. It is an opportunity to live a cleaner, healthier lifestyle—on land that is free from pesticides and herbicides,” Poor explained. His concept ensures that the land remains working farmland maintaining its health through organic farming—while at the same time creating upscale homes that support the local economy.
About Pure Branding, Inc.:
Pure Branding is a leading consultancy dedicated to brand strategy for companies in the natural products industry. Global clients include Gaia Herbs, Traditional Medicinals, Aura Cacia, Organic India, Vitamin Angels, and Dr. Hauschka Skin Care. For more information, call 413-548-9900 or visit www.purebranding.com.
