"Our donors really appreciate the fact that when they put a dollar into farmland preservation, they know it will go twice as far and will preserve twice as much farmland," she said.
"It's really helped us and has furthered the cause of farmland preservation, which, as we all know, is if not the most important issue among Lancaster County residents, it certainly is one of the top three."
The commissioners announced the challenge grant for the trust in January as part of a plan to spend $9 million to preserve farmland this year.
The county's agricultural preserve board received $8 million of that total.
The trust has a better track record than the county in preserving farms owned by Old Order Amish and Mennonites, who often prefer not to work with the government, but are interested in protecting farmland from development.
Jeff Swinehart, the trust's director of land preservation, said the organization's goal is to preserve 20 farms covering about 1,360 acres this year.
So far, the trust has preserved 11 farms covering 860 acres.
"The other nine farms are in the pipeline, and they will be preserved by the end of the year," he said.
Martynick said the trust has been working on building partnerships with businesses in the county that will benefit from farmland preservation, such as Strasburg Railroad and Turkey Hill Dairy.
The railroad last year began donating five cents from every ticket it sells to the trust. That effort raised $20,000 last year.
"The railroad is one of the top tourist attractions in the county," Martynick said. "If there were development all along the route of the Strasburg Railroad, I suggest they wouldn't be as popular a tourist attraction."
The trust has preserved one farm along the railroad and is working on agreements for several others "within the viewshed," she said.
A long-time contributor to the trust, Turkey Hill late last year announced its plans to donate to the trust up to $50,000 from the sale of its new "All Natural Recipe Philadelphia Style" line of ice cream.
Martynick said she is working on developing partnerships with other businesses as well.
"Not only do the people of Lancaster County support farmland preservation, but the businesses support farmland preservation," she said.
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