The Larimer County Department of Natural Resources (LCDNR) is pursuing a conservation buyer for Little Thompson Farm, a 211-acre property located one mile southwest of the Town of Berthoud along Highway 287.

The county will place a conservation easement on the farm prior to selling the fee-title to a private landowner that ensures the property and associated water portfolio are conserved in perpetuity.  The conservation easement will allow the Little Thompson Farm to remain in agriculture and be protected from development, thus ensuring all the public benefits associated with the farm (agriculture, scenic, cultural, and community separator) are conserved in perpetuity.  

This model of seeking a conservation buyer was contemplated at the time of the original purchase of the farm in 2016, and when the current farming lease ended in 2022 the county determined the timing was conducive to completing this remaining element of the conservation project.  Larimer County will retain a trail easement on the property to allow for potential future public access.

The prospective sale of the farm with a conservation easement in place allows the county to recover both acquisition and long-term management funds to reinvest back into land conservation projects within Larimer County.  In general, for lands that are primarily in cropland production, the county prefers to conserve these lands through a conservation easement, keeping the daily management of the property in the hands of private farmers. 

Larimer County’s land acquisition strategy is informed by the Open Lands Master Plan, which included extensive public input.  

To learn more about the farm and conservation buyer opportunity, please visit