County unveils revamped dairy farm

Master plan calls for rural education resource at Gambrills site

By RYAN JUSTIN FOX

06/28/10

The public is slowly getting a glimpse into the results of the $11 million takeover of the 857-acre former Naval Academy Dairy Farm in Gambrills.

Tours of the 170-acre Hammond's Connection park were given last weekend and will continue throughout the fall.

"Everybody's really happy (with the park). People are excited to finally be able to come onto the site," said county park official Karyn Molines. "It's really a beautiful piece of real estate."

Two years ago, the county began leasing the property from the Department of the Navy for $240,000 a year for 30 years.

County officials released a master plan last year that was largely crafted by area residents and environmental clubs and aims to develop the site into a rural educational resource.

Hammond's Connection, named after the original owners of the property, is just part of the plan that county park officials have for the property.

Nearly five miles of biking and hiking trails, re-created meadows and display gardens, sledding hills and community garden plots eventually will be available at Hammond's Connection on the northwestern portion of the property.

"It's going to be very rural, very natural," Molines said. "It's going to be a different type of park for Anne Arundel County regional parks."

Hammond's Connection, surrounded by Route 3, Route 175, Dairy Farm Road and Waugh Chapel Road, will be open to the public one day a month through the end of November, park officials said.

Officials eventually envision a place that can be used by outdoors enthusiasts and students for myriad reasons.

Nearly 100 already are on the waiting list to rent one of the 96 20-by-30-foot plots in the community garden, Molines said.

Buildings, possibly including a new headquarters for county park operations, will be constructed on 14 acres of the site near the northern portion of the farm, which will be called the "Village."

The Navy started the dairy farm nearly a century ago to supply the Naval Academy. In 1998, the Navy started buying dairy products for the academy from outside suppliers.T

he Navy leased the farm to the privately owned Maryland Sunrise Farm, which runs its own dairy operation.

Approximately 650 acres on the site will still be used for farming, county officials said.

Sunrise Farm will continue to organically raise cows and cattle for dairy and Angus beef production, Molines said.

County officials agreed to pick up and then extend Maryland Sunrise Farm's nearly $20,000-per-year lease with the Navy through the end of this year.

County officials hope to negotiate a new lease with Sunrise Farm over the next few months.

New facilities, such as living quarters for the farm's employees, will be built in the Village, Molines said. The build-out of the park is expected over the next six or seven years as funding allows, park officials said.

County officials had to cut nearly $400,000 from the park's $500,000 budget for this year as officials struggled with a $95 million county budget shortfall.

The Navy considered other proposals for the site, including an idea from the Maryland Stadium Authority to build a $114-million horse park.

Local developer Jay Baldwin proposed leasing the farm to mine sand and gravel, after which it would have been converted into publicly accessible wetlands or bogs.

"Obviously, (funding is difficult) with the current economic climate," Molines said. "When you look at the long-term value … people will be glad that we're investing in this site."

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