Raynes Farm Stewardship Committee (CC Subcommittee)

In 2002, the town acquired the 50 acre Raynes Farm property with grant assistance from the Land and Community Heritage Foundation.  With grassland, woods, and river frontage, diverse natural resources abound. By far however, the most recognizable feature is its iconic red barn, visible as you head out of town on Newfields Road.  As the largest remaining barn in Exeter, this building provides a tangible link for modern day Exeter to its agricultural past which extends back to the 1600’s. 

The property has been an active farmland since the late 17th century. Chase Wiggin constructed the large barn and ran a highly successful cattle market on the property in the 1800s.  In the 17th and 18th centuries, the river frontage was used as a town landing.  In 1840, Boston & Main Railroad constructed their first line in NH across the property paralleling the river.  Today the fields are actively managed and hayed several times a year or managed for corn production through a lease with a local farmer. 

The Raynes Farm Stewardship Committee is charged with advising the Conservation Commission on matters related to the use and management of the property.  The objectives of the Committee are to:

• Help identify and prioritize preservation and public use objectives for Commission review.

• The Conservation Commission serves as the primary contact person for inquiries regarding the property and may call upon the Stewardship Committee to advise, particularly in maintaining the Town’s relationship with the farmers who lease the farmland and barn.

• Review the LCHIP monitoring report, the farmer-Commission lease agreement, and the Raynes Farm Long Range Development Plan.  Any suggestions for changes that are agreed upon by the Committee shall be submitted to The Commission for their approval.

• Provide recommendations to the Conservation Commission on implementation of projects that have budgetary impacts.