Farmland Protected From Development: Biddle grants conservation easement; 170 acres stay in agriculture

After spending most of his life on the same Pennsylvania farm, dairy farmer Jeff Biddle has chosen to protect it from development, even after receiving two lucrative offers from potential buyers. The 170-acre Bear Meadows Farm near Tussey Mountain was placed under a permanent conservation easement in July 2026, according to the Centre County Farmland Trust. The conservation group WeConservePA also reported the preservation in August, while earlier reporting by Penn State Student Media documented Biddle’s long-standing connection to the farm and his work as a dairy farmer. The decision means the property can continue to be farmed, but its development rights are permanently restricted. The easement is attached to the property deed, so the protection remains in place even if ownership changes in the future.A farm that became part of a family’s lifeBiddle’s connection to Bear Meadows began in childhood. His father, Harold, purchased the property in 1959 after first acquiring woodland for a hunting camp. He restored the farm’s buildings and ran a beef operation there.Jeff eventually left to work as a cabinet-maker and ran his own woodworking business, but farming remained part of his li...