A Legacy of Land
Drone shot of the Schapiro Farm property. Photo by EPV Media.
For nearly a century, the Schapiro family has cherished their farm on the north shore of Eatonbrook Reservoir. Sisters Susan Schapiro and Sally Vernon grew up spending summers here, exploring the woods and shoreline, eating picnic lunches in the shade of their favorite tree, and spending summer evenings on the screened porch on the back of the old white farmhouse. They have a deep love for this land.
Their father and mother pieced this farm together, purchasing adjacent parcels over time, until it became the 375-acre property that it is today. “These two hardworking, frugal individuals decided that they were going to invest themselves in this run-down, abandoned farm…and to make it their own,” says Susan. “And, they did.”
Now, in their late 80s, Susan and Sally have chosen to donate this beloved place to the Cazenovia Preservation Foundation (CPF) so that its beauty and peace will be safeguarded for generations to come. Their gift ensures that the farm’s meadows, wetlands, and historic barns will remain a sanctuary for people and wildlife alike—a place where the past is honored and the future is protected.
Conservation Teamwork
In 2019, Susan and Sally reached out to CPF to explore how their family farm could be permanently protected. What followed was not a transaction, but a relationship built slowly over years—through porch conversations, walks across meadows, and honest discussions about their vision for the future.
“From the first moment of that first visit, the beauty and charm of the property was instantly apparent,” says Jen Wong, CPF’s executive director. “The feeling of stepping back in time was undeniable as we walked up the stone steps and through the wooden gate on the path to the house.”
CPF came to understand the sisters’ deepest hopes: that their land would remain whole, its waters clean, its forests healthy, and its pastoral character preserved. Above all, they wanted the farm to continue offering the same sense of peace and connection to nature that it had always given them.
Purposeful Planning
CPF staff and board members worked with the sisters to carefully outline their preservation goals and discuss plans for the stewardship the land. Beginning in the spring of 2026, CPF will begin a multi-year planning process to create a plan for public access. This process will involve additional surveys of the flora and fauna at the farm and engagement with neighbors and the surrounding community.
A major goal is to ensure that the waterfront will remain forested to protect the water quality and scenic beauty of Eatonbrook Reservoir. A forestry plan will guide careful stewardship of the woods. The fields will remain open with some areas left unmowed throughout the growing season to provide nesting grounds for grassland birds like bobolinks and meadowlarks. Other areas may be used for light agricultural uses, such as hay production. CPF will also consider possible opportunities to repurpose one or more of the barns, perhaps to one day welcome children and families for hands-on learning and nature programs.
“CPF will preserve the natural habitat and the cultural and historic landscape that connects us to The Farm’s past, while providing new trails for people to explore and a place for all to enjoy,” says David Gerber, CPF board president.
A Gift for Generations
The sisters’ decision is more than an act of preservation—it is a lasting gift. By placing their farm in CPF’s care, they are ensuring that this unique property will never be lost to time or development.
“What comes to my mind is the peacefulness, in the largest sense…,” Susan says. “All in all, it adds up to something that one can settle into, feel protected by, feel connected to. Whatever it means in the future, I hope that that quality will not be lost.”
Through this generous act, Susan and Sally have given our community a place of belonging, beauty, and refuge. Their legacy will live on every time someone walks a trail, hears a birdcall across the meadow, or feels a sense of peace while listening to the gentle lapping water at the reservoir’s pristine edge.
The Schapiro Farm Legacy Fund
To responsibly steward this property for generations to come, CPF is creating The Schapiro Farm Legacy Fund to care for its fields, forests, shoreline, and wetlands. In this video, Susan Schapiro brings to life the history and heart of her family’s farm—a place shaped by care and connection.
We’ve made incredible progress.
Raised so far: $375,000
Still Needed: $125,000
Please give today to help us reach our fundraising goal.
To donate online: visit cazpreservation.org/schapiro-farm-campaign.
To donate via the mail: Send a check with the memo “Schapiro Farm Legacy Fund” to:
CPF
PO Box 627
Cazenovia, NY 13035
On behalf of all of us who care deeply about this special place—thank you for stepping forward as a champion of conservation. We are honored to have you as a partner in this vital work.