Tilly Foster Farm Preservation Comes Alive

George Whipple addresses members of the Putnam Legislature with his favorite four-legged friend, Mayfair, in tow. Legislators Vincent Tamagna (not pictured) and Richard Othmer listen to the testimony. Philanthropist George Whipple’s dream of keeping the Tilly Foster Farm open and free to the public forever is coming true.

Whipple, a resident of Kent who leases the farm from Putnam County through his Whipple Foundation— Society for the Preservation of Putnam County, a federally tax-exempt charity, presented the farm’s annual report to members of the Putnam Legislature’s Physical Services Committee last week.

During 2008, the farm brought in revenues totaling $15,619, but according to tax returns the business spent $118,281 on improvements and expenses, resulting in a deficit of $102,662 which Whipple said was made up by his foundation.

With his favorite four-legged friend, Mayfair, a six-year-old Jack Russell terrier, in attendance, Whipple told Legislators Vincent Tamagna, Richard Othmer, and Mary Ellen Odell, who comprise the committee, as well as Legislators Mary Conklin, Dini LoBue, Sam Oliverio, and Tony Fusco, who were also in attendance, “our goal is to grow revenues in the future while shrinking the deficit.”

Whipple plans to open a farm store in 2010, along with a café and an information center on the property located off Route 312 in Southeast. His new guest house welcomed its first paying guests last weekend. Whipple told the lawmakers: “The $500 fee for three nights, which is quite a bargain, will be used to benefit the farm.”

Whipple called the farm a “worldclass agricultural museum in the heart of Putnam County with two purposes—the first a family-oriented farm animal retreat and second, people from all over the world can visit our county and view critically endangered early American farm animals that can’t be seen anywhere else in the world.”

Whipple called his first year of operating the farm a “huge success. For me personally, I relish visiting the farm each weekend and observing young families together holding hands visiting animal pen after animal pen containing rare turkeys, pigs, cows, and sheep. The excitement on their faces and in their voices is what makes the farm a great success. There is no other place in the world like Tilly Foster.”

Tamagna, who chairs the committee, commended Whipple for his dedication and work ethic: “There is no one else like you. We are privileged to have a man of your character and dedication working on behalf of the residents of our county. All we can say is ‘thank you,’ and keep up the good work!”