Warren County marks preservation of 107-acre Clifford Farm, home to massive White Oak
LOPATCONG TOWNSHIP, N.J. (Warren County) — Warren County officials and members of the Clifford and Falcone families gathered Nov. 15 to celebrate the preservation of the 107-acre Clifford Farm, a historically significant property that also hosts the county’s second-largest White Oak tree.
Located along Belvidere Road (CR 646), the farm sits within the Highlands Planning Area and the Highlands Agricultural Resource Area and is designated a high agricultural preservation priority in the region. About 97.5 acres — roughly 91% — of the site contains prime soils, and the land is nearly 100% tillable, Warren County Land Preservation Administrator Corey Tierney said.
“This is what happens when people are willing to cooperate and work together,” Warren County Commissioner Director Jason J. Sarnoski told attendees. “That’s how this miracle happens.”
Joel Schnetzer, chairman of the county’s Agriculture Development Board, credited the success to both the landowners and the county. “Without a willing seller and willing buyer, our board is of no use,” he said, adding that farmland assessment remains a strong argument for positive ratables.
The county purchased the property for $2,450,000, with Lopatcong Township contributing $200,000 toward the acquisition.
“Warren County is a farming community, and this property is actively farmed,” Commissioner Lori Ciesla said. A Lopatcong resident and former township council member, she emphasized the importance of preserving the parcel to ensure it remains in agricultural use.
Local leaders and land preservation officials thanked the families, the township and the county Agriculture Development Board for helping secure the deal. Lopatcong Township Mayor William Wright said, “Without them (the Board of County Commissioners), it wouldn’t have gotten done.”
Bill Clifford, whose family has owned the property since 1955 when his uncle, Emil Falcone, purchased it with Clifford’s father, said he was grateful the preservation effort succeeded despite higher offers from solar and other industries. “I’ve never been happier,” he said. “I wanted it set and done before I’m gone.”
The farm is also home to a massive White Oak — the eighth largest in New Jersey and second largest in Warren County, surpassed only by one in Blairstown. The tree is now protected through an easement granted by the Clifford and Falcone families and the Warren County Board of County Commissioners. Clifford unveiled a commemorative plaque during the dedication ceremony.
Commissioner Sarnoski noted the family’s deep roots in the region. “The Clifford family is one of the oldest farming families in Warren County, and they really care about history,” he said.
