A Closer Look at the Hudson Valley’s Mill Farm
The Record-Breaking $90 Million Estate
A 2,150-acre farm in the Hudson Valley just hit the market for $90 million, and it’s turning heads across the real estate world. Mill Farm in Ancramdale, New York, about 100 miles north of Manhattan, isn’t just expensive—it’s nearly five times the price of any home ever sold in the region.
One Man’s 43-Year Dream
Daniel Slott, a former banker, started buying up land in 1982. Over four decades, he pieced together 29 different parcels to create what Mill Farm is today. He wasn’t flipping properties or building a development—he was creating something rare: a massive, protected agricultural estate that would stay intact for generations.
Slott raised Icelandic horses on the property and moved there full-time in the early 2000s. His goal was simple: keep the land from being carved up and developed.
Property Features
Mill Farm is massive, spanning over 2,000 acres. Here’s what you get:
The Main House: The main structure is a historical, 5,600-square-foot home that started life as a grist mill called “Defiance” during the Revolutionary War. The Livingston family, one of the Hudson Valley’s founding families, built it back in 1775. Slott kept the historic stone facade but added modern glass walls at the back so you can see the waterfall that once powered the mill. Water still flows through the house and generates a small amount of hydropower.
Other Residences: The property includes nine additional homes scattered across the land.
15 Barns: Some are historic structures from as far back as the 18th century, while others were moved from elsewhere or rebuilt. Slott once kept 30 Icelandic horses here, and there’s a 2.5-mile stretch of old railroad track that’s now used as a horse gallop.
The Land Itself: Three miles of Punch Brook, a state-designated trout stream, runs through the property. There are 18 miles of private roads connecting everything, plus an old windmill system that still pumps water across the farm. The property is almost entirely surrounded by thousands of acres of protected conservation land, so neighbors and development will never be an issue.
How This Compares to Other Hudson Valley Property Sales
The current record for a home sale in this part of New York is $18.5 million for a 290-acre property in Dutchess County back in 2022. If Mill Farm sells anywhere near its asking price, it would more than quadruple that record.
Real estate experts say this listing proves the Hudson Valley has entered a new era. For years, wealthy New Yorkers bought weekend homes upstate. Now they’re looking at the region as a legitimate alternative to places like the Hamptons—with more space, more privacy, and more authenticity.
What Makes This Property Special
Mill Farm has never been on the market before. It’s a rare chance to buy a property that’s been carefully assembled and maintained by one owner who genuinely cared about preservation.
Space: Mill Farm’s 2,150 contiguous acres make it arguably the largest working farm within two hours of New York City. You simply can’t find this much private land this close to Manhattan.
Privacy: With protected conservation land on nearly all sides, estates like this offer seclusion.
History: The Hudson Valley is packed with properties dating back to colonial times. These aren’t just old houses—they’re pieces of American history.
Working Land: This isn’t just a big backyard. Mill Farm produces organic-certified hay and maintains active agriculture. For buyers interested in sustainability and land stewardship, that’s a major draw.
Commuting Distance: Two hours from Manhattan means you can have a massive rural estate while still staying connected to the city.
Nature: The farm includes documented bobcat habitats and partners with conservation organizations. The eastern boundary connects to a vast bird sanctuary. For the right buyer—someone who sees themselves as a steward rather than just an owner—this is about more than just buying a lot of land.
Slott says he hopes whoever buys the property keeps it intact. He’s planning to spend more time in Iceland, where the horses that originally inspired the farm come from.
The Bigger Picture for Hudson Valley Real Estate
Mill Farm’s listing is part of a larger trend. The Hudson Valley has always been beautiful, but it’s never commanded these kinds of prices. As remote work becomes more common and wealthy buyers look beyond traditional resort markets, regions like this are seeing interest like never before.
The area offers something unique: historic properties with serious acreage, authentic agricultural character, and genuine privacy—all within weekend trip distance of New York City. You can live on a Revolutionary War-era estate, raise horses, produce organic crops, and still make it to midtown for meetings.
For regions that spent decades watching farmland get subdivided and developed, properties like Mill Farm represent something increasingly precious: large parcels of protected land that will stay intact for years to come.
The Ripple Effect
When properties start selling at these prices, it changes the whole local economy, including moving companies. People relocating to the Hudson Valley aren’t just bringing furniture. They’re bringing items like art collections, wine cellars, and agricultural equipment that require specialty care.
Companies like Triangle Movers, who have been around since 1996, have watched this shift happen. Moving to a multi-building estate is completely different from a typical house move. You need local teams with a good reputation who can handle valuable antiques, coordinate moves across multiple buildings, and navigate historic properties with narrow country roads.
As the Hudson Valley attracts more wealth, local businesses like Triangle Movers are stepping up to meet higher expectations.
What Happens Next
The property is listed with James Augustine and Byron Anderson of Compass. Whether it sells for the full asking price remains to be seen—$90 million is a lot, even for the ultra-wealthy. But the fact that it’s being listed at this price shows how much the Hudson Valley real estate market has changed.
A decade ago, this listing would have seemed absurd. Today, it makes sense. The Hudson Valley has gone from weekend getaway to serious luxury destination, and Mill Farm might just be the property that cements that transformation.
