Eric and Sue Leadbeater, owners of Gould Hill Orchards, aren’t the only ones who may be affected by the town of Hopkinton’s inability to find a partner with when to purchase the land.

Sandra Martin, who founded the nonprofit Little Nature Museum in 1954, said she would be devastated if she had to close the museum she started when only 13 years old.

The museum has grown significantly over time and recently found a home in the old barn at Gould Hill Orchards.

The Leadbeaters, who were trying to work out a sale to the town with the Hopkinton open space committee, are being forced to take immediate action after his tax bill went up from $22,320 to $72,540 this year.

The raise, said Leadbeater, was due primarily to a view tax being placed on a small cottage on the land rather than on the orchard land, which is under current use. The cottage is not eligible for current use relief.

“It’s extremely upsetting, this whole thing, because we have grown so much since the museum opened up over five years ago (at Gould Hill), and the future looked very bright. And not just immediate, but long range as well, in terms of having some kind of environmental or nature center and nature trail to help people learn to interact and work with nature,” Martin said.

“The bottom line is (the Leadbeaters) feel very confident at this point that there is nobody in the town itself that will help this situation. It would have to come from outside sources.” Still, Martin said she trusts the Leadbeaters to continue making sound decisions.

“I know for a fact that the museum was always a consideration in their mind,” she said.

“I don’t know how they could have done any better and they have always kept me informed throughout the whole process.”

But Martin said there was a noticeable and definite change in Leadbeater’s tone from when he met with the museum’s board of directors in the past compared to when he spoke at the board’s annual meeting Oct. 23.

“I didn’t expect anything this momentous to happen so soon,” said Martin. “People in this town seem rather short-sighted given the longevity and importance of the orchard in Hopkinton.”

Being located on a working orchard, said Martin, has been invaluable because it provides the opportunity to show visitors that people can still work with nature and make a living.

Eric Leadbeater pointed out that while the museum is not charged for setting up shop on his property, he feels it is a natural fit.

“We have the old 1810 barn that doesn’t lend itself toward modern material handling, so much of the barn that was used for storage in the past was here for (Martin’s) use,” he said.

“Because she was casting about for a place to be, and I have interest in science and nature and I’ve always been intrigued by some of our forest land here, she was someone who was willing to help set up some nature trails, which I’ve always wanted to have here.

“It’s been a nice fit and they are a nonprofit, so it’s a win-win for both of us.”

Still, the on-property buildings may become expendable should the orchards be sold.

“Let’s face it, the value of this land here makes most of these buildings here tear-downs,” said Leadbeater. “We hope this barn stays here, and if it does, I’m sure they will be happy to stay in it.”

Should the museum be forced out of the barn, however, Martin said its future looks bleak.

“I guess we would have to move out of that barn and we might have to move into storage if someone buys the barn and the house. We wouldn’t have any option but to move out,” she said. “I’m 65 years old, and I don’t intend to pick up and move somewhere else, and I don’t think I can go through the process of finding a new location again, which is the part that really has me troubled.”

Rather than storing, which could become costly, or disposing of its paraphernalia, Martin said the museum’s state registration dictates that should it decide to close, all contents be donated to other nonprofit organizations.

The museum also recently spent more than $1,000 on two highway signs, which Martin said could turn into wasted money if forced to close or move.

Even in the off-chance that another farmer decides to maintain the museum, Martin acknowledged there would still be hurdles ahead.

“We would definitely stay open; there’s no question about it, although we would have to work with a different farmer in terms of our different goals and hopefully come to a common ground just as we did with the Leadbeaters,” she said.

Though she doesn’t have the money to build or rent a building, with some help, Martin may be able to set up a new location, though it would have to be in Hopkinton.

“One thing I have learned is wherever the museum is, I cannot be far away from it because it requires so much volunteer time,” she said. “From a financial standpoint, it doesn’t matter, because, quite frankly, I have never really made any money off the museum anyway, but it’s pretty devastating in terms of my emotional and personal well-being.”

One of the best aspects of the location, said Martin, is the people who return each year to pick apples and enjoy the museum.

This year, the museum had more than 2,500 visitors. “I feel that the museum is not only a resource to the local community, but also to the entire area because people come from all over to visit the orchards and museum,” she said. “The museum is certainly only a small part, but I feel that it augments the orchard and the orchard augments us, and it’s not far from Concord, so it’s convenient for a lot of people to come and learn about nature.”

If the Little Nature Museum is forced to close, Martin said it is the educational aspect and one-on-one interaction she will miss most.

“That’s my pay; that is where the pay comes, especially with the kids,” she said. “It’s a delight and award for my time to have kids get excited and ask questions and be interested; there is nothing better.”