Ecologically Significant Alpaca Farm Preserved in Prince Edward County

Prince Edward County, ON — The Ontario Farmland Trust is pleased to announce that it has protected its 24th farm with a farmland conservation easement. The 38 hectare (94 acre) Hazell and Klaassen Farm, in the heart of Prince Edward County (PEC), is known locally as Stonefield Eden Alpacas. The couple have been raising alpacas on this land, although it has previously been planted to winter wheat, beans, peas, and corn.
 
In addition to the agricultural land, the farm also hosts a hardwood forest, wetlands and streams, North Bay coastline, and trees that are over 100 years old. The natural areas are home to a variety of wildlife, including several species at risk, like the Barn Swallow, Grasshopper Sparrow, Bobolink, Eastern
Meadowlark, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Midland Painted Turtle, and Monarch.

Placing a farmland easement on the Hazell and Klaassen Farm will not only ensure the agricultural land remains for agriculture, it also protects its natural areas. According to the 2021 agricultural census,PEC has lost 34,706 - or 23% - of its farmland since 2006. The 375 farms in PEC generated over $125 million in farm cash receipts in 2023, while approximately 25% sell directly to consumers either through farm stands, farmers’ markets, or CSA programs. Protecting the agricultural sector in PEC is vital for the economy, healthy communities, food security, and the environment.

The Ontario Farmland Trust could not have done this project without the help and support of many different organizations including: the Echo Foundation, the Consecon Foundation, the Woodcock Foundation, the Uplands Foundation, the Hodgson Family Foundation, the County Foundation, the Stuchberry Foundation, and the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Program (NSCSP), administered by the Ontario Land Trust Alliance, and funded by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) through the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund (NSCSF). Individual donor support also played a role in the protection of the Hazell and Klaassen Farm.

This project was made possible by the Government of Canada through the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund.A portion of this project was donated to the Ontario Farmland Trust under the Government of Canada’s Ecological Gifts Program. This program provides enhanced tax incentives for individuals or 
corporations who donate ecologically significant land.