Newcastle, Ontario — On May 31, 2025, the Stevens family welcomed friends, neighbours, and supporters to Wilmot Orchards for a heartfelt celebration of a historic milestone: the permanent protection of their cherished family farm.
Hosted in partnership with the Ontario Farmland Trust (OFT), the celebration honoured Courtney, Charles, and Judi Stevens for protecting the first farm in Durham Region through OFT’s farmland protection program. The 29-acre easement is just the beginning. The family plans to protect the full 164-acre property in the coming years.
“This isn’t just a farm any longer — it’s a promise,” said Martin Straathof, Executive Director of Ontario Farmland Trust, in his remarks. “It’s a beacon of food security and sovereignty, on the doorstep of a growing city hungry for local food.”
From right to left: Ian Parker, Judi, Charles, Courtney, Ian Martin
Guests gathered in Wilmot Orchards’ café, surrounded by blooming blueberry fields, where generations of the Stevens family have welcomed thousands each summer to pick fruit, enjoy the landscape, and connect with Ontario’s precious farmland. Wilmot Orchards is more than a community hub – it’s an environmental and agricultural gem. The farm sits on entirely Class 1 soil, the most fertile and rare farmland in Canada. With only 0.5% of Canada’s landmass considered Class 1, and over half of it in Ontario, its preservation is essential to our food future.
As a sixth-generation farmer, Charles has seen development pressure grow steadily in the area. The proximity to Highway 401 and Lake Ontario has brought waves of interest from developers, offering large sums to take the land out of agriculture. But for the Stevens family, the decision to say no was rooted in something deeper.
“I’m not against development, but they need to be smart about it,” said Chares during his remarks. “In Ontario, we have half of the class one land in all of Canada. It’s mostly in the Golden Horseshoe, which we are here, and it’s being gobbled up faster than you can see.”
For OFT, Wilmot Orchards marks the 25th protected property and its first in Durham Region, bringing the total protected acreage to over 2,700 acres.
“This farm is something quite special,” said Margaret Walton, Chair of Ontario Farmland Trust. “It’s part of a rapidly urbanizing area, contributes to food production, community well-being, and is now poised to be carried forward by a new generation.”
Walton emphasized that farmland protection requires more than strong planning policy. It takes proactive, voluntary steps by landowners like the Stevens family.
The day ended with applause and gratitude, as attendees recognized the magnitude of what had just been achieved: a 999-year commitment to Ontario farmland, made not with dollars, but with vision and values. By removing development rights through an easement, the land is now valued for its agricultural worth, a bold move that Charles hopes will give the next generation of farmers a chance to access land at affordable prices.
“The only way a young farmer in this area is going to be able to buy a piece of land is if it is put into the trust because then it has no development value,” said Charles. “Hopefully, other people in the area catch on to this, and maybe someday, there may be another piece of property these young people can afford to buy at farm prices.”
The celebration was a gathering of people who care deeply about farmland, food, and the future. There was a palpable sense of hope: that Wilmot Orchards won’t be the last.
Learn more about farmland easements and how you can support farmland protection at: ontariofarmlandtrust.ca