Holy cow! Wawa’s “Home Farm” is preserved!
June, 2013
More than a century ago, George Wood purchased 1,000 acres of land in the sleepy town of Wawa, Delaware County. The fertile pastures were an ideal place to graze his herd of Guernsey cows, and the location allowed for delivery of fresh, raw milk to homes throughout the Philadelphia region. Thus, Wawa Dairy was founded.
Though no longer actively farmed, “Wawa Home Farm” is still owned by the Wood family and is one of the largest, privately held, undeveloped properties remaining in the County. Thanks to the generosity of George Wood’s descendants, it will remain that way… forever. The majority of the farm—76 acres—is now protected under a Natural Lands Trust conservation easement and remains in private ownership. An additional 22 acres have been donated as an addition to our Wawa Preserve, which was established in 1973 when George Wood’s youngest daughter gifted land to Natural Lands Trust, expanding the preserve to 98 acres.
“It’s incredibly satisfying to know that these lands will never be developed,” said Fred Wood, whose plans for the family farm include habitat restoration. “Working with Natural Lands Trust toward this happy ending has been a rewarding process.”“We are grateful for the generosity and foresight of the Wood family for choosing to preserve this iconic landscape,” said Natural Lands Trust President Molly Morrison. “The preservation of Wawa Home Farm is an important reminder to us all that conservation begins with the choices people make.”
