Historic Family Farm Now Conserved
CAMDEN, SC—Over 124 acres of historic farmland, located just outside the city of Camden,are now conserved, thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Congaree Land Trust (CLT) and the Wolfram family. Now under conservation easement,the working farm permanently protects vital green space, air and water quality in Kershaw County.
The conserved property is located near the COWASEE Basin Focus Area and just to the southeast of Camden, adding to the over one thousand acres already conserved in Kershaw County. The COWASEE Basin is an area around the Wateree, Congaree and Santee Rivers, which is a community effort to encourage the continuation of private ownership while ensuring long-term protection and enhancement of the resource with stewardship and conservation.
The waters of Town Creek cross the property, flowing into the Wateree River and through the COWASEE Basin before joining the Congaree River to the Atlantic Ocean. Consisting of undeveloped woodlands, fields, and nearly half of a mile along Town Creek, the property protects open space and scenic views for the general public and valuable wildlife habitat in an increasingly urbanized and industrial setting.
The land has a rich agricultural history, possibly dating back to Mississippean Period Native Americans through present day production. Landowner KatherineWolfram’s father and brother worked a portion of the 128-acre farmland, called Hofield Farm, together for twenty-five years growing peanuts, cotton, wheat, soybeans, feed corn and sweet corn, a full field of vegetables, herbs, flowers, orchards full of peaches and grapes, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and more. The fruit and produce were sold right there on the farm in a market stand. Katherine’s son Peter Wolfram, at one time, leased twenty acres of Hofield for organic farming. This land will continue to work for the community—managing natural resources that protect and provide for economic prosperity, while filtering road, yard and roof runoff water before entering the Wateree River, providing the public health benefit of clean water and filtered air.
“We appreciate the partnership with Congaree Land Trust to make it possible for our family to preserve open spaces, “ says Katherine Wolfram. “With the encroachment of industrial and residential development out into Kershaw County, we felt an imperative to act quickly. Our three children are all supportive of our wishes to safeguard these 120+ acres against development. In doing so, we honor all of those who have lived and worked on the land before us in harmony with nature.
