Money needed to save Heaven's farm

MAT-SU -- When Leroi Heaven was awarded close to $1 million by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a conservation easement on his 40-acre farm off Fairview Loop, it seemed like a winning situation for everyone. Heaven would receive a cash payment -- not necessarily $1 million, but a to-be-determined sum based on the difference between the development value and agricultural value of his land -- the farm would be perpetually designated as agricultural land and thus preserved in its original function. And the land could be sold to a younger generation of farmers at a reduced cost.

However, there was a condition to the receipt of this money. Heaven needed to arrange for the provision of matching funds from an independent entity, and though the Great Land Trust, a Southcentral funding corporation was interested, they were having difficulty raising enough raw cash to match the USDA grant.

"It's been a bit of a struggle to come up with that 50 percent match," said Mark Weatherstone, USDA spokesman. Now, as the May 3 deadline for requests for proposals on Heaven's farm approaches, officials from the USDA and the local soil and water conservation district alike are scrambling to find a source for matching funds. (See related story on Page A10)

Weatherstone said that Heaven approached him about obtaining an easement on the farm in 2003. The two of them drafted a proposal and sent it away with high hopes, but not even they could have predicted the immense outpouring of financial support from the USDA that would follow.

The department allocated close to a million dollars for the easement on Heaven's farm, far more than expected. As Catherine Inman of the Palmer Soil and Water Conservation District said, ""We hit the jackpot before we got all our nuts and bolts together -- this is just too much of a good thing, way too soon, on a tight deadline."

Heaven bought his farm to prevent it from becoming a commercial development in 1980, and would like to see it used for farming in the future. However, the easement does allow some flexibility in the land's future use.

"It's important for people to understand that agricultural development is not necessarily no development," said Inman, pointing out that Heaven's land might eventually be used for parks, greenhouses or nurseries.

"We don't want to lock up the land," Inman added.

The Heaven farm currently produces hay and timothy for local consumption. An interesting wrinkle in this particular case is the fact that three homesteaders' cabins and several other historical buildings have been relocated to the farm, restored and restocked with historical memorabilia and equipment. On one corner of the property is a "bearing tree" that was marked in 1911 to act as a reference point for homesteaders. The farm itself was homesteaded by Fred Edlund in 1912. Heaven's land thus holds both historic and agricultural value, as well as interest for visitors. Heaven said he has had multiple tourists come by to view the area, and rents one of the cabins out to a family of Scandinavian vacationers every year.

The conservationists are currently pushing for the acquisition of funds from any variety of sources, including private donations, for the easement on Heaven's land. Anyone wishing to contribute money to be matched by the USDA is encouraged to contact Catherine Inman at 745-1441.

Contact Daniel Spoth at daniel.spoth@frontiersman.com.