History of the Farm
Beekist Acres is a 100 year old farm purchased by Ralph Parker nearly 66 years ago as a dairy farm. Ralph ran a herd of Holstein Cattle for many years at one time breeding the World Champion Butter Fat producing cow. After the dairy quota was sold Ralph's son Tom would start a cow/calf operation breeding high quality Limousin Cattle. Today the cattle are gone and now it is Tom's oldest son Terry that convinced his father to apply for a game bird license. With the Parkers' love for the outdoors and commitment to conservation it seemed only fitting since they had the required acreage. Wild pheasant once lived on the farm and with the ongoing habitat restoration projects currently taking place the Parkers hope to see a sustainable population once again on the farm and neighbouring land.

The Property
150 acres consisting of lowland bottoms, tall grass pasture, corn, soybean and wheat stubble fields, hardwood bush and 2 ponds the farm has a wide range of habitat for a variety of wildlife. Our main focus the past couple of years has been to reestablish old fence rows and hedgerows. The loss of these important strips due to intensive farming is one of the contributing factors to the decline of Ringnecked Pheasant and other species of wildlife in southern Ontario. The planting of Spruce and Cedar as well as native species specific to the Carolinian Zone have gone well. Burr Oak, Sycamore, Hackberry, Kentucky Coffee, Beech and Maples, combined with shrubs such as Elderberry, Highbush Cranberry, Service Berry and Nanny Berry have improved existing hedgerows. The addition of winter cover and food sources each summer such as clover, oats, barley, buckwheat and extra corn and soybean plots should give a much needed boost through winter to several species including Turkey and Deer.