Greenbelt Awarded State Grant to Protect Hoyt Farm in Merrimac

This fall, Greenbelt received a $300,000 Conservation Partnership Grant from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) to help protect Hoyt Farm in Merrimac. This 120-acre property features working farmland, wildlife habitat, and wetlands that contribute to the source waters of Haverhill’s drinking water supply. The protection of this property will also allow for public trail expansion from the adjacent Merrimac Town Forest and affordable farmland access to bolster local agriculture. 

In December 2023, Greenbelt acquired 22 forested acres on the eastern side of Hoyt Farm for $400,000, marking a key milestone in helping the landowners achieve their conservation goals. The new EEA grant will support the second phase of this effort, aimed at protecting the remaining 100-plus acres of farmland by June 2025.

“This property has deep agricultural roots, first as a dairy farm and now leased to a third-generation local farmer who has cultivated vegetables and hay on the land for more than two decades,” says Vanessa Johnson-Hall, Director of Land Conservation. “With our acquisition of the Hoyt property, we’re committed to supporting sustainable farming in the Merrimack Valley and ensuring affordable farmland access for farmers. We’re equally dedicated to protecting the water and other natural resources that make this land so critical to preserve.”

Since its founding, Greenbelt has been dedicated to conserving the county’s working farms. To date, we have partnered with more than 50 farm families, safeguarding upwards of 1,000 acres of productive farmland to ensure these landscapes remain vital for agriculture and future generations.

​​​​​​​Conservation Partnership grants from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs are designed to financially assist non-profit organizations in acquiring land or conservation restrictions on land for the purpose of preserving natural resources and providing recreational opportunities.