Don and Betsy Webster own a 40-acre farm in “downtown” Mount Ulla, the agricultural community located near the Rowan and Iredell County lines. The farm’s location also means that they are very close to the Mooresville/Lake Norman region, which consistently ranks among the fastest growing areas in the nation. Given their love for the property and concern about the encroaching development, the Websters have taken the necessary steps to protect their property by donating a conservation easement to The LandTrust.
The Webster’s farm is not your typical corn and soybean landscape as you might expect. Their combined love of animals has led them to open up a “retirement home” for llamas. They now have about 15 of the peaceful creatures roaming their pastures. Elsewhere they have numerous bird feeders where they enjoy watching their feathered friends. In addition, their barn cat, Misty, and family dog, Peanut, have the run of the place.
Though they’ve been retired since the mid-1980’s, they stay plenty busy. They operate a regional flower business, Mount Ulla Gardens, using flowers grown on their farm. They have also restored their home, which was originally built back in 1917.
Don and Betsy’s donation means that future generations will always be able to enjoy the scenic beauty of the farm. Despite all the growth that is rapidly coming their way, they wanted to protect their farm from being subdivided and paved over. The LandTrust is very pleased to have been able to help Don and Betsy protect their lovely piece of Mt. Ulla farm land.