Farms on Somerville’s Open Farm Day map produce goods ranging from commercial dairy and vegetables to syrup, honey, eggs, and small livestock.
Somerville no longer has a school, a post office, or even a general store, but there is a great reason to visit the tiny town: it has a tradition of community and it has a reviving small farm sector. On Saturday, June 24, six of its friendly farmers will open their historic farms to the public from 1-4 p.m. for Open Farm Day. The farms range from commercial dairy and vegetable farms to small homesteads that produce everything from syrup and honey to eggs and small livestock. It is a great time of year to visit; the gardens are popping and there are babies everywhere — kid goats, piglets, and shaggy Highland calves.
In 2016, the Somerville Farmers’ Network was formed to revive the tradition of working – and celebrating – together. Many of Somerville’s farms are on historic farmland, and the farmers are committed to preserving them as working farms. The public is invited to come and share the farmers’ love of the land and be inspired by the possibilities of growing food, on any scale.
The rain date is Sunday, June 25. Call 549-5089 or check online at somervillefarmersnetwork.com to find out if this event has been postponed.
Participating Somerville farms are as follows:
- Farmer in the Dell, 262 Patricktown Road: At the junction with Turner Ridge Road. Please park in marked lot. Vegetables and dairy products for sale.
- Briggs Farm, 253 Jones Road: The second-to-the-last house on the right before the road turns paved at the Jefferson town line. Please park in marked lot or carefully along edge of road. Pork for sale.
- Pumpkin Vine Family Farm, 217 Hewett Road: 1 mile north of Route 17. Please park along the road and come up to the market. Goat dairy products for sale.
- Sand Hill Farm, 281 Sand Hill Road: 1.3 miles north of Route 105. Please park in marked lot. Organic vegetables and pastries for sale.
- Wild Miller Farm, 1165 Turner Ridge Road, Palermo. Three-fourths of a mile north of town line. Please park in marked lot. Organic vegetables for sale.
- Summit Farm, 321 Patricktown Road: One-tenth of a mile east of the junction with Turner Ridge Road. The driveway is at the top of the hill, so please approach cautiously. Do not park along the road; pull into the yard.
Participating farms will have flags by their mailboxes. Please park in designated lots or carefully along the edge of the road. Wait for a guide before exploring the farm. Some farms have self-guided walking trails available.
Email info@pumpkinvinefamilyfarm.com for more information.
