Continuing his pursuit of Wilton’s “Take a Walk in the Woods” contest, OTH visited Ambler Farm earlier this week. Actually the full name for the property is Raymond-Ambler Farm, the Raymond family being the original settlers to own and farm the land. Most people refer to it as Ambler Farm, as does their own web site. Visiting Ambler Farm is quite different than, say, walking in the Town Forest. “Hiking” Ambler Farm is like a walk around a 22 acre farm. In fact, it is a walk around a 22 acre farm, complete with barns, crops and livestock.
The Farm has several buildings and several extensive vegetable gardens. When the Town of Wilton purchased the property in 1999, the buildings were in serious disrepair. Various organizations and volunteers have restored a number of the buildings, and the work continues. The structures include two homes, two barns, an ice house, a corn crib, an open structure that serves as a “sugaring shack” in early spring. Students in Middlebrook School (middle school) collect sap from the many maple trees around the school and have a big “sugaring off” day at Ambler Farm to make the syrup.
There are a number of gardens established and cared for on the Farm. Not being much of a farmer, OTH is not going to try to recount what he saw growing, but it was clearly a wide variety of vegetables. During the season, the Farm opens its “Farm Stand” on Saturdays. Check their web site for more information on times and available produce.
As far as the livestock goes, OTH saw sheep, goat(s) and bunnies. He also saw bee hives but he didn’t investigate them! Every spring the Farm holds a sheep shearing day when the two sheep get a haircut. Several craftspeople from the Wilton Historical Society join the program to demonstrate the process of turning the shorn wool into woven cloth.
Wilton purchased Ambler Farm to keep alive the town’s agrarian history.
Ambler Farm Mission Statement
The mission of Friends of Ambler Farm is to celebrate our community’s agrarian roots through active learning programs, sustainable agriculture, responsible land stewardship, and historic preservation.
OTH would say that the Farm, through its many programs and activities, is fulfilling its mission, and then some.
For more information on Ambler Farm visit their web site.
For more information on Wilton Open Space visit the Conservation Commission web page.
Seven down, five more to go!
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