Susie Cushner

The main thoroughfare of Ipswich, Massachusetts, is lined with commercial marinas, clam shacks, gas stations, hardware stores, and low-slung motels. A bustling, diverse suburb of Boston, Ipswich sits between the tony seaside towns of Rockport and Newburyport. Visitors don't come here to luxuriate in five-star oceanfront resorts (there aren't any), but they do turn out in hungry droves for Chowderfest, the cook-off hosted by the local Lions Club each year.

On Route 1A, as you travel south from downtown, it would be easy to blow right by Appleton Farms — even if you're looking for it. A small placard affixed to a stone gatepost quietly marks the entrance, and an unassuming gravel road leads on to the grounds. After the first bend in that road, however, the vista expands, unfolding into a surprisingly verdant landscape. Drowsy, buff-colored Jersey cows graze contentedly in open meadows of clover and orchard grass, and manicured rows of vegetables, berries, and herbs spread out in several directions. Old-growth oaks and sugar maples shade 19th-century farm buildings, and the soil underfoot — a dark, crumbly loam — looks like it would be more at home in a rich Iowa cornfield than a suburb just 30 miles from the jackhammers and skyscrapers of central Boston.

It's a wonder this 1,000-acre working farm even exists. Originally deeded to Sam Appleton by the city of Ipswich in 1636, the property holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating farm in America. According to local legend, the land had been tended with special care by the area's Agawam Indians, who fertilized its soil with clamshells and fish bones. Hundreds of years later, fresh tomatoes, corn, and potatoes still grow here, and herds of cattle roam the fields.

But it almost didn't happen that way. The ninth generation of Appletons — the late Francis Jr. and his wife, Joan — had no children to pass the property down to. While most folks would have sold the property to developers and cashed in for tens of millions, Francis and Joan decided to donate the estate to the Trustees of Reservations, a nonprofit that has devoted itself to preserving Massachusetts's landmarks and landscapes for nearly 120 years. In 1998 — eight years before her death — Mrs. Appleton officially turned the property over to the trustees. Her only stipulation: that the property she and her husband held so dear must remain a working farm — and that it be left open to the community forever.

As a result, Appleton isn't just the oldest farm in America, it's the people's farm. For the citizens of Ipswich, it's also a remarkable resource, plain and simple. Kids in the farm's 4-H program stop by regularly to feed and care for their calves, volunteers lead bird-watching excursions, and agricultural interns work diligently in the fields. After work and on weekends, bikers and runners take to the 10 miles of grassy paths. Mothers push babies in strollers, and couples walk happy terriers, shepherds, and bulldogs. Along the way, visitors pass spring-fed ponds that empty into small creeks, hay bales drying in the sun, and centuries-old stone walls that trace the lush landscape. "Because the property was so thoughtfully designed, people assume it's some sort of 'gentleman's estate,' says Wayne Castonguay, the farm manager. "There are miles of beautiful, tree-lined avenues and preserved historic farm buildings, but don't be fooled — Appleton is very much a working farm."

Indeed, one of Appleton Farms' most successful ventures has been its Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, whereby area residents pay a fixed seasonal fee in exchange for a 22-week share of the farm's fresh produce. Eight-hundred families in and around the North Shore of Boston participate in the program, which operates from May to November.

Four days a week, the parking lot fills up with minivans, pickup trucks, and imported sports cars, as CSA members stop by the barn to get their weekly allotment of produce. Volunteers and the farm's apprentices have spent the morning harvesting and washing available produce: One day it might be new potatoes and summer squash, the next, tomatoes and tender butter lettuces. Near the entrance, a blackboard lists the flowers and vegetables that members can pick themselves, if they'd like. It's common to see mothers with small children surveying the list, then heading out in search of string beans and bouquets of zinnias and snapdragons. "Pound for pound, our organic produce costs less than what you'd pay at most supermarkets," says Castonguay, "but you get a lot more from the CSA than just good stuff to eat."

Visitors who want to learn how to plant broccoli or repair a broken fence rail will cheerfully be put to work at the farm. In fact, a robust cadre of volunteers regularly weed, plant, rake, and help build fences and clear paths on the property. "The families and the children who come here really love to get their hands dirty," says farm educator Holly Hannaway. "When people walk onto this property, they can forget that they're less than 30 miles north of Boston. It's more than pretty. Appleton Farms brings you back in time."

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Kids can pick vegetables and work in the garden. Susie Cushner



Life on the Farm





Open to the community from sunrise to sunset 365 days a year, Appleton Farms offers dozens of programs, from workshops on beekeeping to educational classes for small children. Some of the more popular activities include:

Recreational paths Appleton's Grass Rides — an Old English term for carriage roads — feature 10 miles of trails for walking and mountain biking.

Farmstead tours Take a guided walk through the dairy to see how grass-fed Jersey cows — descendants of stock from the British Isles — are milked.

Bird-watching excursionsThe farm's 133-acre Great Pasture hosts one of the largest populations of rare grassland birds in New England. Volunteer birders, as well as local orni-thologist Jim Berry, offer birding tours during the summer.

Planning your visit Appleton Farms is located at 219 County Road in Ipswich. To learn more about the property or its educational programs, call 978-356-5728 or visit thetrustees.org.



Community Supported Agriculture 101





How it worksMembers of CSAs pay a fee, which gives farmers working capital early in the growing season for seeds and equipment. In return, members get roughly 22 weeks of fresh, often organic produce — as well as a connection to the food they eat and the people who grow it.

Finding a CSA near youVisit localharvest.org, which offers links to more than 2,500 CSAs nationwide.Most farms require you to join in the fall or early spring, but some welcome newcomers on a space-available basis throughout the growing season.

The costsCSAs charge a fixed seasonal fee (usually from $300 to $700 — or $14 to $30 a week) in exchange for a weekly share of what's available between May and November.

What you getProduce can be spotty at the beginning and end (potatoes, anyone?) of the season, but members generally receive a much more diverse supply of heirloom fruits and vegetables than they could buy at a local grocery store. Members, on average, net a week's worth of vegetables for a family of four. Worried you can't use that much? Split a membership with a friend, or see if your CSA offers half shares.

New Hampshire-based journalist











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Uranium: War, Energy, and the Rock That Shaped the World

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RELATED: Photos from Appleton Farm

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