Farm, Table, Food, History, Stonington, Tour

On one of May’s few good weather days, we toured a fascinating 63 acre, 250 year old local treasure.

Before the Revolution, before whaling, before shipbuilding, before manufacturing and before tourism, this area was about farms.  Despite the rugged terrain and the brutal weather, the earliest colonial homesteads were farms.  Most are now gone, but a few enterprising modern farmers have cooked up innovative new models that tap into our increasing awareness and concern for our food, and where it comes from.  One in this area is Stone Acres Farm in Stonington.

In 1814, British Warships started a massive bombardment of *Stonington to try and teach the pesky Connecticut yankees a lesson.
The Brits actually gave residents a warning so they could evacuate — many Stonington families were sheltered inland at Stone Acres Farm.

A century later, as the epic ‘Hurricane of 38’ wreaked devastation on the area, Stonington residents again sought shelter inland at Stone Acres.  Today the farm is alive and well and being run by a group that includes descendants of the original 1765 owners.  One of the oldest farms in Connecticut,

Today it’s an active multi-faceted enterprise,  that delivers fresh produce (and eggs) to local restaurants, has a farm stead and CSA, hosts culinary events and cooking classes, maintains flower gardens, houses food and farm education, and more.  Oh, by the way, it’s beautiful.

If you’ve ever exited Rte 95 at exit 91 and driven down bucolic North Main St. into Stonington, you may have seen the yellow farmhouse before Rte 1.  Across the road, a spectacular field of sunflowers (also connected to Stone Acres), is bursting into bloom on the west side of the road.

*(Note:  Mystic’s Jeremiah Holmes and a few other brave men very successfully repelled them).  

For a unique walking tour, food tour, historic tour or guided tour of Mystic, Stonington or Noank, please contact [email protected] the founder of Mystic Revealed.