7+ Walking Places for 2017

A view of Long Tom Pond at the Hoyt Hall Preserve in Marshfield.

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Every January, the North and South Rivers Watershed Association sponsors a New Year’s Day Walk. Typically this annual event -- which is free and open to the public -- showcases a recently acquired conservation area on the South Shore. But occasionally the event offers access to a privately owned property within the watershed. The 2017 walk is one of those occasions.

This year’s event, which begins at 1pm on Sunday January 1^st, takes place at the Cardinal Cushing Centers in Hanover (405 Washington Street). Participants will follow trails through 100 acres of privately owned woodland to the Third Herring Brook, a rare opportunity to view the dam removal project that is currently in progress. For more information, visit www.nsrwa.org.

Whether or not NSRWA’s New Year’s Day Walk fits into your schedule, you may be looking for other places to take a stroll in 2017. We are fortunate, here on the South Shore, to have access to an abundance of nature preserves. Chances are, if walking in the woods is the type of thing you enjoy, you’re already familiar with World’s End in Hingham and the Norris Reservation in Norwell, local favorites that are both managed by The Trustees. You probably know the Mass Audubon properties too – Daniel Webster and North River Wildlife Sanctuaries, both in Marshfield.

What follows is a list of a few other lesser-known properties worthy of your attention. All are open to the public, generally from dawn until dusk. Before you go, visit the manager’s website to download a trail map.

• Hoyt-Hall Preserve - Careswell Street/Route 139, Marshfield. This recently-opened preserve features several walking trails around Long Tom Pond and through 123 acres of woods, freshwater marsh and red cedar swamp, with links to the Old Colony Railroad and the Historic Winslow House. Managed by The Wildlands Trust.

• Rockland Town Forest – North Avenue, Rockland. A small (39.5 acres) but truly special place to stretch one’s legs, the Rockland Town Forest’s narrow paths, boardwalks and bridges lead visitors through the wetlands that surround French Stream. This place is especially enchanting in the spring and summer when the trees and shrubs are leafy and green.

• North Hill Marsh - Mayflower Street, Duxbury. A network of walking trails through pine and oak woodlands takes you all the way around the freshwater marsh and reservoir, with plenty of interesting vantage points. These 943 acres, managed by Mass Audubon and Duxbury Conservation, are prime territory for birding and other wildlife observation.

• Wildcat Conservation Area – Circuit Street, Norwell. Over 100 quiet acres, with trails through the woods, and the occasional bench on which to pause and reflect. The narrow trails lead you past old stone walls and along historic Wildcat Hill. Managed by Norwell Conservation.

• Weir River Farm and Turkey Hill – Turkey Hill Lane, Hingham.  Catch a glimpse of the agricultural landscape of days past on these 75 hilltop acres. The view of Boston Harbor is stunning. Plus there are pastures, woodland trails, and a working barnyard, with additional trails that link to Whitney & Thayer Woods. Managed by The Trustees.

• Bates Lane Conservation Area – Clapp Road, Scituate. This property and its surroundings comprise over 400 acres of contiguous conservation land in the West End of Scituate, most of it former farmland. A network of well-marked and well-tended trails leads through the woods, past glacial erratics and across small streams. Managed by Scituate Conservation.

• Lansing Bennett Forest – Union Bridge Road, Duxbury. This historic property was once home to a sawmill and later a trout farm. Today it is 344 acres of mostly wooded upland, with glacial erratics and kettle holes, plus boardwalks that traverse the red cedar swamp that borders Phillips Brook. Managed by Duxbury Conservation.

by Kezia Bacon

December 2016

Kezia Bacon's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 20 years of Nature (Human and Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com

Preserving Agricultural Landscapes

Cows graze on a hilltop pasture at Weir River Farm.

It was in the middle of our third hayride at Mass Audubon's Daniel Webster Farm Day that it occurred to me that my son and I have been spending an awful lot of time on the farm this month. In addition to attending Farm Day, one of our annual fall rituals, we picked tomatoes, potatoes and a pumpkin at Weir River Farm's Market Garden in Hingham, sat on tractors and took a different hayride at the South Shore Natural Science Center's Corn Festival in Norwell, picked apples at Mounce Farm in Marshfield, and visited the cows at O'Neil Farm in Duxbury. Plus, every week we've stopped by Rise and Shine Farm in Marshfield to pick up our farm share (and if Abel's lucky, dig some carrots). We are fortunate to have so many farms, so close by.

Despite its agricultural history, the South Shore can no longer be described as a farming community. There may be farmlands hidden away here and there, but to get a real feel for the wide-open fields that large agricultural enterprises require, you have to go to Plympton or Middleboro or parts of Bridgewater. This wasn't the case 100 years ago, when farming was still a way of life around here.

Things have changed. Lands where once we raised cattle, or grain, or vegetables are now neighborhoods, strip malls, big box stores. It won't change back. That's why I am grateful for organizations like Mass Audubon, The Trustees of Reservations, and The Wildlands Trust for having the foresight to preserve agricultural landscapes.

It was 25 years ago that Mass Audubon purchased the 350-acre Dwyer Farm from Edward Dwyer, the last in a short line of owners that also included statesman Daniel Webster. Dwyer was ready to retire from farming, but did not want to see his land absorbed in suburban sprawl. Negotiations with the Conservation Commission had stalled, due in part to the property's $500,000 price tag. But thanks to the tireless efforts of Dorothea Reeves and other volunteers on the Committee to Preserve Dwyer Farm, numerous fundraisers, and an anonymous $100,000 donation, Dwyer Farm was saved from development and preserved as open space for future generations. "Nature doesn't last for us if we take it for granted," Reeves told the Marshfield Mariner. "This is paying off some of our debt to nature."

Since then, the Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary (Winslow Cemetery Road, Marshfield) has grown to over 500 acres. With rolling green meadows, an apple orchard, and vestiges of old agricultural structures, it still has the feel of a traditional New England Farm. It is also one of the most strikingly beautiful places on the South Shore. Audubon has added two miles of walking trails, wildlife observation blinds and platforms, boardwalks through red maple swamplands, and foot bridges over the Green Harbor River to facilitate exploration. It is open year-round, dawn to dusk.

Another agricultural landscape now preserved for posterity is Weir River Farm in Hingham (Turkey Hill Lane). Managed by the Trustees of Reservations since 1999, this beautiful 75-acre property was originally a country estate, founded in the early twentieth century. Most recently, it was the home of Polly Thayer Starr, an acclaimed painter. Ten acres of fields have been left open for pasture, evoking an aura of days long past. The Weir River flows through the northwest edge of the property. There are also 60 acres of oak and red cedar woodland, and a good old-fashioned barnyard, with horses, cows, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, and a llama.

The Trustees of Reservations have made a point to preserve the farm's historic character while providing diverse wildlife habitat. This spring, on a hilltop field that once grew corn and winter rye, grower Cindy Prentice (with the help of hundreds of volunteers) put in a 2.5-acre Market Garden, with 90 varieties of flowers and vegetables, including 20 different kinds of sunflowers. The garden is open to the public twice a week for Pick Your Own; they also have a small farm stand. All summer long, Weir River hosts Open Barnyard on Saturdays, where visitors can meet the animals that reside there. The season culminates with the Fall Festival, with livestock viewings, live music, pony rides, pumpkins and more. Walking trails are open year-round.

Why should you visit Weir River Farm? Meghan Connolly, the property's Education and Interpretation Coordinator, has this to say. "When people first discover the farm, they often have the same reaction: 'a place like this exists on the South Shore?' There is something about this place that appeals to people of all ages and backgrounds. Whether it is a five-year-old collecting eggs for the first time, an eighty year old neighbor out for his daily hike, or a volunteer with their hands in the soil of our market garden, there is a community here that everyone can be a part of."

A third agricultural landscape now preserved for the enjoyment of future generations is the Historic O'Neil Farm in Duxbury (Autumn Ave.). By far the most recent of such acquisitions on the South Shore, the property was opened in part to the public in 2005, thanks largely to the efforts of The Wildlands Trust of Southeastern Massachusetts. It is now run by its own non-profit corporation, Historic O'Neil Farm, Inc. Conservation restrictions and an agricultural preservation restriction are in place to ensure that the farmhouse, barn and outbuildings will remain, and that the 145-acre farm will never be developed as house lots.

The farm was founded in or before 1736, and has been in the O'Neil family since 1829. Current owner Carl O'Neil, along with his brother Edward, took over day-to-day operations in the 1950s; Carl himself has been running the dairy farm for the past 30 years, selling milk to Agri-Mark, a cooperative best known for Cabot Cheese. It is possibly the last working dairy farm on the South Shore.

While O'Neil asks visitors not to disturb activities in the barnyard, there is a new walking trail on the property, and another one in progress, both of which give you a sense of the land and how it is worked. While there, you might catch a glimpse of O'Neil plowing a field or letting the cows out to pasture. Once a year, on Farm Day, the entire farm is open to the public, with hayrides, animal demonstrations, and children's games and crafts. Private tours also may be arranged.

Besides being a fun place to bring the kids, farms like these - some working, some not - are a wonderful destination for anyone seeking a pleasant walk or the opportunity to spot some wildlife. They speak to our region's not-so-distant history, and remind us of the importance of keeping land undeveloped and open to the public.

"Agricultural landscapes are a window to our past, the classrooms of today's new farmers and an important piece of our food independence in the future," says Meghan Connolly. "Even non-working farms are an important feature in defining the unique feel of Massachusetts and provide critical habitats for grassland bird species and other wildlife."

by Kezia Bacon-Bernstein
September 2009

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 13 years of Nature (Human and Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com.

Visiting Weir River Farm

Graham Schofield, 3, of Marshfield, checks out the chickens at Weir River Farm.

If you haven’t yet visited Weir River Farm in Hingham, now’s the time to check it out. Managed by the Trustees of Reservations since 1999, this beautiful 75-acre property offers something for everyone.

Like World’s End, its majestic companion to the east, Weir River Farm features a stunning view of Boston Harbor. The panorama from the top of Turkey Hill can be breathtaking. On a clear day, you might be able to see the North Shore.

Weir River Farm was originally a country estate, founded in the early twentieth century. Most recently, it was the home of Polly Thayer Starr, an acclaimed painter. Ten acres of fields have been left open for pasture, evoking an aura of days long past. The Trustees of Reservations make a point to preserve the farm’s “historic pastoral and agricultural character,” while providing diverse wildlife habitat. The Weir River flows through the northwest edge of the property.

There are also 60 acres of oak and red cedar woodland. A footpath from the top of Turkey Hill meanders down through the fields and the woods, and then divides into two trails. One trail leads to the barnyard, while the other directs visitors to The Grove. Intentionally reminiscent of a British woodland, The Grove features an open understory plus a garden path bordered with flowering shrubs and perennials.

The trails measure a total of 1.5 miles. Some are quite steep. Whether you’re hiking uphill or down, be prepared to feel your muscles at work! Trail maps are available near the parking areas.

Weir River Farm’s trails connect to those in the Whitney & Thayer Woods Reservation, which in turn connect to Wompatuck State Park and Hingham’s Triphammer Conservation Area. These parcels comprise the largest contiguous tract of open space on the South Shore, totaling close to 5,000 acres.

The barnyard is . . . well, a good old-fashioned barnyard. The restored barn and adjacent pens are home to a small number of horses, cows, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens -- and a llama. Throughout the late spring and summer (beginning May 2), Weir River Farm offers Open Barnyard every Saturday from 10-2, where visitors can meet the animals and learn more about how they are cared for (free for TTOR members, $3 for non-members).

In season, Weir River Farm sells the all-natural eggs, beef and pork produced there. This year they plan to offer homegrown cut flowers and pumpkins as well.

Also, on Wednesdays from 10-11 beginning June 3, there is an Outdoor Story Hour. Other programs for adults and children, including the Farm Hands Camp for ages 5-12, are available throughout the year. Call 781-740-7233 for more information.

How To Get There: From Route 228 near the Hingham Town Library, turn onto Leavitt Street. Follow Leavitt for 0.6 miles, then bear left onto Turkey Hill Lane, and follow it to a dead end. There are two small parking areas.

By Kezia Bacon-Bernstein, Correspondent
April 2009

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 13 years of Nature (Human and Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com.