Verrill Farm
| Verrill Farm | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Location within Massachusetts | |
| Town/City | Concord |
| State | Massachusetts |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 42°25′29″N 71°22′27″W / 42.42462°N 71.37421°W |
| Established | 1918 |
| Area | 200 acres (81 ha) |
| Status | Open to the public |
Verrill Farm is a farm on Wheeler Road in Concord, Massachusetts, United States. Established by Floyd and Amy Verrill in 1918,[1] its 200 acres (81 ha) of land dates back to colonial times. It is known for its rows of sunflowers.[2][3] Its farmhouse was built in 1840.[1]
The Verrills founded The Dairy, an ice-cream parlor, in partnership with James DeNormandie of nearby Lincoln.[4][5] DeNormandie's Guernsey cattle provided their milk until his farm and herd were destroyed by fire in 1954.[6] Floyd Verrill began building pastures of clover, timothy-grass, bluegrass and alfalfa in 1929.[7] The following year, he had around 100 cows.[8]
The farm began hosting an annual Harvest Festival in 2006. Its proceeds benefit Emerson Hospital in Concord.[9]
In 1982, the farms land was placed under an Agricultural Preservation Restriction, which prevented development from occurring.[10]
Steve Verrill, grandson of the original owner, took over the farm in 1957, upon his graduation from Cornell University.[1] He sold the farm's dairy herd in 1990.[10][11]
Jennifer Verrill, Steve's daughter, and her husband, Tim, now own the farm. Their daughters are the fourth generation of the family to work on the farm.[10]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 "Gateway to American Independence and Innovation". freedomsway.org. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
- ↑ "Pick your own sunflowers in the stunning fields of this Massachusetts farm that's steeped in history - CBS Boston". www.cbsnews.com. 2025-08-21. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
- ↑ Louise, JQ. "5 sunflower fields to visit near Boston". Time Out Boston. Archived from the original on 2022-08-17. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
- ↑ Society, Lincoln Historical (2003-10-01). Lincoln. Arcadia Publishing. p. 54. ISBN 978-0-7385-1146-7.
- ↑ New England Dairyman. NEMPA. 1942. p. 14.
- ↑ Boston_Herald, December 27, 1987, p. 43
- ↑ Soil Conservation. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1942. p. 215.
- ↑ Bureau Farmer. American Farm Bureau Federation. 1930. p. 11.
- ↑ Hospital, Emerson; Neighbor (2013-11-04). "Acton Resident Enjoys Verrill Farm Harvest Festival Benefiting Emerson Hospital". Acton, MA Patch. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
- 1 2 3 "Farm History". Verrill Farm. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
- ↑ "Niche Farms: the Appeal of New Crops". The New York Times. 1992-05-24. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
External links
[edit]- Interview with Steve Verrill in 1990 – Concord Library