New use for Groton Family Farm?
W ith its shaggy, empty pastures, devoid of the placid sheep and scurrying hens that populated the parcel just two years ago, the former Groton Family Farm is a rather forlorn and sad place. View the empty barn, historic farmhouse and 6.5 acres of land on Poquonnock Plains using just a bit of imagination, however, and the opportunity this parcel presents quickly becomes apparent.
Opportunity is the key word here. The former Groton Family Farm is located near prime community resources such as Town Hall, the Groton Public Library, Groton Senior Center and the former Fitch Middle School. It also is located on the busy Route 1 corridor.
In short, there is a world of opportunity there for the town, Groton residents and potential developers who possess some creativity and community spirit.
This is all thanks to Warren Burrows and his family. Before he moved to the West Coast to be closer to his daughters, Burrows farmed the property for a dozen years, selling farm-fresh eggs and vegetables, along with wool from the sheep, to the public. He has deep roots in the property: An ancestral cousin built the farmhouse there in 1784, and Burrows’ great-grandfather moved there just after the Civil War and built the barn in 1892.
He doesn’t want the farm buildings to deteriorate further, nor the land to stand vacant. That’s why, instead of simply pounding a “For Sale” sign on the farm and seeking the highest bidder, Burrows returned to Groton late last month. He hosted a community meeting to seek ideas from residents and town officials about what they would like to see at the site, and, even as important, what they would not welcome there.
“Personally, I envision a large open space, a park-like effect where people can come and sit and just enjoy themselves, also in line with the town’s interest in a village effect in that area,” Burrows told a Day reporter late in the winter. He said he’d also like to see the house and barn on the site restored.
Many of the more than 50 people who attended the community meeting Burrows hosted last month agreed with the concept of a park and open space. The possibility of developing the type of town square Groton has never enjoyed also was raised. Others offered ideas including incorporating apartments or shops into the restored buildings. These types of income generators could make redevelopment more attractive, especially given the financial realities of the public sector that would likely make an outright public purchase a long shot at best.
Still, the availability of the farm presents an opportunity not likely to present itself again any time soon.
Laurie Kotfer of Mystic said during last month’s public meeting: “I love the opportunity that the family has given to the community. I think it’s a rare thing.”
We couldn’t have said it any better. We offer public thanks to Warren Burrows and his family. We also hope this rare opportunity doesn’t become an opportunity lost.