President and Founder: Robert J. Tashjian, V.M.D. | West Boylston, MA 01583 | avmf@vetfrontiers.org | (508) 835-6258 | Fax: (508) 835-4021
Malden Brook Farm Heritage Center
Preserving America's Farmland and Heritage
The Setting
Malden Brook Farm is located in the biologically diverse Wachusett Reservoir Watershed in West Boylston, Massachusetts.
A classic, picturesque New England farm, Malden Brook Farm is crisscrossed by stands of hardwoods and conifers, meadows, swamps, hills and stone walls.
Like many of the best producing New England farms, Malden Brook has extensive wetlands – some situated even on the hills and slopes. Malden Brook itself, which courses through the farm, is a significant tributary to nearby Wachusett Reservoir, which supplies the city of Boston with nearly all of its drinking water.
Environmentally rich and fertile, as well as scientifically important, various soil types are abundant on the farm. These soils play a major role in fostering the quality of life and longevity for all plants and animals. For more than a century the farm has served as home for many cows, horses, goats and wildlife. In addition to serving as a wildlife preserve, Malden Brook Farm harbors over a dozen different species of fruit and nut trees, many a century old.
Most important, even after a century of farming, the biological and environmental diversity of Malden Brook Farm has not been impaired or the fields changed. The farm remains an untainted natural environment of acres of pastures, wetlands, fields and forests. The biological balance of trees, swamps and animals, including deer, cattle and horses, remains in biological and environmental harmony.
The Agriculture
Malden Brook Farm began dairy and market garden farming in 1894 and still today remains a productive, intact enterprise.
During the last century part of the farm grew and prepared vegetables for markets in the city of Worcester. Farmhands washed the vegetables from a 20-foot-deep well with a hand pump, then drove the produce into Worcester by horse and wagon, later by truck.
Hand-dug wells provided fresh spring water for both farm workers and livestock. Since the hillsides of the farm were not suitable for growing most vegetables,, apple, peach, apricot, Mulberry and other trees took root in the rich, moist soil. These fruit trees became an additional source of income for the farm.
As a result, Malden Brook Farm is home to many varieties of heritage fruit and nut trees, including, chestnut, walnut and pignut trees. Many of these are over a century old. Although the original Mulberry trees on the farm are from Armenian origin over a century ago, this Mulberry stock probably originated from China, where this variety is used for silk production and herbal medications. Today the farm's primary agricultural endeavor is no-till haying. The farm also houses many free-roaming cattle, horses and goats.
The Heritage
Even before 1900, countless European immigrants looked to America as the “promised land” – a new start for fulfilling their hopes and dreams. Many migrated penniless to America. Naturally, food was a vital to their survival, and small family farms prospered and grew with great diversity. The land here was rich, fertile and moist, capable of supporting a wide assortment of plants and trees. For farms like Malden Brook Farm, the diversity included dairy cattle, primarily, and other farm animals, such as sheep, goats, pigs and poultry.
In addition, New England farms produced outstanding vegetables of all kinds, as well as high qualify fruits, especially apples, pears and peaches. And during World War II, all across America thousands of small “victory gardens” provided the nation with vital food production.
Malden Brook Farm stands as a compelling example of America’s proud, resourceful farming heritage. These lands literally helped build the greatness of America. Today, however, preserving this environment requires a dynamic, 21st-century vision.
Malden Brook Farm Heritage Center is devoted to maintaining and preserving its cultural and historical essence. For example, the Center houses a sizeable collection of equipment and memorabilia from the century-old Malden Brook Farm and other farms of Massachusetts.
From the dignity of a fringe-top surrey to the rough and unrefined buckboard, the Heritage Center's collection tells many stories from years gone by. Originally from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, our trusty 100-plus year old buckboard served for many decades on Malden Brook Farm and was recently completely restored. Linda Thompson, a friend of the late Elvis Presley, looked forward to rides on this buckboard during visits from Memphis as she escorted Elvis's dog to our veterinary hospital.
In addition to our carriages, the Heritage Center recently began restoring many of our decades-old tractors to their original beauty. Beginning around the end of World War II, these tractors and their attachments were an integral part of the family farms. Currently over half of our fleet of 20 farm tractors have been restored. Some continue to serve well as we work the farm today.
And though the 19th Century is well over 100 years behind us, the Malden Brook Farm Heritage Center is working to keep this era alive with restoration of its horse drawn carriages, wagons and equipment. We envision a time when the entire collection will be restored to its original condition and displayed in a museum located on the farm.
The Challenges
After World War II, the rapid growth of urban areas across the nation inevitably altered the character of rural America as well. In New England, the character of local farming changed more since about 1950 than in any period since the incorporation of our towns and communities.
Today, as New England’s family farmers find their farms more and more fragmented, they are being forced out of business at an alarming rate. However, organic vegetables and other crops can still be produced successfully and economically on these smaller farms.
In addition to producing fresh, nutritious, high-quality foods, small family farms provide a wealth of benefits for their local communities and regions. Perhaps most important, family farmers serve as responsible stewards of the land. Typically, small family farmers live on or near their farms and strive to preserve the surrounding environment for future generations. Since these farmers have a vested interest in their communities, they are more likely to use sustainable farming techniques to protect natural resources and human health.
The existence of family farms also ensures the preservation of open space within the community. Unfortunately, once a family farm is forced out of business, the farmland is often sold for development, and the quality land and its soil for farming are lost forever. The notable musician Willie Nelson conveyed the significance of the American family farm in our heritage and culture when he wrote, "If we lose the family farms, we lose more than a piece of land or individual growers of food. We lose a self-sufficient spirit that has made our country great. We just can't let that happen."
In both rural communities and urban areas, family farms remain the engine of economic vitality, creating good jobs in local and regional food systems. When family farms thrive, so does Main Street USA. Moreover, farmland and open space also protect water resources, improve air quality, reduce flood damage, and preserve habitat for plants and wildlife.
The good life on the farm--with domestic and wild animals, a protected environment, and practicing agriculture with 21st century knowledge. This photo could represent any time in the last 50 years, but was taken recently. The tractor is a 1954 Farmall Super H and is used year-round on the farm. The horses and cows come running to this tractor in the fields, since its appearance usually means carrot treats.
