Historic O'Neil Farm Welcomes A New Tenant Farmer
In the beginning of 2024 The Historic O’Neil Farm board of nine volunteers sent out a request for proposals in search of farmers who were interested in farming 70 acres. With the cooperation of Carl O’Neil as our current farmer tenant and board member, the board reviewed and interviewed local and surrounding community applicants who brought a diverse set of agricultural opportunities for the board to consider. After a full year of considerations and lease negotiations the board is pleased to announce that we have selected local resident, Elaine Philbrick, as our new successor farmer who is now leasing 70 acres of Historic O’Neil Farm land and maintaining it under our current Massachusetts Agricultural Preservation Restriction.
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Elaine will be producing and selling high quality artisanal goat cheese under the Duxbury Creamery brand. She is personally investing in the infrastructure on the property with a new grade A licensed dairy barn. The barn will include a dairy milking parlor and commercial kitchen for cheesemaking. Housing and milking around 200 Nubian and Saanen goats the new dairy will produce various kinds of fresh goat cheese and other products.
Duxbury Creamery has included future plans for a multipurpose barn to be built along the Avery Trail with access from Autumn Ave. This barn will provide the necessary supplemental income that small farmers must rely upon and includes a retail store, cheese packaging, cheese cave, and space for limited functions and agricultural classes. The barn will be placed in a natural setting and has been approved by the Massachusetts agency who regulates our agriculture preservation restriction on that property. Please join us in welcoming Elaine Philbrick and her dairy goat farm, Duxbury Creamery, to Historic O’Neil Farm. |
These will be some of the new faces seen at the farm. We welcome Elaine, these Saanan goats, new Nubian goats, and her farmers that will be helping her in the dairy.
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We know that many in the community are wondering what the transition from dairy cattle to dairy goats will look like on the farm. Carl O’Neil will manage a smaller dairy cattle herd on his remaining acreage that will be adjacent to the homestead and old dairy barn. Carl O’Neil will continue living on the property, managing his cattle, performing a critical role on the Historic O’Neil Farm board, and working with Farmtastic 4H club. For over twenty years Mr. O’Neil has supported, mentored and provided exhibit cattle to the club.
We thank Carl O’Neil for his foresight in 2004 to protect this precious land in support of small agricultural farming. We are asking for your continued support as we embark on this new chapter continuing the small agricultural farming legacy that Carl’s ancestors began in the early 1700s.
With your volunteer and financial support The Historic O’Neil Farm board will be able to continue maintaining the Avery and Chandler trails, improving our conservation protections by applying for grants, such as, the one we are currently working with NRCS to protect Hall’s brook and providing for water sources for the grazing livestock, and continuing agricultural education and community activities.
We will be sending out a newsletter with more information in the early spring. You can always reach us at [email protected].
Thank you for your continued support of Historic O’Neil Farm.
We thank Carl O’Neil for his foresight in 2004 to protect this precious land in support of small agricultural farming. We are asking for your continued support as we embark on this new chapter continuing the small agricultural farming legacy that Carl’s ancestors began in the early 1700s.
With your volunteer and financial support The Historic O’Neil Farm board will be able to continue maintaining the Avery and Chandler trails, improving our conservation protections by applying for grants, such as, the one we are currently working with NRCS to protect Hall’s brook and providing for water sources for the grazing livestock, and continuing agricultural education and community activities.
We will be sending out a newsletter with more information in the early spring. You can always reach us at [email protected].
Thank you for your continued support of Historic O’Neil Farm.
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We welcome your support and participation in carrying on the long tradition of the farm.
Thanks to Carl O'Neil's vision, the support of The Wildlands Trust of Southeastern Massachusetts in spearheading the campaign to preserve the farm, a town meeting vote, and the generosity of over 500 private donors, this piece of the Duxbury landscape will forever remain a farm. In 2005, Historic O'Neil Farm, Inc., is a private 501-3c corporation, was established to preserve the agricultural heritage of the O'Neil Farm. |
Visit the farm by parking on Autumn Ave in Duxbury, MA. The barnyard is currently not open for visitors.
Walk our trails |