History

Farmstead

The original foundation of the farm house was built well over a hundered years ago. The foundation was expanded and the current structure was built in 1926 by a man who lived here with his wife and four children. 

One of those children, Tony, continued to farm the land here until his last days on earth. Tony had an uncanny relationship with the land, the plants, the weather and nature in general. He knew this house and this land like he knew his own name.  

The house and property is called a “farmstead.” It was a family farm. Unlike the large commercial farms, this was a place to live, grow food for the family, and have enough to sell or share. There are very few, if any, of these old farmsteads left on the North Fork, other than this one.  

The original property stretched to the north past Route 48 (before there was a route 48!). And by the way, locals call Route 48 “the North Road.” Now the property is bordered by a town sump to the north (see all those trees at the edge of the field?), farmland to the east, and a commercial farming facility to the south. Tony told me that when he was a kid they would go up Depot Lane to the beach and they would see the dolphins coming in on the Sound in the morning and going out in the evening.  

Next Door...

Now let’s talk about that land to the south for just a minute. This is the farm where Jimmy (Bossman) ran the operation. He was a beautiful and gentle soul who had the most graceful ease as he worked for hours in his garden. Tony and Bossman had a strong and cooperative farming relationship. They watched out for each other and shared their equipment, their water, their time, and their harvests. The old red tractor you see on The Farm (which we still use) was originally Jimmy's. He left it to Tony. In addition to working the land, it stands as a momument to these humble farmers who cared for these properties for so many years.  

Here is an article that appeard in Newsday on Monday, August 14, 2006 to honor Jimmy at the time of his passing.

Of course, now as you look next door, you see a parking lot, possibly a bunch of school busses, but that used to be Jimmy’s manicured garden with rows of beans and all kinds of vegetables.