A Massachusetts farm stayed under one family's care for a century and was cultivated for 200 years

More than 120 acres of historic farmland and nearby woodland in Essex, Massachusetts, have been permanently protected from commercial housing development after a major conservation deal was completed in early 2025. According to project details published by the Essex County Greenbelt Association, the regional land trust worked with local town leaders and state environmental agencies to place a permanent conservation restriction on historic Hoyt Farm, also known locally as Silver Brook Farm. The agreement ensures that the property, which has been farmed for more than two centuries and cared for by one family for 100 years, will remain used for farming, forestry and protection of natural habitat.Century of stewardship on historic soilLocated along John Wise Avenue in Essex, the property includes productive farm fields, mature forests and sensitive wetland areas. Records kept by the Essex Historical Society show that farmers have worked the land at Hoyt Farm since the early 1800s. The farm supplied food and animal feed to coastal communities in Essex County. The Hoyt family bought the property in the 1920s and began a century of direct care across four generations. During the past 100 ...