Chestnut Hill Farm
One of the last working farms in the town of Southborough, Chestnut Hill Farm is a living tribute to the town’s rich agricultural past.
Plan Your Visit
- Overview
- Ideas for Your Visit
- Admission & Hours
- Directions & Contact Info
- What You'll Find
- Property Map
- Regulations & Advisories
Overview
The scenic woodlands and rolling fields of Chestnut Hill Farm are true to its heritage as a working farm, saved from development in the 1960s through the dedication of a local family. Stone walls frame fields and pastures across 170 acres. Loop trails wind through upland forests and along the edges of freshwater wetlands. Meanwhile, designated bird reserves allow for safe nesting habitat for Bobolinks, Eastern Meadowlarks, and other ground-nesting species beneath a wide-open sky.
Ideas for Your Visit
Follow a gentle cart path from the parking area through fields of hay, alfalfa, and vegetables into woods dominated by oak, red maple, and white pine to the covered embankment of the Hultman Aqueduct, which provides a backup route for Boston’s water supply from the Quabbin and Wachusett Reservoirs.
The farm runs its popular, certified-organic CSA from early summer through early winter, and provides a wealth of programming and events with a focus on helping families connect with nature, animals, and the working farm. A rustic seasonal farm stand is also open to the public throughout the year.
Admission & Hours
FREE to all
Year-round, daily, sunrise to sunset. Allow a minimum of 1 hour.
Directions & Contact Info
Chestnut Hill Road
Southborough, MA 01772
Telephone: 508.785.0339
E-mail charlesrivervalley@thetrustees.org
Get directions on Google Maps.
From I-495: Take Exit 59A (old exit 23A) for Route 9 East. Follow for approx. 2.3 mi., then take a right-hand ramp to bear North on Rt. 85 (Cordaville Rd.). Follow 1.2 mi., then turn left on Rt. 30 West (Main St.). Follow 1.2 mi., then turn right onto Chestnut Hill Rd. The parking areas are on the right side of the road in the fields, past the collection of white houses and red barn.
What You'll Find
Trails
Two miles of trails. Easy walking. Please remember that this is a working farm landscape. Please stay on marked trails and away from any equipment or livestock that you may see. Fences should be presumed to be electrified. Dog walking, horseback riding, motorized vehicles and mountain biking are not permitted on the property.
Farm Stand
The Chestnut Hill farm stand is open to the public year-round. In addition to fresh organic CHF and Trustees produce (even in the winter), the farm offers its own pickles, tomato puree, and pesto; Trustees meats, eggs, and cheeses; and a variety of local goods including dressings, honey, maple syrup, pasta, condiments, and treats.
For the time being, the only way to shop is through our online store. The ordering window is Mondays at 6PM through Thursdays at noon, for curbside pick up on Saturdays between 10AM and 2PM – we’ll bring your order right to your car. Thanks for your support!
Property Map
Free trail map distributed from bulletin board in the parking area. Please understand that supplies periodically run out.
We recommend that you take a photo of the map on your phone so you can refer to it during your visit, or download a trail map before you head out.
Regulations & Advisories
- This is an active farm, so please stay on the trails. Trails may be closed periodically to conduct agricultural or forestry operations.
- Please respect restricted-access areas, and do not open gates, touch or feed livestock, or interrupt farm operations.
- Observe all posted signs. Please note that we maintain an electric deer fence around all of our cultivated fields — assume that the fence is on at all times.
- Note that dog walking, horseback riding, mountain biking, all-terrain vehicles, and hunting are prohibited on the reservation.
- Be aware that deer ticks may carry Lyme Disease.
- Authorized bow hunting, only with written permission, is allowed on part of this reservation for a limited number of hunters, according to MasssWildlife regulations from mid October through December each year, from ½ hour before sunrise all day until ½ hour after sunset Monday through Saturday. Hunting is not allowed on Sundays. Signage is posted at the property listing safety precautions, requirements, and rules for the benefit of all visitors. Learn more about hunting on Trustees reservations
- The Trustees reserves the right to photograph or video visitors and program participants for promotional use, and usage of our properties implies consent. Please read our photo and video policy.
