Just over three and half miles as the crow flies from the Merritt Parkway, sits Randall’s Farm Preserve. A short hike on a well-maintained path leads to the back meadow. Back here, just seven hundred or so feet from Sport Hill Rd, you can lose yourself in the serene beauty of the preserved terrain.
If you’re lucky and the traffic cooperates, you’ll hear nothing. If you close your eyes for a moment, and then look at the sky, it suddenly seems much bigger, especially in the winter. This is Easton’s “Big Sky” country.
Randall’s offers a treat for your senses during any season. There are peepers by the millions in the spring, though you’ll need to look close to spot that many. In the summer, pollinators galore: birds, bees, butterflies, beetles and moths of hundreds of species. Fall brings an abundance of classic New England colors and migrating raptors. The summer months offer wildflowers reaching for the clouds, while white tail deer welcome you to their home from a distance. The winter snow exposes the true rolling nature of the meadows.
But that’s not all. The story behind this property is fascinating, in more ways than one. The property, now owned and maintained by the Aspetuck Land Trust, was originally a forest, or maybe a farm. The indigenous Paugussett people were farmers and fishermen, not unlike many of Easton’s residents today. While there is no certain record of the property before settlers arrived, it was likely providing the same ecosystem benefits the land does today.
Paugussett society operated much like towns of today, although their currency, “wampum” was certainly different. The tribes first encountered settlers in 1637, though “encountered” may be too gentle a term.
After being defeated by Captain John Mason and his Mohegan allies, the Pequot tribe made their escape towards Southport and into Paugussett territory. The continent was no bigger back then than it is today, and word of the Pequot’s presence eventually reached the settlers. Raids of the tribe’s territory followed shortly thereafter. The ensuing “war in the swamp” did not end well for the Paugussett peoples, and they were no longer welcome in the places they once roamed.
Places like Randall’s Farm. In the following decades, urban sprawl threatened the tribe’s remaining 100 acres. The parcel then became a long lot. To encourage recent arrivals to the coast to move inland, governments deeded acreage to new settlers on the cheap. The land clearing that followed turned the forest off present-day Sport Hill Road into Randall’s Dairy Farm.
In 1983, the farm was acquired by Mrs. Henry B. DuPont III. Yes, that DuPont family. Unfortunately, Henry did not get to enjoy the family fortune for a long time, or the farm. He was killed in a freak airplane accident on Block Island in 1976 at the age of 44. His wife, Joan, acquired the farm in 1983 and transferred it to the Land Trust in 2011.
The Aspetuck Land Trust opened the preserve the following year. Not much has changed since then, especially if you’re only viewing the property through the driver’s window.
But, when viewed up close, everything changes. The parking lot is easy enough to spot, and even if there are a few cars already there, you can still find some solitude within the preserve’s 34 acres.
An out and back trail loops you around the pond in the middle of the meadow and juts out in spots to nearby Gilbertie’s farm. The trail then appears to head into the forest, but a walk over the wooden plank bridges reveals another pond. Here, you decide how much of an adventure you’re up for. The trail splits and offers several routes around the farm’s preserved meadows and even one through the woods. If you’re looking for peace and solitude, trekking to the back meadow is well worth the extra steps. Just watch out for the snakes.
If you stick to the outer loop, you’ll eventually go through the woods and into the middle meadow. If all this walking around is making you hungry, then stop for a snack under a stoic evergreen tree that stands alone at the choke point where the trail sharply curves back towards your entry point.
In my humble opinion, it is where The Land Trust perfected its mission of connecting people and nature. On a busy day working from home, a sandwich under this tree can take you anywhere. Don’t mind the snow. The proud evergreen shields the ground below almost like a blanket. If you’re dressed warmly enough, I highly suggest sitting on the ground with your back to this magnificent, living tree. Take a breather, watch the meadow and listen to the residents.
Breath the fresh air. Stay a while.
Under that stunning tree, there is no separation between human beings and nature: the way it is meant to be. Take a moment to appreciate the surrounding ecosystem regenerating right in front of your eyes. Don’t be too sad that you have to leave. The walk back to your car will be just as enjoyable as the walk in, regardless of the path you choose.
Take nothing but inner calm with you on the way out. And leave no trace of your presence in this pristine environment. You’re a part of it now, and realize that you always have been. I promise you’ll be back in no time.
The Cultural Easton 