Eastleigh Farm To Go On Auction Block March 27

Originally posted at 4:12 p.m. Updated

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Eastleigh Farm is scheduled to be auctioned off on March 27, according to a report in the Boston Business Journal.

Owner Doug Stephan purchased the 100+ acre property on Edmands Road in Framingham in 2006 for $4 million. Later, he mortgaged the property for another $5.5 million.

The farm and the house at 1084 Grove St. was scheduled for a foreclosure auction last October, but Stephan was able to get a reprieve.

Town of Framingham records have the property assessed for $300,00 as it is zoned for agricultural use.

Brokers say it could fetch more than $2 million at auction if the use is changed, reported the Boston Business Journal.

Eastleigh Farm was established in the early 1900’s. It stayed in the same family, operating as a Guernsey dairy until 1981.  In 1981, the farm was transferred to a local businessman who owned it until 1996, operating as a beef farm.  A developer bought and owned it for six years, continuing to utilize the pastures to raise beef.  Eight years ago, the present owner began the process of reconverting the facility to a dairy operation, according to its website.

On Feb. 19 a barn roof, covered in snow, collapsed killing two of the farm's cows. Several cows were injured that morning, and three more cows died from injuries.

But during the tragic week, a new calf was born at the Edmands Road farm, and the community rallied to help.