Historic Framingham Farm Seeks Funding: Report

FRAMINGHAM, MA — The clock is ticking for a historic dairy farm in the quiet northwest corner of Framingham.

Eastleigh Farm, which dates to the 19th century and covers over 100 acres of pasture and fields, is looking for city funds to help pay off a mortgage and prevent the land from being developed, MetroWest Daily News reported.

Just off Edmands Road, Eastleigh is one of the largest privately owned green spaces in the area, and attracts 20,000 visitors a year.

To keep the farm afloat, it’s asking Framingham for $3 million in Community Preservation Act money and will seek another $4.5 million in state, federal and nonprofit grants.

Without the financial support, Eastleigh would have to sell off some of its property to pay debt costs, Doug Stephan told the newspaper. Stephan and his family trust purchased the farm in 2002.

Stephan, 79, initially covered the costs, according to a letter the farm posted on social media. When the farm faced foreclosure, other supporters stepped in to help.

But "the effort to preserve and run Eastleigh has taken a toll, and [Stephan’s] capacity to keep fighting to save this land is running out," the letter said.

The Framingham Community Preservation Committee could make a recommendation to the city council about the funding request as soon as March.

To read the Daily News story, click here.