State Testing At Eastleigh Farm; Raw Milk Sales Halted

Eastleigh Farm posted on its website this week that the state is testing and has halted raw milk sales at the Edmands Road farm.

The state halted sales in April 2011 and again in August 2012, both times after tests showed a high bacteria count.

The farm sells raw milk at $11 a gallon and $6 for a half gallon.

The prices went up on Sept 1. The website reported: "due to increased Government oversight and regulation, which have increased our costs dramatically, Eastleigh Farm must increase the cost of our raw milk by 10% (now $11/gallon)."

In July, the farm was the focus of a closed-session meeting with Framingham Selectmen and Framingham Town Manager, as the farm is scheduled for a foreclosure auction on Oct. 23, according to Farm Credit East.

Both the farm at 1062 Edmands Rd. and the house at 1084 Grove St. are scheduled to go on the auction block. The mortgage-holder is Farm Credit East. The farm is currently owned by Doug Stephan.

The farm has been trying to raise money through crowd sourcing and there is a I Support Eastleigh Farm Facebook page.  Crowd sourcing raised just under $10,000.

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 the farm's website.