EAST LONGMEADOW — An old farm is breathing new life in East Longmeadow and the owners want to reintroduce it to the town. The Farm at Hawks Landing, formerly State Line Farm, will host Holiday Prelude on Sunday, Dec. 22, from 12-5 p.m
The event, sponsored by Center Square Grill and One Way Brewing, will feature games, hayrides, pictures with Santa, hot chocolate, pints from One Way Brewing, Christmas carolers and other vendors.
The Farm at Hawks Landing, 896 Somers Rd., is a joint venture between Tom Kaye, Bill Collins, Jason Tsitso and Zach Schwartz. Kaye, Tsitso and Schwartz are co-owners of One Way Brewing in Longmeadow. Meanwhile, Collins is the owner of Center Square Grill, a restaurant in the heart of East Longmeadow.
Kaye brought the idea of purchasing the 13-acre property to Collins, suggesting that they could grow fruit, grains and microgreens for use in their respective businesses. “One Way is licensed as a farm brewery,” Kaye said. “We’ve wanted to do something farm to table, brewery to table.”
Collins said Kaye is “passionate” about the farm. The land, at the intersection of East Longmeadow, Hampden and Connecticut, was once State Line Farm, owned by the Forbes brothers. “It was a beautiful farm,” Kaye said, adding that over the years, “I’ve seen it go to hell. It’s gone way downhill.”
After the group purchased the farm in May, Kaye said the team removed 20 20-yard dumpsters of debris, brush and trash. The site had become something of a “local dumping ground,” Kaye said. The house that once sat on the property had deteriorated and had to be demolished.
“We’re bringing is back to life,” Kaye said of the farm.
Planned crops include apples, peaches and mulberries. They were able to save 11 of the original apple trees and purchased an additional 60 fruit trees from the nearby Pell Family Farm. Over the years, the former pig pond has become a wetland where the team plans to plant native blueberries. There will be honeybee hives on-site to help pollinate the crops and produce honey with the help of a beekeeper. Kaye noted that one of the farm’s neighbors, Rick Punderson, has a pollinator garden on his property. Being a good neighbor is an essential part of the team’s plan for the farm. Collins said the farm will be part of the area ecosystem, both literally and figuratively, working hand in hand with other economic entities.
The farm will be developed in phases. Schwartz said the first phase involves “revitalizing the first six of 13 acres. As we move into the new year, we’re excited to continue reshaping this beautiful landscape.” There is a greenhouse on the property and the Planning Board recently approved the construction of a structure that will one day be a farm stand. Kaye emphasized, “We’re a farm. That’s what we are first.” But the business plan for the Farm at Hawks Landing includes agrotourism and education aspects.
“We want to be able to be a community gathering place,” Collins said. Kaye added that it would be “something to bring the community together. Recreation is not just about sports.” Collins also envisions students visiting the farm to learn about pollination and where food comes from.
“The Farm at Hawks Landing seasonal events will create opportunities for families to connect, build memories, and enjoy the beauty of nature. Through our agrotourism model, we aim to strengthen the community and foster connections with nature,” Schwartz said in a statement.
The team plans to hire someone to run the day-to-day operations at the farm. “We have beer guys, restaurant guys, finance guys,” Collins said. He pointed out that he and his partners had built successful businesses over several decades in the area. While they do not have direct agricultural experience, the contacts they have made lend them institutional knowledge to put into practice on the farm.
“We’re going to make this an epic place,” Collins said, adding that the partners are excited “to leave out stamp on this property better than we found it. The process can be difficult, but the finished product is worth the work.”
