Clover Nook Farm is an 8th generation family owned fresh market produce operation, dating back to 1765. We are located in Bethany, CT, and are one of the oldest operating farms in the state.
Our main objective is to promote sustainable agriculture while providing the community with fresh fruit and vegetables. Our produce is hand picked daily and is available at our roadside stand located right at the farm.
History:
Clover Nook Farm is located on a hilltop near Bethany's town center. The land was originally owned by the French family in the 1600's, whose farm was located in what was then known as Derby-Milford. The land was used as summer pasture for livestock from the French farm.
In 1765, David French married Hannah Lines of Bethany. The couple built a homestead on the French family's Bethany land. David fought in the Revolutionary War defending Boston, surviving to return home to raise his family and work the land which is now known as Clover Nook Farm.
In 1823, David's youngest son, Harry, built another home on the farm. This house still stands at the center of the farm and has been lived in by the many generations of the family since. Harry served as First Selectman for the town, as well as a representative in the state legislature.
After Harry's death in 1843, his only daughter, Jane, and her husband, Justus Peck, moved back to the farm to take over the dairy and other operations on the farm. Justus became involved in many town affairs, not the least of which was the Bethany-Woodbridge Agricultural Society. For many years the group held an annual fair, the location of which was alternated between a farm in Woodbridge and Clover Nook Farm. The field where the fair was held is, to this day, still referred to as the "Fair Lot" on the farm.
During Justus and Jane's later years, their daughter Charlotte and her husband, Samuel Woodward, a schoolteacher from Watertown, lived on the farm and began to take over the running of the farm. Samuel became quite involved in government affairs, serving as the town's First Selectman for 22 years, as well as its representative in the state legislature. Samuel and Charlotte had three children, Florence, Daisy, and Sherman.
