OUR HISTORY
It began with Carmen’s dream…
Over forty years ago, actress and environmentalist Carmen Mathews had a dream for the land she loved. She wanted New Pond Farm’s pastures, woodlands, and wetlands to serve as an oasis of beauty where people of all ages could connect with the natural world in a meaningful way and, at the same time, learn about the importance of a small working farm.
1975 Carmen began with a small summer camp for inner-city children. Using a refurbished turkey coop, the campers from New York City would join Carmen and counselors for a joyous week when they would step into the boots of a farmer: feeding cows and chickens, collecting and eating fresh vegetables, and helping with chores. They also delighted in discovering the property’s natural habitats. They’d swim, hike, fish, and have loads of old-fashioned fun.
1985 Carmen realized the camp was just a beginning. With the help of the Natural Science for Youth Foundation, she put together a Board of Directors and received a 501(c)(3) status for an independent, year-round environmental education center. Hands-on field trip programs for area school groups and classes for children and families began. The camp expanded to include youngsters from surrounding towns, and together in a nurturing environment, these children, from different socioeconomic backgrounds, broke down barriers and developed understandings and friendships.
1987 Ann Taylor became the Executive Director, arriving with her wonderful young family, a red-tailed hawk, two sheep, and twelve years of experience as the Senior Naturalist and Director of Education for the CT Audubon Society. Ann and Carmen became fast friends and together, with the Farm Manager and a host of volunteers, their exciting work of sharing the wonders of New Pond Farm Education Center began!
1993 The turkey coop was replaced with an official bunkhouse with vast improvements like running water, heat, and indoor plumbing! Our school field trip programs flourished, and our dedicated staff enjoyed sharing environmental, historical, and agricultural programs with 5,000 children a year. Our membership continued to grow and enjoyed seasonal festivals, classes, camps, and more. In honor of our founder, we also began to celebrate the Arts. For more than a decade, our celebrated Shakespeare programs provided fantastic opportunities for more than 200 talented middle school and high school actors.
2004 Thanks to our first Capital Campaign, $3 million was raised to strengthen our endowment, to upgrade our aging infrastructure, and build a spectacular Learning Center on the site of the original coop and bunkhouse. The Learning Center is the hub of our educational efforts, humming with activity throughout the seasons. It is home to our adult lecture series, culinary programs, knitting groups, art and photography shows, barn dances, Harvest Dinners, classes for children and families, and hands-on learning for school groups.
2007 Thanks to the high quality of care shared with our animals, dairy products, and property, we were designated as one of Connecticut’s Dairy Farms of Distinction. We sell freshly pasteurized milk and yogurt from our Dairy Annex.
Today We are committed to our Founder’s original vision of being an exceptional small and personal education center. While we are very proud of all that we have accomplished, our staff and board continue to be excited about the next steps in our evolution. We are constantly working on strategic plans inspired by the evolving needs of our members and our community.