Broadacres Farm
Nestled along Morse Road, Broadacres Farm spans 34 picturesque acres of fields, woodlands, and wetlands, just beyond Featherland Park. Once part of a larger horse farm owned by Honora Haynes, Broadacres Farm (aka Broadacre, Broad Acres, and Broad Acre; the jury is still out) is the newest addition to the Sudbury Conservation Department’s portfolio of protected open spaces, purchased by the town in 2019. Located on the west side of Morse Road, the property is bordered to the west and south by the extensive wetlands of the Wake Robin parcel. Across Morse Road to the east is the remaining portion of the Broadacre purchase, which is administered by other Town departments, and where the original riding arena, staff housing, and stable still stands.
The open fields offer a tranquil setting for walking, birdwatching, and quiet reflection, while the surrounding woodlands provide vital habitat for local wildlife. Trails wind around the edges of both main fields before leading up a small hill through the woods to a third, smaller field.
Parking:
A large gravel parking area can be found in front of the field at 82 Morse Road.
Historic Information
Broadacres Farm, historically known as Maenpaa Farm and Calvin Morse’s Farm remains a living example of the colonial farmer’s practice of clearing woodlands to create areas of cultivated fields and pastureland. In the 19th Century, David Haynes owned hundreds of acres of farmland along the area that would later include Broadacres. The land was subdivided and Calvin Morse purchased and farmed a large tract of land west of Concord Rd. Morse Road was named for him. By the 1920’s, a Finnish immigrant named Victor Maenpaa owned the farm, which was then comprised of 74 acres. He most likely built the present farmhouse. The farm was then sold in two parcels, and in 1954 Honora Haynes purchased 57 acres, renaming it Broadacres Farm after a Haynes family farm in Vassalboro, Maine which had been in operation for nearly 300 years.
After Honora Haynes’ purchase in 1954, Broadacres became a highly successful equine enterprise, including horse breeding, training, and rider training and education. After Honora’s passing in 2019, the farm was purchased by the town and continues to be a protected symbol of Sudbury’s agrarian roots.
Trail Challenges
The trails around the two larger field are generally flat, although the terrain becomes more uneven as they approach the wetlands near the woodland edge. During Spring, this area can be particularly muddy. As the trail meanders north, out of the field, it travels through a rocky woodland up a short incline that may be difficult for some visitors.
Connections
Once the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail is officially open to the public, and after a quick pass of the brush mower, Broadacres will be subsumed into the broader network of Sudbury’s open spaces. Stepping onto the Rail Trail and heading left will transport you to North Sudbury, leading to Davis Farm and Frost Farm, straddling either side of 117. A quick turn down Haynes Rd will lead you to Barton Farms. If instead you go right towards the center, you will soon arrive at other Town-owned open spaces, including the Howe and Parkinson properties.