New Pond Farm's 102 acre property and trails are open to MEMBERS of the
farm from dawn to dusk. Members please call 938-2117 to let us know you
are coming and please leave your dogs at home.
Property
Ecology
There are five ecological communities in our woodlands preserve. Each is named
after their dominant tree species.
The
Oak/Hickory Forest Community
These woodlands survive well on the ridge top where the soil is shallow. The
deep roots of oaks and hickory find scarce water in cracks in the bedrock. Their
nuts are favorites of flying squirrels, chipmunks, mice, deer and turkeys.
The Maple/Beech Forest
Community
These woodlands occupy the hillside. The shallow roots of these trees do much
better in the moist soils of the hillsides. Many of the maple trees on the east
side of the ridge are tapped each spring for maple syrup production. Hollow old
maples provide dens for flying squirrels and raccoons.
The White Pine/Norway Spruce
Forest Community
These woodlands occupy the wet soil adjacent to the marsh. White pine and Norway
spruce were planted in the 60s. Now more than 30-years old, they tower over the
marsh. These evergreens provide cover for birds in the winter and seeds for
squirrels and birds. Many birds hide their nests in the dense tops of the Norway
Spruce.
The Hemlock/White Pine/Black
Birch Community
These woodlands thrive in the sandy soil along the stream. White pines planted
near the stream in the 1960s are joined by volunteer hemlock and black birch
trees. These fast growing trees now provide great nest sites for crows, hawks
and great-horned owls.
The Aspen Forest Community
These woodlands are hard to find. They are located in the back of the property
along Aspen Trail. Look up to see the golden branches on a winter afternoon or
the quaking leaves in the summer breeze.
Geology
The geology of New Pond Farm includes ridgetop outcrops of bedrock (mostly along Baldy-Ridge Trail) glacier deposits (most evident where carved away by Blackmans Pond Brook by the Native American Museum), and stream sediments in the lowlands (underlying our pastures).
The bedrock which underlies the farm was originally deposited as sediment in the Iapetus Ocean (before the Atlantic). It was caught up on the continental collision of North America and Africa. This collision formed the Appalachian mountains 286 Million years ago. The heat and pressure of the collision changed or metamorphosed the sedimentary rock into metamorphic rock called gneiss (pictured left).
The bedrock gneiss contains metamorphic minerals which grew during metamorphism (period of heat and pressure). The most notable minerals are shiny micas, both muscovite (white) and biotite (black, pictured right) and red garnet. The garnets are very hard and resist weathering. Look for them sticking out of the rock like measles or chickenpox. In the sunshine, they are deep red.
The glaciers that once covered New England are evident on the Farm. Glacial erratics (large boulders perched precariously on the ridge top), cobbles, boulders, sand and clay all deposited by the glaciers. The top of Mt. Baldy was smoothed by the glacier. Now rounded with a steep side to the southeast, Mt. Baldy was probably once a towering peak. The steep face was created by ice sliding over the mountain and plucking rock off the back side.
Directions to the Farm
From
Norwalk/Wilton
via
Route 7
Follow Route 7 through Wilton and in Georgetown you will come to
the junction of Route 7 and Route 107. You will turn right onto Route
107. Follow Route 107 until you come to the junction of 107 and Route
53. Bear left onto Route 53 and follow it for about 2.5 miles.
In this
stretch of road, you will pass The Redding Roadhouse on your right, Mark
Twain Library on your left and
John Read Middle
School on your right. Take your first left after the school onto Umpawaug
Road (There will be a green sign on your right that says
West
Redding
Center
and Railroad Station.) Proceed slowly on Umpawaug for .4 miles and take
the second road off to your right. This is
Marchant Road.
New Pond Farm has the first three driveways on your right. We have a white
farm house and yellow barns. Please pull into the third driveway and park
in the gravel lot.
From
Fairfield/Bridgeport via Route 58
Follow Route 58 through Easton and into
Redding. You will pass
Joel
Barlow
High School
and then, after a mile or so, the Redding Ridge Volunteer Fire Dept.--both will
be on your right. As soon as you pass the Fire Dept. prepare to take your
next left, in front of Christ Episcopal Church onto
Cross Highway.
Go through a four-way stop and then follow this road down and up
tremendous hills. You will come to another four way stop by the
Congregational Church and a small town green. Follow Route 107 South straight and down another
small hill. At this stop sign you will bear left (it's almost like going
straight ahead) onto Route 107 South. Follow 107 to the bottom of another hill
(watch the curves!) and to the end. At the next stop sign you will go right
onto Route 53. Now follow the underlined directions above.
From
Bethel/Danbury via Route 53
Take Route 53 through Bethel and into Redding. You
will pass a green sign on your right saying West Redding Center, this is by a
small road called Sidecut Road. Pass Sidecut, staying on Route 53 and take the
next right onto Umpawaug Road. (If you get to John Read Middle School then you
have gone too far!) Proceed slowly on Umpawaug and take the second road off to
your right (.4 miles off Route 53). This is
Marchant Road.
New Pond Farm has the first three driveways on your right. We have a white farm
house and yellow barns. Please pull into the third driveway on your right.
From
Weston/Westport via Route 53
Follow Route 53 through Weston Center and around
the reservoirs. Eventually Route 53 will straighten out and you will come to
the junction of Rt.107 and Rt. 53. At this stop sign go straight onto Route 53
and follow the underlined directions above.
