Our History


Ives Farm is centrally located in picturesque Cheshire, Connecticut. Our farm is a historic working farm with a tradition that lives on.

The Cheshire Street community was built around farming, small manufacturing enterprises and taverns that catered to the stagecoach lines that served Wallingford to Southington and Middletown to Waterbury travelers. The manufacturing and tavern interests went the way of the stagecoaches but farming in the area remained and prospered because of the excellent soils there and the presence of the Quinnipiac River and its vital water supply.

According to Landmarks of Old Cheshire, the house at 1585 Cheshire Street was built about 1790 by Merriman Hotchkiss. The style is described as "a great, square, center-chimney house". The property was sold in 1794 to Seth DeWolf who established a tin-smith shop just south of the house. The shop was eventually relocated to Sindall Road and no longer exists today. One of DeWolf's peddlers was Lyman Bradley. He earned enough to be rather well off and bought the property. He sold it to Edward Ives in 1867. The Ives farmed the property since that time. A descendant, Eddie Ives married Elizabeth Porter and farming continued on the property.

In August of 2006, the Cheshire Land Trust acquired Ives Farm. The historic farm is the bequest of Betty Ives, the beloved and dedicated farmer who by sheer force of will began her farming career upon the death of her husband Eddie Ives in 1967.

The Trust is embarking on a new era of land management to fulfill the vision of Betty Ives who died May 28, 2006, one day shy of her 94th birthday. Betty had begun her farming career in retirement after the passing of her husband Eddie Ives in 1967. Her farm was an institution and its future was always a source of concern for friends and neighbors, town officials, area developers, the Cheshire Land Trust and her partner in the farming enterprise, Tim Casey.

The intent of Betty's gift is to preserve the land and sustain farming as long as possible and practical as determined by the Trust. Ives Farm, well known for delicious strawberries and sweet corn is open for business. Tim Casey, her longtime partner, continues to manage the farm. The forested lands on the east side of Cheshire Street will be maintained as forest and managed in accordance with good forestry practices. This is a working farm and all operations continue as the public has experienced in the past.