Massaro Farm

Massaro History

When John and Mary Massaro emigrated from Italy in 1916, they purchased over 100 acres of land which spanned the border of Woodbridge and Ansonia. They operated a small dairy farm, grew grapes to make wine, hay and corn to feed their cows and chickens, and fruits and vegetables to nourish themselves. When John Massaro died on a snowy Christmas Eve in 1947, two of the three sons, Tony and John Jr., suddenly had to run the farm with only their mother’s help. They continued in their father’s footsteps and kept the farm running.

Louis Massaro moved West, while Tony and John Jr. remained on the farm, but never married or had children. With no children of their own, they created their own extended family by recruiting local teenagers to work on the farm. This hands-on experience with thousands of chickens and dozens of dairy cows left a lasting impression on each person who contributed to the Massaro farm effort. In the early 1990s, facing similar challenges as many small, family farms in Connecticut, the portion of the farm located in Ansonia was sold and developed into a residential neighborhood.

When John Jr. passed away in 2007, the 57 acres of the family farm that existed in Woodbridge was put in conservation easement and deeded to the Town of Woodbridge. In the autumn of 2008, the nonprofit Massaro Community Farm (MCF) was formed with the goal to restore the farm to serve the community. The Town of Woodbridge leased the Massaro property to MCF for an initial period of 20 years, which has since been extended for an additional 20 years, through 2049. MCF stewards the property and operates the farm without any funding from the town.

Throughout the years of financial hardship, the Massaro brothers worked hard to ensure their farm survived, and engaged the community in their work. Massaro Community Farm is committed to continuing their dedication, stewardship and community engagement for generations to come.

This project was funded by The Connecticut Recreational Trails Program with a grant from the State of Connecticut administered trough the Department of Energy  and Environmental Protection