Westwood’s last farm seeks expansion to stay afloat, meets opposition from land trust

WESTWOOD, MASS. — Westwood’s only active farm is working to stay afloat as they battle a dispute over their attempts to expand the farm into a field behind their property.

The land is owned by the town of Westwood, which is in favor of the expansion, but it’s protected by the Westwood Land Trust, an organization that wants to preserve the land as a meadow.

For decades, the Bean Family Farm has stood as a quiet reminder of Westwood’s agricultural roots, where generations have come to buy produce, and changing seasons truly feel local

For owner Chris Bean, who grew up on the property, farming is in his blood. The 29-year-old comes from a long line of farmers. In fact, he is the 14^th generation in his family, keeping the legacy alive.

“While I was in my earlier years in high school, I started to slowly resurrect and bring the Bean farm back to life,” Bean said. “It’s almost like an old MacDonald Farm. We do a little bit of everything.”

More than a decade later, Bean is faced with growing pressure to keep the farm financially viable. He’s been trying to lease the land directly behind his property so he can produce more goods to be sold.

However, that land is protected by the Westwood Land Trust. They have been denying Bean’s request for years despite the town of Westwood, which owns the land, supporting the farms’ mission.

The town even moved to file a lawsuit against the trust in July, and a hearing was held last week.

Vice President of the Westwood Land Trust, Abby Homiller explained they’ve denied the requests as they’re working to preserve the land as a meadow.

She said if they allow the farm to use the land for agricultural purposes, it would irreparably damage it, which goes against their conservation restriction.

“There’s hundreds of pollinators and grasses that provide habitat for animals and birds, and that would all go away if it was farmed,” Homiller explained.

Though, Bean feels that farming could help enrich the land. He also explained that the state has lost an estimated 113,000 acres of farmland since the 1990s and says he doesn’t want to add to that statistic.

“I’m the last person in the Bean family that has taken an interest in running what was my grandfather’s farm so if Chris Bean leaves, the Bean farm is gone,” Bean said.

There was a hearing in Norfolk Superior Court last week for the lawsuit between the town of Westwood and the Westwood Land Trust.

Now, the decision is in the hands of a judge, though, it’s unclear when that decision will come down.

The topic was also brought up Monday night, during a Westwood select board meeting.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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