Time is running out to save Barrington’s last farm.  

The Barrington Land Conservation Trust is asking all citizens, from near and far, to consider donating to this incredibly important cause.  

A local developer has made a substantial offer to purchase the 3.24-acre Vendituoli property and develop it into several private house lots. The land trust submitted a competitive offer and is raising money for a down payment to secure the property by Nov. 6. But it’s up to a judge to decide which offer to accept.

The Farm

The Vendituoli property is currently home to the Barrington Farm School, an ecological and agricultural project spearheaded by former land trust president and current farm manager, Tim Faulkner.  

The farm is an all-volunteer program that teaches students about farming, the local ecosystem, and the importance of eating locally grown food. The farm is located on the corner of Federal Road and Middle Highway, making it an easy walk from Barrington Middle School, Barrington High School and St. Andrew’s School.  

The farm is an important link to Barrington’s agriculture history. Dating back to 1897 when the Vendituoli family purchased the property, the farm and farm stand on Federal Road has been in continuous operation by family members and friends. 

Through the years the farm has grown produce and raised a variety of animals, including chickens, cows, horses, and pigs. For much of the first half of the 20th century the farm provided a horse-drawn wagon delivery service, offering produce, meats, and dairy products to the community. 

In more recent years, William “Billy” Vendituoli would hire local students to help work and manage the farm and farm stand, selling their homegrown tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and flowers. Billy passed away last summer and his friendship and expert farming advice are greatly missed, said farm school officials.  

The Barrington Farm School, however, intends to continue his legacy by bringing students to the farm. Prior to his death, Billy had funded a farming scholarship for a high school student.

The wetlands and ecology

Aside from farming, the property has ecological importance. The parcel is at the core of a very large interior freshwater wetland system linked in the north from Hundred Acre Cove and to the south at the Providence River, eventually into Narragansett Bay.

Water flows from Hundred Acre Cove, especially at seasonally high tides, into the nearby St. Andrew’s Farm property, which includes extensive freshwater wetlands. The freshwater connections travel beneath the Vendituoli Farm, continuing onto Volpe Pond.

A wooded portion of the farm is at one of the narrowest points of the interior wetland zone. The property is home to a variety of flora, such as skunk cabbage, red maples and sweet pepper bush. The animals who call this area home include hawks, foxes, deer and wild turkeys.

This property fits in with the town’s guide plan and the Barrington Land Conservation Trust’s mission to protect open space and farmland, and expand outreach opportunities with the public. The land trust intends to protect the land permanently and keep it as a vibrant community asset.

Funding

$50,000 is needed by Nov. 6 for a down payment. To donate, go to BLCT.org and click on the link “Save the Farm.” People will be directed to the donation website, Network For Good.

People can also mail a check made out to BLCT to BLCT, PO Box 324, Barrington, RI 02806. Please write on the check or envelope “Save the Farm”. Barrington Land Conservation Trust is a 501(c) nonprofit and your donation is eligible for a tax deduction.  

Should the purchase of the farm not go through, all donations will be returned to the donors.