New Milford’s Agricultural History

New Milford was a farming settlement before the American Revolution. Beginning in the first quarter of the 18th century, the rich alluvial and limestone-based soils of the Still River Valley and the
East and West Aspetuck valleys provided the basis of a long period of agricultural prosperity.

Tobacco farming was particularly important in the 19th century. Although it ultimately declined, dairy and produce farming remained strong well into the first half of the 20th century. However, as new technology meant fewer farms were needed, as US cities grew and rural populations migrated into urban centers, and as US agriculture industrialized and shifted westward, farming in
New Milford, as in many New England towns, began to shrink.

By the early 1900’s, some farms had been acquired and transformed into summer homes. By the mid-20th century, many of New Milford’s remaining farms and large tracts of land were being sold and subdivided, a trend that accelerated as the 21st century approached. The town’s relatively lower housing prices continue to attract families employed in the expanding metropolitan areas to the south.

In 1990—almost 20 years ago—less than 2700 acres of New Milford’s agricultural lands still remained in cultivation, employing less than one percent of the population.*

Through establishment of the New Milford Farmland Preservation Committee, the Town of New Milford is signaling its conviction that a proactive and systematic approach to acquiring and protecting its few remaining farmlands needs to be implemented.

The Farmland Preservation Committee feels strongly that there is a state-wide resurgence in awareness of the important role agriculture plays. In addition to preserving farmlands, the Committee is committed to returning the lands to working farms that provide an economic and social benefit to our community.



*Historic data provided by the Housatonic Valley
Council of Elected Officials www.hvceo.org

Photo courtesy of John Kane