Latest Stories, Events, Activities, Camps & Recipes

The Great Marsh—the largest contiguous salt marsh in New England—is not only brimming with fascinating natural history, it is also home to a rich cultural history. Nowhere is this more evident than in the meandering waters of Fox Creek. Connecting the tidal estuaries of the Essex River basin and the Ipswich River, it contains the oldest saltwater canal in the United States and the remains of the historic Robinson’s Shipyard, where over 100 minesweepers used in WWII were once built.

Join us as darkness settles on the farm to immerse yourself in a nighttime adventure, guided only by the glow of the full moon. On our journey, we will learn about both the science and the mystery that the full moon holds, celebrating her presence through a sharing of knowledge. We will venture out into the night to walk in her soft glow and listen for the sounds of nighttime on the farm. We hope to end with a newfound appreciation for the magic that the night sky holds.

While just about everybody on the North Shore has probably been to Crane Beach, the dunes of Castle Neck are a much less explored world unto themselves. Offering one of the most accessible dune ecosystems north of Cape Cod, Castle Neck has over six miles of trails, traversing the dunes, maritime scrub forest, and beautiful beaches on both the Ipswich Bay and Essex/Castle Neck River estuary sides of the peninsula. These trails take you through Pitch Pine forests, up huge dunes offering stunning views of Choate Island, and by the varied landscapes of Castle Neck, including naturally occurring cranberry bogs.

Come and meet, cuddle, brush, scratch, talk, and sit with our hand-raised cows at Appleton Farms! The mild heart rate and warm body temperature of the cows induces a slowing of our own heart rate, as well as the release of Oxytocin, our social bonding hormone. Visit our scenic and historic dairy farm and enjoy an hour-long Cow Connection session with our two Jersey Dairy Cows, Gray and Jasmine.