Brooksby Farm, Peabody, MA

This is an etching of the "new" Brooksby Farm barn off Felton St in Peabody.  I beleive it was built in the 70's and was once managed by Dick Pierce (the dad of a school friend).  When Austen Smith passed away, the town of Peabody purchased the property from the estate and it is now open to the public for various uses.  Strawberry and apple picking, a small animal petting area, cross country skiing, fruit and vegetable sales, etc.  The old barn as well as the Felton Junior House (see etching) are used for weddings, craft shows and other community events.  The farm abutted my parent's back yard.  The Smith Barn, circa 1901, I recall drinking home made hard cider in after hours as a teenager in the barns rafters.  Early on in the 60's, old man Smith approached me and my friends (age 6 or 7) one day and threatened to release his two togs he was walking on us if he caught us in his farm.  One was a New Foundland the other a St. Bernard.  Of  course we were properly threatened and never went back there as chidren.  However we did think the Pierce's apple orchard across from our house was fair game, until Mr. Pierce (Dick Pierce's dad) came by and confiscated our ill gotten apples and the 42 cents of income from our street sales.  The Pierce farm was turned into housing and is no longer there, but many of his relatives still reside in the area.   Part of the farm is now Brooskby Village along route 114 in Danvers.