In partnership with the Buzzards Bay Coalition (BBC) and Round The Bend Farm, the 115-acre Ocean View Farm was purchased and protected in August 2017. The northern 55 acres remain as protected farmland owned by Round the Bend Farm, a neighboring working farm and nonprofit. The southern 60 acres are owned by Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust (DNRT) and are open to the public and managed for wildlife habitat.

Ocean View Farm was in the Motha family for nearly 130 years, starting in 1889, when the first member of the family came to the U.S. from the Azores and acquired 160 acres on Allens Neck Road. It remained actively farmed by the Motha family, primarily in row crops including turnips and butternut squash, until 2010, when farmer Joseph B. “Bob” Motha passed away. The fields were then leased to other local farmers who primarily grew corn.

Ocean View Farm overlooks Allens Pond, a vibrant coastal salt pond system located along the shore of Buzzards Bay. Allens Pond is recognized by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as one of the most significant coastal habitats in Southern New England. On a clear day, you can see all the way across Buzzards Bay to the Elizabeth Islands.

“Malcolm’s Field” is being maintained for grassland birds, primarily bobolinks. These and many other grassland birds are declining throughout Massachusetts due to habitat loss and changes in farming practices. The coastal habitat found at Ocean View Farm is also vitally important for migratory songbirds, many of whom use the coastline as a migratory “flyway.” Native coastal shrubs such as elderberry, bayberry, sumac, and cedar provide an important food source for these hungry travelers, who also need a place to rest along the way.

The AllTrails website has a description and map of a hike at Ocean View Farm Reserve.