Smolak Farms of North Andover, Massachusetts combines agriculture, education, and entertainment in a very special way. The land was carved by glaciers, settled by prehistoric Indian tribes, colonized by English settlers and now farmed by the product of the wave of European Immigrants. Parts of the historic homestead are about 300 years old. Today the descendants of Martin and Magdalenna Smolak and their son and daughter-in-law, Henry and Helen Smolak, continue to farm one of the most progressive and beautiful farms nestled in the hills of northeastern Massachusetts. In 1982 the Smolak Family preserved 107 of the 160 acres in cooperation with the State of Massachusetts Agricultural Preservation Restriction Program, insuring that this area would forever remain open land, never to be developed. For the past 35 plus years, H. Michael Smolak, grandson of Martin Smolak, has overseen the development of the farm from a dairy farm to the extraordinary farm that it has now become.
Farm Stand and Greenhouse:
The Farm Stand was opened in 1985 on the site of an old chicken coop that was built by Michael Smolak's grandfather. The wood that was used in this and all other buildings was from trees that came from the farm and were milled by the Farnum Sawmill on Farnum Street and the Adams Sawmill that was on Milk Street near the Drummond Playground in North Andover. The farm stand was originally used as a garage for their trucks and for storage. There was a pasture behind the stand and a shelter attached to the back for cows that were pregnant with calves. Mrs. Smolak had a flower garden on the side of the Farm Stand that is now a parking area. The Smolak Farm Bakery began in 1985. With the request for pies and muffins, the baking began and launched into what people from all over New England travel for...our cider donuts! The Greenhouse was built in 1992 as an extension to the stand, for growing a few plants, and for sitting and relaxing with a cup of coffee and a delicious treat from our bakery. In 2004, the Smolaks added an ice cream stand, called S'mo Licks, to the farm stand. In 2007, Treadwells took over the ice cream stand and now window customers, as well as Smolak Farms birthday party guests, can be seen enjoying a cool ice cream on a sunny day!
Today, visitors come to pick fruit from our orchards and shop at the farm stand and bakery. Children can go on one of the many types of educational or entertaining hayrides, have a birthday party, attend our summer programs and visit the animals. Families come to our festivals from metropolitan Boston and beyond throughout the year. Our pine grove area and site on Orchard Hill are the perfect place for a function. Mostly, people come to relax and enjoy the beauty of the land and nature!
