Ellsworth orchard owner seeks a buyer for family farm

SHARON, Conn. — Anyone who has spent summers in the Northwest Corner has probably picked fruit at the Ellsworth Hill Orchard and Berry Farm. Depending on the season, visitors can choose between blueberries, peaches, plums, raspberries, strawberries, pears and apples.

Berry picking there has become a tradition and the farm has become a landmark, with many people returning year after year, not just for the  succulent berries and fruit but also for the peace and relaxation  that come from sitting in a field surrounded  by plants and trees on a beautiful day.

The farm has been owned for the past decade and a half by the Bozzi family and is now facing a somewhat uncertain future.

Owner Michael Bozzi is looking to sell the land and move on to other things. The amount of work that goes into maintaining a farm this large has started to take a toll on Bozzi and those in his life. 

The work never felt like work and was more a labor of love. But despite his love for the farm, 16 years is a long time, and Bozzi feels it’s time to move on. 

“Eventually, no matter how much you love something, there comes a time to back off and move on,” Bozzi said in an interview with The Lakeville Journal Co. “Life starts to pass you by a little. I enjoyed being able to wake up and work outside every day but I need to enjoy life as well. You need to be careful you just don’t wear yourself out completely.”

Bozzi owned a landscaping business, for roughly 20 years, in southern Connecticut. He came to the Northwest Corner in search of a place where he could grow Christmas trees. As soon as he saw the land on Route 4 and the views, he fell in love and knew he had to have it. The land hadn’t been used in several years and was pretty overgrown, but he saw the potential and knew that with a little hard work it could be turned into something special. 

The property had good drainage and soil  in addition to the views. Bozzi quickly got to work, tearing out the aged apple trees that were planted along the western section of the property and planting new trees as well as many kinds of berry plants. 

He did research on orchard work, taught himself how to maintain the soil and prevent mold and fungus from growing on the plants. He used his experience as a professional landscaper to bring the land back to life. He wasn’t without help; both his mother and father helped out.

When asked what the most enjoyable part was of owning and working on the farm, Bozzi took little time to answer. 

“It’s the satisfaction of working and being able to keep your family fed and enjoying the product of that hard work. Picking the berries for the store or for myself  was also one of the best parts. It’s so relaxing and peaceful. I can get away from everything and sit out in the field and enjoy the quiet.”

He said that he’d like to sell the farm to someone who will continue the work he has begun there. 

“My family put in so much hard work on this land and I’d hate to see it go to waste. It was just apples when we started and now it’s so much more. I’d like to be able to come back one day and still enjoy it all. That and maybe a little free berry picking for life would be nice, too.”

The property totals 70 acres and also has a cottage and 1740s-era barn. Bozzi is selling it directly, without an agent. For more information email ellsworthfarm@comcast.net or call 860-364-0099.