Fowler Clark Epstein Farm

With our partners at Historic Boston Incorporated and the Urban Farming Institute, we transformed a historic and neglected property in Boston’s Mattapan neighborhood into the new Fowler Clark Epstein Farm—a 21st-century urban farm and community center that honors the area’s history and promotes a new vision for a modern, local food system.

Dating to 1786, the Fowler Clark Epstein property has a rich history. It was originally part of an expansive farming estate—the kind that once defined Mattapan’s rural identity—and the farmhouse is the oldest structure in the neighborhood. But as outside pressures grew, it was time to protect this place from sale and demolition and give it new life as a modern, community farm.

The Fowler Clark Epstein Farm marries Boston’s rich farming history with modern cultivation techniques to create a unique urban farming experience. Rain gardens and stormwater paths filter and treat more than 670,000 gallons of stormwater per year. Over 78 species of perennials—including dozens that supply important forage for native pollinating insects—bring life and color to the farm. The renovated 24,373-square-foot property—enhanced with new planting beds and public gathering spaces—is designed to produce healthy food for the neighborhood and provide community engagement opportunities.

Serving as the new offices for the Urban Farming Institute, the $3.2-million project also supports farming training, public education programs, a farmers’ market, and a demonstration kitchen. The farm directly serves more than 7,000 people living within a 10-minute walk.

By protecting the past while embracing the future, the historic Fowler Clark Epstein Farm will live on for many years to come.