Sea Call Farm History

by Beverly White | Dec 14, 2020 | Miscellaneous

Sea Call Farm, located at 82 Tonset Road in Orleans, Massachusetts is a historic farm. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in June 2008.

Per the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form which can be seen in full here, the Sea Call Farm property was actively farmed by William A. and Bertha Fiske during 1931–1950 following William’s retirement from railway employment. It was one of many small market-garden farms in Barnstable County, but now is “the only surviving agricultural ensemble in Orleans and one of the few in the Cape Cod region. Its significance is enhanced by the extensive collection of diaries, account books, and other papers that detail life on the farm.”

The Town of Orleans, acquired Sea Call Farm from the Fiske family in 1987, for conservation and public space reasons.

The 6.35-acre property provides an example of a commercial agriculture venture of the last century. It includes the community gardens, an herb garden, apple and pear trees, a grape arbor, a green house, a main dwelling, a garage, and a path down to Town Cove. The area around these features is mowed and maintained by the Sea Call Supporters.

The Sea Call farmhouse itself was built in 1921 and will thus celebrate its 100-year birthday in 2021!

The property is open to the public for walking and picnicking, although the same cannot be said of the home or the garden. The area is closed from 10:00 pm until 7:00 am. Groups of more than 10 people require a permit from the Conservation Office.

Fellow gardener Judy Ryon provided a PDF which provides some interesting information about Sea Call Farm:

• A 2008 flyer from the Sea Call Supporters.
• A 2008 article from the Cape Cod Times’ Susan Milton (staff writer).
• A 2003 ad from the Cape Codder requesting donations for “Saving Sea Call Farm”.

Welcome to Our Community Garden Blog!

by Bill Cummins | Oct 27, 2020 | Miscellaneous

The Sea Call Farm community garden is part of Sea Call Farm, a historic 6.35-acre property acquired by the Town of Orleans for $1,650,000 in 1987. This Conservation property is home to 30 garden plots which are maintained each season by residents of Orleans. Sea Call Farm is managed by the Conservation Commission and is open to all visitors.

The property has several buildings and a community garden area with a mix of thirty 20’ x 20’ full-sized and half-sized plots. Plots are available to town residents and employees for an annual fee of $35.00 for a full-sized plot and $20 for half-sized. The membership fee covers the costs for maintenance, water, and optional rototilling.

There are two other community gardens in Orleans, one at Hopkins Lane and another called Putnam Farm. Hopkins has 36 plots with the same fee structure as Sea Call, and Putnam currently has five large plots with an annual member cost of $500.

To be eligible for Sea Call or Hopkins, one must be an Orleans resident. One need not be an Orleans resident to join Putnam. 

There’s currently a waiting list for Sea Call Farm and Hopkins Farm garden plots. Existing gardeners are automatically offered their plots back provided they follow the relevant rules and regulations, but if a gardener opts out, then the next waitlisted person is selected. The Putnam Farm garden waiting list is based on a lottery system.

Here’s a copy of the Sea Call Farm Land Management Plan.

To learn more about membership, including costs, and to be added to our waiting list, check out our membership page.