About Us:
As Allyn Brown III sat on the porch of his house, high on a hill overlooking his Christmas tree farm and myriad pick-your-own crops, he had every reason to feel satisfied. The families drawn to his stunning Preston, Connecticut farm experience the fruits of nearly 20 years of love, labor and care that have created this idyllic spot for people to revel in the thrill of the harvest.
Back in the early '80s, Brown was a landscaper looking for a more enjoyable way to make a living in the plant world. This was a time when pick-your-own places were just taking off and an old dairy farm seemed like just the spot to make the switch from landscaping to growing. Before long, he planted strawberries and people across southeastern Connecticut were finding their way to his berry fields.
Sensing the need to have numerous crops to keep people coming back for more, Brown added a virtual fruit salad of pick-your-own choices to tempt his customers. Now, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, apples, pumpkins and, of course, Christmas trees adorn this sweeping, hilly, 120-acre farm that's fresh out of a Currier & Ives scene. His formula for success keeps Maple Lane Farm abuzz with customers from April 1 through Christmas. To supplement the pick-your-own trade, Brown raises and sells oyster shell mushrooms to local restaurants and black currants to juice manufacturers.
When you visit Maple Lane Farm, you can expect:
- Pick Your Own fields yielding acres of strawberries, blueberries and raspberries all summer long.
- Fall harvest of pumpkins and apples ready to be picked.
- Weekend hayrides during the pumpkin and apple season.
- Fields of Cut Your Own Christmas trees (free baling), wreaths and garlands.