Autumn Walk: “Across the Farm”*

Published on by J. Kelland Perry

When I first moved to Newtown back in 2010, my husband Paul told me how he used to play in “the farm” as a child.
“Show me this farm!” I said.
“Oh, it isn’t actually a farm anymore,” he chuckled. “But we used to play Cowboys and Indians, and climb the big rocks over there. Folks pick berries there now.”

In recent years, the farm trail has been upgraded and storyboards have been added.

The Farm: “In the late 1860’s and into the 1900’s, there were two ways to get from Perry’s Point to E & S Barbour’s and William Barbour and Son’s businesses. The long way was a semicircle past the Greens and Tulk’s houses, but usually when asked which way you had gone, the answer would be across “the Farm”.

“Uncle Ned Green had a long “hen’s house” . . . and in the summer, horses would gather to feed and were not driven away. This was the area where all young kids would play games, climb the rocks, and build mud and wooden huts. The Farm became their playground in the summer and a place for snow sledding in the winter. It was also a great place to pick berries in late summer.”

Did you know Beothuk children played here long before Paul and his friends did?

”Nature gives us so much: clean air, beautiful landscape, breathtaking views, fish, animals, and the list goes on. We want people to come, see, and actually walk the path where a tribe of Beothuk once lived with their children and took care of the land without damaging our environment. We need to show our appreciation to the first peoples by protecting and preserving this same environment for future generations.”

Well said and I couldn’t agree more!

*This hiking trail is part of the Wonder Shore Trails system which start in Greenspond and go all the way to Musgrave Harbour here in beautiful Bonavista North.

29 thoughts on “Autumn Walk: “Across the Farm”*”

  1. What a wonderful place to grow up in, Jennifer! And to have these hills and paths and rocks to climb on – it’s a children’s haven! Your husband must have some great memories. Thanks for sharing your pictures and the story of the Farm!

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    1. Ok, got it all figured out now. Paul always called her Aunt Lil and didn’t make the connection. So you are one of Aunt Olive’s daughters, and we know who they are. Haha, sorry for the confusion! This is the problem with comments that don’t identify the sender. 😄

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  7. Thank you for the lovely pics and story of Newtown. I can imagine my Mom, Lillian Perry, having many walks there back in the day. She told me a story of returning to Newtown for a visit with her family and brought gifts. One was a doll for her little sister Olive. As she was crossing one of those bridges she dropped the doll and it said”Momma”. Gave the kids a fright. Lol.

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