From its founding in the mid-1600s through the end of World War II, Westport was very much a farming community.
The post-war baby boom influx of young families — not unlike what’s happened since COVID — brought dramatic changes to town.
Demand for housing was strong. From the 1940s through ’70s, many acres of farmland was sold to developers.
A few farms hung on longer. One was on the west side of North Avenue, not far from Long Lots Road.
For many years it was owned by the Rippe family. Produce grown there was sold at their stand on the Post Road. Now it’s the Harvest Commons condominiums (hence the name).
In its last iteration, it was Buster’s. Westporters swore it was the best corn they ever tasted.
(Photo/Ene T. Bonnyay, courtesy of Eric Bosch)
Today, Buster’s has been replaced by Greystone Farm Lane.
The name means nothing — there was no “Greystone Farm.”
But that’s why the architects stuck faux silos on the sides of the homes.
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There were orchards behind the Post Road Rippe’s stand. When the condos were to go in, they told the local landscapers they could cut the apple trees and keep the wood. You don’t get a lot of firewood from apple trees but it is great wood. Never even thought about doing it…destroying a wonderful orchard.
When the developers of Harvest Commons were submitting their initial plans to the Town, it was mentioned at one meeting that cutting down an apple orchard and selling the wood brought bad luck. Whether this superstition had any influence on the developers giving the wood away is unknown.
Buster Cocivi’s extensive produce market was on Easton Turnpike in Stratfield (the eastern edge of Fairfield). Cambridge Manor Senior Health and Rehab Center replaced Stratfield Farms.
Obituary of Sylvester “Buster” Cocivi
Sylvester “Buster” Cocivi, age 86, of Fairfield, owner and operator of Stratfield Farms, passed away peacefully at the place he was born, the former Stratfield Farms property,
(Cambridge Manor Senior Health and Rehabilitation Center) on Thursday, February 8, 2018 surrounded by his loving family. Born in Fairfield, he was the son of the late Nicholas and Mary Eamiello Cocivi, and was a lifelong town resident. At a young age, Buster dedicated himself to running the family farm. He cherished spending time with his family, going on vacation and enjoyed playing cards with his friends. Survivors include his beloved wife of 64 years, Mary Jean Varian Cocivi, his six children;
The apple orchards behind Rippe’s stand bordered Bauer Place ext. I used to visit a friend whose backyard bordered the orchard. Some kids, not me, would jump the low level stone wall and pick apples to eat! Rippe’s had fantastic fruit and was down the road from Borchetta’s Deli.
Well, those of us who attended Burr Farms Elementary (I believe Dan is a Burr Farms alumni) might remember Rippe’s strawberry fields that lay just beyond [some might say just over] the fence at the top of the hill on the playground in the back of the school.
Those strawberries were ready for picking in June, right about when we were feeling pretty rambunctious, and daring. Sometimes during recess on a hot June day a couple of the boldest 6th grade boys may have hopped the fence and purloined few of those luscious strawberries before the workers could get over there.
I do recall one time [the last time any of us did it, not coincidentally] when the workers chased a couple of those strawberry thieves back over the fence and through the Burr Farms playground. A pretty dramatic scene for a 6th grader, especially if you were among those being chased . . .
Yup, strawberries.
I remember the good old days of open fields and the farms like Rippe’s, In the late 1940’s, 1948 I am fairly sure, the Fillow and Stone families began selling some of their land. Fillow Florists was famous for their pansies. My family and my grandfather and grandmother bought land on what was called and still is called Calumet Road. Gradully more land was sold along Clinton Avenue. Fillow Florists was a wonderful place to visit and no one minded if I came in to watch corsages and flower arrangements made. My mother would work there with Charlotte Stone to make the Blue Spruce wreaths for the bank on Main Street, near the YMCA. My memory fails me at the moment for the name of the bank. Good times and great memories. A memory of a famous person doing business with Fillow’s: Marlene Deitrich came in to buy flowers wearing jeans, high heels and a mink coat. Probably 15 years later when I was in my 20’s I saw Jackie Kennedy Onasis in NYC near Central Park dressed in a similar outfit!
It was Westport Bank & Trust!
Interestingly, back about the time that this photo on North Avenue was taken of the corn, I was painting houses. I recall painting one up on Whippoorwill lane, up off Cross Highway. There was a loud explosion, out back in the Wakeman corn fields every 30 minutes or so. It was window raddling loud. They fired it off using some kind of compressed air device, intended to frighten off the crows. I bet Dan remembers hearing it from his house during corn growing season.
If i missed the bus, Woody Lane is a half mile exactly, because of the long walk to the bus stop, I found it faster to cut through the strawberry fields to get to Burr Farms on time.