Silverman's Farm has been a family owned and operated business since the early 1920's. Born in New York City in 1898, Ben Silverman grew up loving plants and enjoyed gardening. At the age of 18, he moved to Connecticut and began working on cow farms for $1.00 a day. When WWI broke out, Ben worked at a mu*****ns factory in Bridgeport CT. He was able to save enough to purchase his first parcel of land on Sport Hill Road in Easton. Families from surrounding towns would bring their apples to be pressed into sweet and hard c***r. All the while, Ben lived in one room located in the mill. At the age of 30, Ben married Rose Hartz and built the farm homestead next to what is now Silverman’s Farm Market. Rose canned preserves and baked bread for their road-side stand while Ben worked the farm. They pressed apple c***r for over 60 years, and had the only operating mill in the area which allowed customers to actually watch the c***r being pressed. Many school children would visit the farm to watch it made, and sample the fresh juice. In 2004 the vintage mill was retired because of new processing standards but the mill is permanently and proudly displayed in our farm market. Currently, Silverman’s sweet apple c***r is pressed off site but still available in our farm market. Ben Silverman raised everything including onions, potatoes, tomatoes, beets, cabbage, cauliflower, egg plant, several types of berries, apples, peaches and plums. He and Rose also raised much more than that. Together they had eight children, six girls and two boys: Harold, Bessie, Dorothy, Adele, Janet, Pearl , Fran, and Irv. Harold worked with his dad through high school, but entered the military and pursued other vocations. The girls all helped on the farm after school, summers, and weekends, but eventually the girls pursued other careers as well. Irv, their youngest son, gained interest in fruit production. He earned his degree in business at the University of Bridgeport while working the farm with his Dad. Irv eventually married and he and his wife Nancy had three daughters, Jodi, Wendy, and Shayna. Their daughters graced them with four grandsons, Zachary, Thomas, Jacob and Owen and one grandaughter, Talia. Today, Irv is owner and operator of the farm. He has much help from immediate and extended family. It’s an annual tradition that family members unite to help out at fall harvest time. During the 70’s and 80’s, Irv evolved Silverman's into a Pick Your Own (PYO) fruit farm featuring a widespread orchard, scenic tractor rides, and petting farm. Our hope at Silverman's Farm is to cultivate young learners. To show our children the joy of picking their own food. To see and feel where their food comes from. To peak their interest and create an awareness of "the where?" and "the how?"
To educate, to laugh and to revel in the simple beauties of life.
