Final Design: Overview

This design provides a clear arrival experience that guides visitors to the farmhouse. A reoriented and expanded parking area provides 12 spots for office visitors, trail users, and staff. The farmers’ market continues to be held on the flat pad area, but vehicle traffic for it and other events on site is routed south along a new driveway that brings cars down towards the barn and away from most pedestrian traffic. The remainder of the old loop driveway is converted to an accessible pedestrian path, making the core of the site a

Viewing platform and graded patio areas offer seating and views to the north of the barn for routine visitors and event guests. A nearby natural play area provides experiential activity for children. The dying oak tree in the entry area is removed and sections reused on site for natural play features and educational display. Boulders edging the driveway are reused in play areas, retaining walls, and as seating and features. walking-only zone and extending the existing gravel trail to the middens to the Church Street entrance. This brings visitors directly past the CRCT office and provides ample opportunity to advertise CRCT’s presence through educational and informational materials and displays, including green stormwater treatment and expanses of native plants in the landscape.

Gravel Accessible Trail

The existing driveway loop is narrowed and made pedestrian-only. The garden area is expanded to include a bioswale/wet meadow complex for water management built around the existing swale; existing shrub beds are integrated into naturalistic vegetation. A trail to the ice cream store passes through this area. The swale passes under the gravel path and through a birch copse before discharging into the fields. The copse also serves to block views of the maintenance area from the trail.

A new accessible ramp allows ADA visitor access to the barn porch and encourages outdoor gathering. Landscaping and amenities such as picnic tables signal that the lower orchard area is a pedestrian-only zone while maintaining the ability for emergency vehicles to access the front of the barn.

Barn

Food Bank Patio / Viewing Area

A new more easily navigable driveway provides access to the barn and lower parking. Some overflow parking capacity is retained along the strip south of the orchard. The beginning of the overlook trail doubles as a semi turnaround.

To solar overlook

A large rain garden helps manage stormwater and add aesthetic interest to the lower parking lot, which is formalized to encourage efficient parking patterns.

Outdoor event space

Lower Parking

Bioretention

Overflow parking Natural play area Birch Copse

Swale

Orchard

Overflow parking Maintenance

Farmhouse (offices)

Large Oaks

Main drainage Main Parking Garden

Bioswale

Old Ice Cream Stand Wet Meadow

Main drive

Play area Farmers' Market Pad Culvert Outlet

Bioswale

The area in front of the old ice cream stand is converted to a picnic/ community space. Separation from the main drive is provided by a slight rise in elevation and a row of trees, which also create the feeling of an informal allée bringing visitors to the farmhouse. The areas in front of the farmhouse are planted with meadow-like sweeps of grasses and flowering perennials to demonstrate native pollinator habitat as an alternative to lawn.

Existing vegetation along the main southern drainage and smaller drainages in the lower fields is allowed to expand naturally through decreased mowing to increase buffer width; expanding vegetation is monitored and managed for invasive plant species. The old retaining pond is rebuilt to enhance stormwater treatment along the southern drainage. Runoff from the maintenance area is directed into the drainage via a rock-lined swale. This becomes a central visual feature celebrating water management in the orchard and also creates an attractive location for event photography. Other photo locations and shady rest areas are created along a path leading past the triple-stemmed oak. The area under the two big oaks becomes a no-mow zone. The gravel accessible trail is extended past the farmhouse to the Church Street entrance, creating a continuous link between downtown and the middens to the north through the site. Additional accessible trail spurs are created to the ice cream stand, farmers' market pad, and overlook area north of the solar array. A new play area is easily accessible from the trail and the farmers' market, but sheltered from the road. The former south exit and gravel area near the cemetery are reclaimed and planted to eliminate vehicle traffic and protect the cemetery and mature trees. Pad stormwater is managed through sediment pretreatment and a naturalistic bioswale. Shrubs and small trees are planted along Main Street for screening.