Reprieve for Undermountain Farm

By ClarenCe Fan T o

LENOX

— On the verge of possible foreclosure and subdivision, the historic Undermountain Farm and Equestrian Center has gotten a reprieve — although not a guarantee.

The Sprague Family Trust, owner of the 120-year-old farm with widely admired views overlooking Parsons Marsh, has transferred the property to the HomeFarm at Undermountain, a nonprofit formed in 2021.

The transaction for the site at 400 Undermountain Road was recorded last week at the Berkshire Middle District Registry of Deeds. It was a gift, not a sale, according to the document signed by Tjasa Sprague — thus, no payment was recorded.

Sprague said she hopes to remain involved in restoring the historic farm buildings, where 23 horses are stabled.

The 10-acre center of equestrian facilities and historic farming structures includes stables, a large, covered indoor arena, grazing pastures and riding trails. It’s surrounded by 150 acres of pasture, forest and hayfields.

“The town could have taken the farm from me, but somehow they didn’t,” she said. “The farm is kind of the keystone for all that protected land on Undermountain Road, hundreds of acres.”

Sprague said she is applying to put the farm on the National Register of Historic Places, with support from the Massachusetts Historical Commission.

In its mission statement, HomeFarm at Undermountain, a 501©3 nonprofit, states that it teaches “recreational horsemanship and equine husbandry,” and provides therapeutic equine-assisted programs to children and adults. The equestrian center offers lessons, boarding and pony rides. It does not offer trail-riding to the public.

Although the entire property is 158 acres, the gift does not include 61 acres transferred to the Berkshire Natural Resources Council in 2017. The BNRC has held a conservation restriction on that portion of the land since 2016, when it paid $450,000 to the Sprague Family Trust, owner of the site since 1974.

Because of delinquent property taxes and debt service, the farm was in imminent danger of foreclosure, HomeFarm interim Chair Gary Knisely confirmed.

Knisely said the property had been shown to potential developers and told The Eagle he’s hoping to raise about $1 million. That funding could come from preservation-minded community members and government programs in order to cover debt and unpaid taxes, and then lay the groundwork to catch up on deferred maintenance and pursue further restoration of the property. So far, the nonprofit has raised about $150,000, Knisely said, adding he is confident the community will rally behind the farm.