Magnificent Millstone Farm

180 Millstone Road, Wilton CT

One of the area’s foremost farms using sustainable practices, Millstone Farm presents a rare opportunity to acquire one of Fairfield County’s finest properties. Located only 50 miles from NYC, the property features over 71 pastoral acres of rolling land including multiple barns, paddocks and fenced pastures. Sheep, chickens and other animals wander the fields, while greenhouses, orchards, beehives and three large vegetable gardens produce sought-after fare for renowned local Chefs in the farm-to-table movement. A four-bedroom Stone & Shingle main residence is sited perfectly to capture the light and sunset views. Multiple trails and a whimsical “glamping” tent, as well as the original dressage ring and equestrian course provide a unique backdrop for outdoor activity. A most exceptional country estate.

Mission and Products
The vision for the farm encompasses three levels: family, local community and broader global issues. At the family level, the owners and their children learned to how to grow food and steward a farm, increasing awareness of the environment. For the local community, the farm provides wholesome food, using no chemicals, and a space for community members to connect with the land through the “Millstone Experience” including a CSA, Farm-To-Fork dinners, educational programs and supplying produce to nationally recognized Chefs. The farm also inspires to address issues like food waste and the humane raising of animals while at the same time allowing entrepreneurs and educators to use the property as a learning laboratory.

Animals at the farm include Shetland sheep, Tamworth, Berkshire and Large Black pigs, rare breeds of chickens, heirloom turkeys, llamas and ponies. Produce of the farm includes heirloom and multiple varietals of artichokes, beans, beets, broccoli, carrots, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, lettuces, kale, chard, peas, peppers, pumpkins, radishes, squash and tomatoes. Associated Millstone Farm brand market products include salsa, eggs, honey, relish, pickles, maple syrup and wool, among others.

History
In approximately 1911, Dr. Vincent Tito bought the Wilton property with a house, barn and shed with plans to retire. He planted fruit trees and put up a hot house near the dwelling. He died in 1919 from the flu, and his son Vincent Tito Jr – then aged 19 – took his mother, sisters, brother and new wife to live at the house with no plumbing or electricity. With sheer force of will he turned the land into a productive farm and became a town leader. The farm morphed over the years and the dwellings and buildings were expanded. The current house, built in 1975, is an expansion of the converted barn. The Wilton Pony Club later made it’s home on the property, which was purchased by Betsy and Jesse Fink in 2005 and redeveloped over the years in conjunction with the expertise of master farmer Annie Farrell. The farm now boasts a bountiful harvest, as it did when it was Tito Farm, lending a nod to Wilton’s rich agrarian past.

Main Residence
The main residence is a Stone & Shingle-inspired Converted Barn, artfully and stylishly expanded to blend harmoniously with the landscape. Architectural details include stone and hardwood floors, vaulted ceilings, exposed stone, walls of windows and rustic millwork. Doors open to two side terraces allowing for wonderful indoor-outdoor entertaining.

A stone walkway leads to the main entrance. Double doors open to the Two-Story Entrance Hall. To the right of the Entry lies the Great Room. Impressive in scale, features include a vaulted ceiling with massive beams, a stone floor, a wall finished in copper, and doors to a side terrace. The Great Room adjoins the Kitchen. The Kitchen’s Breakfast Area has doors to a side terrace. The Breakfast Area is open to the Family Room. Features include walls paneled in old barnsiding, a fireplace and a charming seating area located in one of two silos.

To the left of the Entry is a Foyer. It provides access to an Office housed in the second silo, a Powder Room and a door to the Laundry and Two-Car Garage. A Utility Room is located to the rear of the garage.

Spiral stairs lead to the Second Floor. The Master Suite is private. It houses a spacious Bedroom and a private Bath. A Second Bedroom, with window seat, has a full Bath. A loft seating area provides access to two additional Bedrooms. Both Bedrooms have private Baths, and one of the Bedrooms has a sitting area. A Hall Bath completes the second floor. Besseler stairs lead to the Attic on one side. On the other side, spiral stairs lead up to a skylit Loft with a ceiling fan.

Construction Overview
The foundation is slab: the construction is frame: the exterior is wood shingle; and, the roof is wood shingle. A boiler delivers four zones of oil-fired hydroair heat fueled by two aboveground tanks. Eversource supplies electric service and all wiring into the farm is underground. There is a transfer switch for a generator. Kitchen appliances include a Wolf Range with six burners, griddle and two ovens, Frigidaire Double Ovens, an Amana Refrigerator and a General Electric Dishwasher. An alarm system, central air conditioning with three zones, and in-wall speakers are additional improvements.

Outbuildings
A stone path leads from the main house to a Cottage – the former Pool House. The Cottage houses a Living Room, a Kitchen, a Bedroom and a Bath. There is a canvas “Glamping” tent, set on a wood platform with a built-in bed and wood burning stove. It is adjacent to an outhouse.

Farm Buildings
The main Barn houses seven stalls, two feed rooms and a tack room on the lower level. The upper level houses an equipment room and a hay loft. There are ten sheds/stalls on the property, several of them moveable. There are two heated, growing hoop houses, a small greenhouse and seven, frost-free hydrants to service the farm.