Weston Woman Seeks To Create

A Retreat At Foxview Farm

By Andrew Gorosko

A Weston woman has told members of the Newtown Bridle Lands Association (NBLA) that she is seeking to establish a retreat for spiritual renewal at Foxview Farm at 25 Hundred Acres Road, which would be aimed at enhancing participants’ self-reliance and interconnectedness with others through “experiential” learning.

Equestrian Jane Strong says wants to establish a retreat, which would be known as Equinox Farm, at the 75-acre horse farm situated on rolling hillsides in the heart of local horse country.

In October, Foxview Farm owner Judith Holmes received Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) approval to subdivide 72 acres at the farm into 18 residential building lots, 15 of which would contain new houses. Ms Strong said that her proposal for Equinox Farm would be an alternative to developing the property as a subdivision with new homes, thus allowing the site to remain in an equine use.

Ms Strong was the guest speaker on November 16 at a NBLA meeting held at the Newtown Meeting House on Main Street. She spoke to the group about her work in the field of human development, which is conducted in equestrian settings.

That training is intended to teach people how to reconnect to their intuition, how to clarify their intentions, how to express their intentions, how to communicate well, and how to develop a sense of reverence and stewardship for the natural world, according to Ms Strong. A spiritual retreat would offer workshops to enhance people’s “emotional fitness skills” and quality of life by working with horses in a horse farm environment, she said. The training is keyed to allowing participants to “reconnect with the rhythms of nature and oneself,” she said.

Ms Strong told NBLA members that she is seeking facilities in the area where such training could occur, suggesting that a group effort be undertaken to draw together private and public funds for the acquisition of Foxview Farm. Such a project would both prevent the farm’s development and allow human development training to occur in an equestrian setting, she said.

On November 17, NBLA President Beverly Marr said that the NBLA is interested in Ms Strong’s work in the field of human development in equestrian settings. The NBLA, however, is not endorsing Ms Strong’s proposal for the acquisition of Foxview Farm, Ms Marr stressed.

When the P&Z approved the Foxview Farm Estates subdivision on October 21, it required that the developer blaze an equestrian trail across the property, with trail easements to be deeded to the NBLA. The development application had drawn scrutiny from members of the local equestrian community, which has boarded horses in stables at the farm for many years and has held equestrian events there.

Of the November 16 session, Ms Strong said, “I’m just saying a big prayer that Mr [Robert] Holmes would be willing to give us the 30 days we need to see if we can get some public and private funds together” toward the acquisition of Foxview Farm.

Ms Strong said she hopes that support will build for her efforts to preserve the farm because it is a beautiful and valuable asset to the town.

Ms Strong said that various people who are interested in the preservation of Foxview Farm plan to hold a meeting at 7:30 pm on Tuesday, November 23, at Proud Mary’s, which is a cocktail lounge in the lower level of The Inn at Newtown at 19 Main Street.