Weeden Farm Trail

The first thing you will notice about the Weeden Farm Trail is that it is not clearly marked. Generally, the trail is considered to be the front to fields when you look outwards from the Land Trust buildings on site. Hikers walk the perimeters of the fields and occasionally venture into the back, where a trail is open depending on if it is hunting season or not. When I went to Weeden Farm during my April vacation, there was no corn or hunting. The fields will likely be planted soon, for the late summer harvest, and hunting usually occurs in the fall. While I was there, I saw a group of four deer in the back fields grazing and minding their own business. It is important to know that during certain parts of the year parts of Weeden Farm are open to hunting Canadian geese, so it is important to wear blaze orange. This time of the year (Spring) there is no hunting allowed that I know of, so you will not see any hunting blinds, and there is no need for blaze orange. Despite this, I would advise checking in with the Land Trust to make sure nobody is hunting for turkey on the property. The South Kingstown Land Trust can be contacted at (401) 789-9898. Nevertheless, you will see the bright green fields and rock walls Weeden Farm is known for. Also, this is the location of the South Kingstown Land Trust headquarters, so you will see the office buildings and a tractor barn that SKLT uses for housing all of its equipment. Another important thing to understand is that the whole property is not open to hiking. As you will see if you hike the farm, there are portions of the property that are about the property of other landowners. There are also areas of Weeden farm that are designated as habitat restoration projects, which rely on the courtesy of hikers/patrons to work effectively. Overall, the Weeden Farm trail is a nice little loop trail in close proximity to Matunuck’s beaches. While you are enjoying the hike, you will experience the pleasant ocean breeze and enjoy the wonderful scenery of a Rhode Island farm.

The first thing that comes to mind when I hike the Weeden Farm trail is the memories of driving around in the SKLT gator utility vehicle, to monitor the property. It was so much fun to check out different parts of the property and collect things I found in the field. I distinctly remember a time when my dad and I found a dead Red-Tailed Hawk underneath a grove of trees, and I collected some of the beautiful feathers. I also remember collecting a number of turkey feathers from the property, which eventually piled up to be quite a collection. Overall, I have had lots of experiences at Weeden Farm during SKLT auctions and events, so the place is very special to me. On top of that, I spend a good amount of my time in Matunuck in the summer, so I always get to see the transition of the fields from just-being-planted, all the way to the full-sized corn that is ready to be harvested. Due to my past experiences with the property, each time I visit there is a rush of emotion and rich memories that were an integral part of my childhood. Essentially, I feel at home when I am at Weeden Farm. I love how the offices get a pretty view of some South Kingstown farmland, but also how dedicated the Land Trust is to combining the traditional land uses of the property with land conservation. The Weeden Farm trail is a special environment that is easy to navigate, so I feel like it is a must-visit for any interested in some nice scenery and a little exercise. To conclude, I feel like I always enjoy walking around Weeden Farm no matter how many times I’ve been there. There is something special about Weeden Farm, the field, and the atmosphere that is different from the rest of SKLT properties. My favorite aspect is the fact that you are out in the open, you can see the blue sky overhead, and the headquarters oversee the property.