O’Brien Farm is a 200 year-old, active, working farm where people learn about and practice sustainable food production. It also tells the story of Irish settlement in St. John’s, NL through the story of the O’Brien family.
Situated in the Freshwater Valley in the middle of St. John’s, the capital of Newfoundland and Labrador, O’Brien Farm is one of the last original family farms in the city. In its day, O’Brien Farm along with similar farms – most of which were also operated by Irish families—fed the northeast Avalon Peninsula. A dairy operation for most of the farm’s 180+ years, the O’Brien family developed the hillside meadows for hay and in summer cattle grazed in common pastures on Mount Scio.
The last of the family line, three bachelor brothers, John, Mike, and Aly, tell a story of resistance, stubbornness, and passion for their land. Amid concerns that the farm would be swallowed by urban development, the O’Brien Farm Foundation was formed in 2011 to preserve, develop, and operate the farm, according to the wishes expressed in Aly O’Brien’s will.
Today, O’Brien Farm is home to a brand new Visitors’ Centre and Kitchen Barn, where we host educational programs, workshops, and fun events. Stop by to explore our trails, and learn about farming, food sustainability, and Irish Newfoundland heritage.
