About Us 

Folly Farm Past

       Folly Farm was founded in the early 1920s, developing its reputation as a dairy farm.  The prize winning Jersey cows were housed in the round-roofed barn attached to the silo (which, to this day, is still called the “Dairy Barn”).  After the death of the owner, John Ellsworth, in the 1950s, the dairy farm stopped production.  The farm remained vacant for most of the next 25 - 30 years.  In the 1970s, a developer purchased the property with the hopes of creating a townhouse community, with the pond behind the stables being created to be the focal point.  Unfortunately for the developer, zoning laws would not permit such a complex.  Fortunately for us, current owner, Robert Patricelli, and his then partner, acquired the land in 1983 and embarked on an ambitious new endeavor.

   After extensive repairs, including nearly 700 broken windows, Folly Farm reopened as a sheep and horse farm.  The sheep herd was the largest in Connecticut, with over 300 ewes and 5 rams, supplying meat and wool products to the region.  Difficulty finding knowledgeable help, and just the logistics of running a large-scale sheep operation in this area, led to the end of the sheep business, making Folly Farm a full time hunter/jumper equestrian facility.

     Much has changed since sheep and horses lived together at Folly.  Some of the original property was sold, or donated to the state for the expansion of Talcott Mountain State Park (the cliff face, including King Philip’s Cave, up to the ridge line, was once part of Folly Farm).  The horse facility has been extensively expanded to include nearly 55 stalls, 2 indoor riding arenas, 2 outdoor riding rings, riding fields and several paddocks.  Folly Farm annually hosts 10 hunter/jumper competitions, recognized by both local and national organizations.  We proudly sponsor a weekend long Classic Horse Show to benefit regional charities.  Our riders have successfully competed in horse shows from the local level, state level and all the way to the top national horse shows at Harrisburg, New York and Washington, D.C..  The public riding school develops riders of all ages and abilities in a safe, fun, learning environment.  Through dedicated staff and leadership, this National Historical Registry farm has become the premiere equestrian facility of the Farmington Valley.