Norton Brothers Fruit Farm Preserved After Community Partnership Prevents Housing Development
The future of the historic Norton Brothers Fruit Farm has taken a dramatic turn following a collaborative preservation agreement that will keep the 42-acre property in agricultural use rather than converting it into a residential subdivision.
The agreement halts the previously approved “Farm Meadow Preserve” development proposal, which had called for the construction of 25 homes on the site.
Instead, the land will remain a working apple orchard, preserving a farming tradition that dates back to 1757.
End of a 268-Year Family Operation
The property had been sold for approximately $3.05 million to Birdsey Development LLC, and subdivision plans quickly became a source of concern among residents and open-space advocates.
Some of the farm’s remaining products and inventory were temporarily transferred to Maple Oak Farm during the transition period.
For many residents, the possible loss of the orchard represented more than the disappearance of a business. The farm had long served as a visual and cultural landmark tied to Cheshire’s agricultural identity.
Preservation Partnership
The newly announced preservation effort brings together both public and private interests.
Under the agreement, the Town of Cheshire and the Cheshire Land Trust will help secure conservation protections on the property while Dr. David Esposito and Bill Cunningham assume ownership and oversee the restoration of orchard operations.
The new owners have described the project as a “labor of love” and say their goal is to return the property to active agricultural production.
Although the orchard is not expected to produce fruit for public sale during the 2026 season, organizers anticipate the farm could return to full operation by 2027.
Town officials and preservation advocates have widely praised the arrangement as a model for balancing growth with conservation.
The Cheshire Land Trust publicly celebrated the announcement, stating that “inevitable development of all of Cheshire’s remaining open space is not inevitable after all.”
The Town of Cheshire similarly described the agreement as an example of the partnerships that have helped preserve the town’s character for generations.
According to town officials, Cheshire has invested approximately $23 million in open-space preservation efforts since 1985, while organizations including the Cheshire Land Trust and Regional Water Authority have also played significant roles in land conservation initiatives.
Prior to the Norton Farm agreement, roughly 22% of Cheshire’s land area had already been permanently protected as open space.
The Individuals Behind the Preservation Effort
Dr. David J. Esposito
Dr. David J. Esposito is a vascular and cardiothoracic surgeon based in Milford and serves as Chairman of the Department of Surgery at Milford Hospital.
He is also co-founder and owner of the Milford Vascular Institute.
Outside medicine, Esposito has recently become increasingly involved in agricultural preservation efforts. Earlier in 2025, he and his wife, Suzanne Jagoe, purchased Hickory Hill Orchards in an effort to prevent that property from becoming a housing subdivision.
A graduate of Yale University and the Duke University School of Medicine, Esposito was also captain of Yale’s baseball team during his collegiate years.
Bill Cunningham
The company recently expanded its local presence with a new 24,000-square-foot office in Cheshire.
Cunningham is also known for his philanthropic work, including co-founding The Foundation for a Cure for Mitochondrial Disease.
In public remarks following the preservation announcement, Cunningham described the project as deeply personal and said he felt compelled to act after learning the orchard might disappear.
A Larger Preservation Trend in Cheshire
The Norton Farm agreement is part of a broader movement in Cheshire aimed at preserving historic farms and limiting the loss of agricultural land to residential development.
In June 2024, Cheshire Hollow Farm, a 94-acre property on Peck Lane, sold for approximately $3.5 million to Cheshire Hollow Acres, LLC, led by Michael A. Bozzuto, CEO of Bozzuto’s Inc..
Because development rights for the property had previously been sold to the Connecticut Department of Agriculture’s Farmland Preservation Program, the land must remain agricultural in perpetuity under state law.
Similarly, Hickory Hill Orchards was acquired earlier in 2025 by Dr. Esposito and Suzanne Jagoe to prevent possible subdivision development.
Another significant agricultural property, Arisco Farms on Marion Road, has also drawn attention after its owner publicly expressed a preference for a buyer who would continue farming operations rather than pursue residential construction.
These preservation efforts received additional public support in November 2025 when Cheshire voters approved a $1.5 million land conservation and open-space referendum by a margin of approximately 75%.
Role of the Cheshire Land Trust
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The Cheshire Land Trust has emerged as one of the central organizations involved in preserving agricultural and environmentally sensitive land throughout the community.
As of early 2026, the organization manages more than 633 acres of protected open space, including wetlands, wildlife sanctuaries, and working farms.
The Norton Brothers Fruit Farm project represents one of the trust’s most significant recent conservation partnerships.
Under the proposed arrangement, permanent conservation easements are expected to ensure the property cannot later be redeveloped into housing.
The trust’s recent activities have also included habitat restoration projects, invasive species removal, and trail improvements at several conservation sites, including the Lovley Property and Fresh Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary.
Financial disclosures indicate the organization maintains approximately $4.99 million in assets and continues to rely heavily on investment income, donations, easement agreements, and community partnerships to support long-term preservation goals.
Balancing Growth and Preservation
The debate surrounding Norton Brothers Fruit Farm reflects a larger conversation taking place across Cheshire as residential growth pressures continue to increase.
Reports from regional media outlets have noted substantial increases in residential development activity since 2020, particularly in higher-density housing sectors.
For many residents, the preservation of Norton Farm represents an effort to maintain part of the town’s agricultural heritage while still accommodating future growth elsewhere.
Although commercial operations at the original Norton Brothers business have ended, the preservation agreement ensures the land itself will continue to function as farmland — a rare outcome at a time when many historic orchards and family farms throughout Connecticut continue to disappear under development pressure.
Editor’s Note:
Public discussion surrounding the preservation of the historic Norton Brothers Fruit Farm has also focused on the financial details of the property transactions that occurred during the brief transition between development approval and conservation.
According to public reporting, developer Birdsey Development LLC, purchased the 42.3-acre Norton Brothers Fruit Farm property and fruit stand from the Norton family on April 30, 2026, for approximately $3,050,000.
Following the acquisition, Birdsey Development proposed a 25-lot residential subdivision known as “Farm Meadow Preserve.” The proposal received approval from the Cheshire Planning and Zoning Commission in early 2026 and represented one of the more significant residential development plans tied to the town’s remaining agricultural land.
Less than one week later, on May 6, 2026, local businessman Bill Cunningham and surgeon Dr. David J. Esposito reached an agreement to purchase the property for $5 million as part of a preservation initiative involving the Town of Cheshire and the Cheshire Land Trust. CtInsider
The rapid resale generated widespread local discussion because the transaction represented an increase of roughly $1.95 million over the original purchase price before taxes, legal fees, financing costs, and other development-related expenses
.(Estimated Cost Structure (at $900k Sale)To maintain a healthy profit at this price in Cheshire, the builder would typically target a cost structure similar to this: Hard & Soft Costs: $765,000 – $821,000 per unit. Net Profit: $78,000 – $135,000 per unit. If the builder sold 25 houses at $900,000 each, the total estimated net profit for the project would range from approximately $1.96 million to $3.38 million. This estimate is based on the industry-standard net profit margins of 8.7% to 15% for residential development, which accounts for all construction costs, land acquisition, financing, and overhead. If 25 luxury homes valued at $1 million each were built in Cheshire, Connecticut, the estimated total tax revenue for the town in the year 2027 would be approximately $554,400.)
Supporters of the preservation agreement have emphasized that the final outcome permanently protects one of Cheshire’s oldest farms from subdivision development and ensures the property will remain agricultural land or protected open space in perpetuity through conservation restrictions supported in part by the town’s voter-approved land preservation fund.
The preservation effort also carried personal significance for the Cunningham family. Cunningham has publicly described the project as motivated by nostalgia and community preservation, while the family continues to honor the memory of Kelly Cunningham through The Foundation for a Cure for Mitochondrial Disease, also known as MitoCure, a nonprofit organization established to fund mitochondrial disease research and support affected families.
Regardless of differing perspectives surrounding the financial aspects of the transaction, the agreement has become one of the most discussed land preservation efforts in recent Cheshire history and reflects the ongoing tension between residential development and open-space conservation in the community.
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