DIRECTIONS TO HERITAGE FARM

This will be a first, posting directions to the farm on our website. After numerous requests for them, we have finally added them. We're also adding the story behind WHY we never had them up before, as an attempt to let our customers understand a bit more of our history here at Heritage Farm, and also farmheritage.com:

Our father Jerry started this business that we all carry on, but died this past June after a lengthy fight with Diabetes. Long before computers and websites were ever imagined, he was selling horses and running auctions. He loved the telephone. Loved it. Ages ago, when he was just starting out his business was much smaller. Each dime meant he was closer to paying off a debt. He would gauge the quality of the upcoming auction by the number of telephone calls he received prior to the auction, especially those looking for directions, because that meant new people coming to him. He could listen to people's accents and know where they were from. He could find people or places in common. He could ask them how they heard about us. He could "qualify" them to see what they were looking to buy or sell and make sure it would work at our auction. He could give directions "from any place on planet Earth"... Because of this, we all grew up listening for the phone and using it as a guide to how the business would go that week.

Diane started this whole website thing as a whim with one of her girlfriends from college who graduated with a Graphic Design major. Our father was against the whole idea because it was just so foreign to him that people would want to sit at home and look at pictures of horses rather than come ride them. To him, it defeated the purpose of us being here... if the customers don't come, how do we get their money? Instead, he came to see how we could use it as a tool for more effective marketing... to entice people, to give them reasons to come here, specific reasons.Yet, we never had the directions. Because, even as the business grew he needed to have his say in every aspect. Diane would print out every page of the website as it changed to show him... and he would answer the calls that it generated. He grew to respect her choice for bringing the farm into modern days... although he never touched the machine (none of her brothers do, either!). Up until last April when Jerry had a stroke that affected his speech, he answered every telephone call. Even without legs, kidneys, and eventually some fingers, he could have his mind in the thick of the business through the telephone. We miss him incredibly for that, among so many other things, of course. So, because we no longer have him here to give directions, here they are:

FROM NORTH: 91 South to exit 18 (Northampton Exit). Left off of ramp onto Route 5 for short distance. Left onto Conz St, just past Bowling Alley, almost into Best Western parking lot. At end of Conz St., left at light towards Route 10, up very short hill. At top of hill, left at light onto Route 10 South towards Easthampton. Go past series of car dealerships on right side, in both towns. At traffic light in Easthampton, right turn onto Florence Rd. HF is about 1/4 mile down on left.

FROM SOUTH: 91 North to exit 17B, (Easthampton Exit). You are then on Route 141 West, towards Easthampton. Stay on 141 down Mt. Tom, into center of town. 141 deadends in town, at 2nd traffic light (grocery store of right, church on left). Turn right onto Route 10 North, towards Northampton. Go approximately 1 mile, just past McDonald's and Burger King. Turn left at traffic light just past junk food restaurants onto Florence Rd. HF is about 1/4 mile down on left.

FROM EAST: Traveling West on 90 (Mass Pike). Take exit 4 onto Route 91. Go North. Follow directions above from exit 17B off of 91 North.

FROM WEST: Traveling East on 90 (Mass Pike). Take exit 3 (Westfield Exit). Turn left onto Route 10 North. Stay on 10 approximately 10.5 miles into Easthampton. At traffic light just past McDonald's and Burger King, turn left onto Florence Rd. HF is about 1/4 mile down on left.

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