On View at Moose Hill Farm: Seaside Chestnuts
May Babcock, Seaside Chestnuts, 2026, Chinese American chestnut trees, flax, leftover fencing, milkweed, black walnut, goldenrod, beeswax. Photo by Chris Cardoza / Doza Visuals.
The living installation is now on view! ππΊπ±
I'd like to introduce you to Seaside Chestnuts, commissioned by The Trustees of Reservations and curated by Tess Lukey.
At Moose Hill Farm in Sharon, MA, 11 American, Chinese, and hybrid American-Chinese chestnut trees are protected and highlighted by seaweed-inspired sculptures.
I made the forms with the farm's leftover fencing, and coated them with paper pulp made from local flax, and milkweed, black walnut, and goldenrod gathered from the surrounding meadows.
The fencing part will be up for several years, then removed once the chestnut trees are big enough to survive the deer.
Directions & Hours
The address is β396 Moose Hill St, Sharon, MAβ. You'll park in the parking lot right next to the meadow where the sculptures are, which is next to the Cooperative Nature School.
So, no need to tromp through the forest to see this work π.
It's open year-round, daily, sunrise to sunset, and FREE to all.
Thank yous
The Trustees and staff of deCordova Sculpture Park & Museum, and supporters of these installations, the chestnut trees and support are provided by The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) and TACF Massachusetts / Rhode Island Chapter, flax from Hawk & Handsaw Farm, flax day help from Southeastern New England Fibershed, and watering and soil help from the Cooperative Nature School.
PS. if you walk up the main farm drive towards the community garden, you'll see 2 more ! And if you're feeling adventurous, you can continue up the trail to the left and see the Boston skyline ποΈ.