Historic Longstreet Farm — Attraction in Holmdel Township

The amazing Historic Longstreet Farm is a real working farm located within Holmdel Park and maintained by the Monmouth County Park System. It has been around since the 1790s and was donated to the park system in the 1970s. The farm is operated as if it were 1890. Everyone working for the farm wears clothing from that decade and only uses historical 1890s equipment.

We happened to come when they were doing their annual sheep shearing. We witnessed the shearing of two sheep. I don't know the exact species of sheep, but they were dual purpose sheep (as in, both wool and mutton). They manually sheared the sheep. They said that though there are electric shears today, experienced shearers are more effective when using manual shears. The pictures of them holding the sheep may look odd, but I promise the sheep were comfortable during the shearing. A volunteer brought around a piece of wool that just came off the sheep to share what the texture felt like. It was honestly very cool to feel.

In addition to the sheep, we also watched a border collie herding demonstration. They were real working dogs, and they were herding sheep.

We also saw the two cows they had while they were grazing, and we saw one being milked at their daily 3 PM milking.

In the barn, there was a donkey, mule, and horse on their stables.

There was also a pig in his own pen, but he was just chilling.

We concluded our visit by going to the farmhouse where the different generations of the Longstreet family lived. I did not take any photos inside. The final member of the Longstreet Farm donated it to the Monmouth County Park System on the condition that the land would be kept as is and never be sold for redevelopment.

In the entrance to the farm, there is a visitors center with more information about the history of the farm.

Parking and admission...

Misleading............

Longstreet Farms' public image is happiness, capital improvements, happy families in horse drawn carts, balloons, and colorful events. After the guests/visitors go home, however, Longstreet Farms becomes a wildlife gulag; a detention camp for wildlife that is indifferently and routinely shipped off to SLAUGHTER HOUSES after the animals are judged by management to have served their purpose. Unequivocally, the county money taken from you is used to: 1. exploit the "attraction" usefulness of hapless creatures: sheep, horses, pigs, adorable lambs, and poultry and then 2. ship these animals off to a slaughter house without any respect or moral obligation to the animals that have performed/served for the benefit of Longstreet Farms or any thought if you as a benefactor would approve of this Machiavellian behavior. Longstreet Farms could be a great family resource. It is not one now. It just needs to understand that you as a revenue source do not and will not tolerate the business-as-usual destruction of...

7/5/22 1:30 pm Longstreet Farm is a working farm with the staff dressed in period. I felt sorry for them today. The staff are all very friendly and knowledgeable about this period, theybare experienced in running a farm in this period. Bring the stark differences between then and now on farming. Handicapped and child friendly.

You must bring your own beverages and food. There is no place to purchase anything, not even a vending machine( my guess is it doesn't fit in with the period).

Nice day out, use bug spray before stepping out of...