What is it like to live in Plympton?
“I’m not even sure I knew where Plympton was growing up in Middleborough, and it’s the next town over,’’ said Plympton resident Kathy Keirstead.
When chatting with 28-year Plympton resident Kathy Keirstead, something about this Southeastern Massachusetts town quickly becomes apparent — it doesn’t change much.
In fact, the longtime librarian at the town’s public library is hard-pressed to come up with major transformations the town has undergone since she first moved here from her native Middleborough in 1988.
“I’m not even sure I knew where Plympton was growing up in Middleborough, and it’s the next town over,’’ said the 61-year-old mother of two grown children, one of whom still lives in town. That’s not surprising, considering the tiny town can easily get lost between its more well-known neighbors. Plympton is truly country living nestled among the suburbs. As Scott Sauchuk, owner of Sauchuk Farm in town, put it, “You chop your own firewood and grow your own produce.’’
Plympton is dotted with diverse farms — from massive cranberry bogs to prized miniature horse breeders. In addition to being a major source of summer jobs for teens, the farms draw visits from out-of-towners.
Keirstead’s favorite part of the town, however, is its tight-knit culture. “It’s still very much a community,’’ she said, noting that when someone has an illness in the family, people will step up with food and rides.
Although Plympton has remained quiet and quaint over the years, some things have changed. Keirstead, for example, remembers when her mother-in-law worked as the town dispatcher out of the front room of her home. “There were three women who would take 24-hour shifts answering the police and fire phones in their homes,’’ Keirstead said. “This went on well into the ’90s.’’
Kathy Keirstead of Plympton
BY THE NUMBERS
50 dozen
The number of eggs served weekly at The Village Café, the only lunchspot
22
The number of horses boarded at Reunion Farm on Main Street. Reunion also offers riding lessons, training, and even hosts school equestrian teams.
210 tons
The amount of fruit Mayflower Cranberries, Plympton’s oldest commercial bog, harvests annually
10
The number of acres of corn that form Sauchuk Farm’s maze, open throughout the month of October
2,851
Plympton’s population, according to its 2016 Census
PROS & CONS
Pro
Access to locally grown food
Plympton has a number of farm stands and community-supported agriculture opportunities for residents. Sauchuk Farm, Colchester Neighborhood Farm, and Sunrise Gardens Farm Stand all sell produce to the public. Colchester, which has been owned by the same family for more than 200 years, is partnered with an organization to provide jobs for adults with intellectual and other developmental disabilities. Just Right Farm offers an elegant farm-to-table dining experience.
Con
Car dependency
Plympton has very few sidewalks or streetlights, making it a tough place for those trying to walk their dog, jog, skateboard, or take an evening stroll. Its rating on Walkscore.com is only a 13 out of 100. Cato’s Ridge Conservation Area, however, offers great outdoor recreation opportunities.
Jon Mael is a freelance writer based in Sharon. He can be reached at [email protected].
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