Whenever I take a new locum job, an important aspect to me is being close to the job site. As I often work long shifts, including 12 and 24 hours at many places, it’s nice to not have a long drive afterward. At the beginning of 2023 I started a new job helping at two separate hospitals in Massachusetts about 30-45 minutes outside of Boston proper, and even farther from one another. So, while many people have asked me why I didn’t choose to stay in Boston and commute to work, I chose to center my stay as close to whichever hospital I would be working at more for that stint – a majority of that time landed me in Framingham.

Whenever I ask people of advice on what to do or where to go, it is always fascinating to me that people often seek to impress me. Luckily, and unbeknownst to them, I’m actually pretty easily amused. So, while I could take a trip at any given time to the bigger nearby city, I prefer to focus my perspective on the smaller areas that aren’t quite the regular beaten path. Thus, the intro to me finding a few curious adventures on a day off in a small town.

Medfield State Hospital

Found in 1892, Medfield State Hospital (originally Medfield Insane Asylum until it was renamed in 2014) was established as Massachusetts’ first hospital for those with mental illness. At it’s peak there were over 50 buildings on this property which lasted for over 100 years. Many have been flattened to only over 30 remaining structures and in 2014 the property was purchased by the town. Since then, they have allowed visitors to continue walking the ghostly premises as long as you don’t go into the buildings. Also, the parking lot in front is used to park tons of school buses I learned. I happened upon this eery place after wandering around a trail on the Charles River. There were a decent number of people here when i went to visit and even walking their dogs.

References: Town of Medfield: Medfield State Hospital Information, Wikipedia Medfield State Hospital, Atlas Obscura Medfield State Hospital

Natick Community Organic Farm

Since, I’m a strong believer and practitioner of doing “whatever people tell me to do,” I wandered to a coffee shop in Natick, MA and the baristas told me to go a farm! So, here’s some pictures from the Natick Community Organic Farm. I really like farms and loved that this one has an actual path and trail for you to walk around on. Although, unfortunately in the winter of course, the farm store isn’t as thriving, but the animals were still friendly. While they didn’t have any alpacas, they were able to send me to somewhere that did have them: Harvard Alpaca Farm.