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| The Farmers! |
| Apple Hill Farm (603) 224-8862 580 Mountain Road, (N.H. Route 132) Concord, NH 03301 |
Our History
APPLE HILL FARM
Welcome to Apple Hill Farm!
Thank you for visiting our web site. Let us tell you a little about our farm . It was purchased by
us in February of 1978. The farm at that time contained some neglected crop land, numerous
small hay fields, and a large portion of wooded areas, and no buildings. Much work had to be
done to have the farm appear as it does today.
The driveway was built first. It follows the path of an old stone wall and adjacent to the original
road from East Concord to Canterbury. The home site was established in 1980 at the junction of
two stone walls. Eight windbreaks and walls have been relocated to make the fields appear as
they do today. Approximately five acres of scrub land have been cleared to open the fields up
and connect them together. Beneath the soil, with the help of the Merrimack County
Conservation District, and the Soil Conservation Service, are 2.5 miles of subsurface tile drains
have been installed. A large hay barn was built in 1985. The first apple trees were planted the
spring of 1978, even before the homestead was established.
Coming into our 31st year of growth, the apple trees are thriving and changes are constantly
taking place. For 15 years the apple crop here at Apple Hill Farm was sold wholesale as were
other crops. In 1995 we established a “Pick Them Yourself” operation for small fruits and
apples. For our pick them yourself season, strawberries are available mid-June to mid-July,
blueberries mid-July to early September , raspberries, mid-July to early August, black currants
late July to early August. Finally, apples, our largest crop, are done from Labor Day to Columbus
Day. In addition to our pick them yourself business, we built a large modern farm stand
including a bakery where we bake pies and simmer jellies from scratch. This year the farm
stand will be opening Aug 9th, housing the sales area for the peaches, apples, our own
homemade apple cider, jams, jellies, baked goods, NH cheeses, NH bacon, Farnum Hill hard
cider, and Flag Hill Wine and many fall treats and vegetables. From August to November 25th,
Apple Hill Farm’s hours will be 8:30 to 5:30 , 7 days a week. Peaches will be the first tree fruit
crop we start to harvest. Apples will be for sale, all picked in the stand or you can pick them
yourself as the season allows.
We are not new comers to the apple and farming industry having been involved in agriculture
since high school. Our farm is frequently the site of tours for farmers and others interested in
agriculture in New Hampshire. In our cultural practices we are strong believers in integrated pest
management with numerous traps placed, and monitoring techniques used in all crops on the
farm. We also have a two acre block of McIntosh and Cortland apples which are grown
organically and have been treated that way for five years. Somewhere at anytime on the farm
we’ll have an experimental area, where in cooperation with University researchers, we are trying
out new forms of crop management. We have and are now holding positions in the New
Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation,S.P.A.C.E., and N.H.Stories. Apple Hill Farm was recognized
as a 2003 “Farm of Distinction” by the NH Department of Agriculture, Markets and Foods.
We believe that what is wrong with today's food supply is that Americans have become to far
removed from their food supply. They are not aware of where and how their food comes from.
We are trying to change that trend. We welcome you to our farm at any time and encourage you
to ask questions about how our crops are produced.
Thank you for letting us share a touch of country with you!
Chuck and Diane Souther
Thank you for visiting our web site. Let us tell you a little about our farm . It was purchased by
us in February of 1978. The farm at that time contained some neglected crop land, numerous
small hay fields, and a large portion of wooded areas, and no buildings. Much work had to be
done to have the farm appear as it does today.
The driveway was built first. It follows the path of an old stone wall and adjacent to the original
road from East Concord to Canterbury. The home site was established in 1980 at the junction of
two stone walls. Eight windbreaks and walls have been relocated to make the fields appear as
they do today. Approximately five acres of scrub land have been cleared to open the fields up
and connect them together. Beneath the soil, with the help of the Merrimack County
Conservation District, and the Soil Conservation Service, are 2.5 miles of subsurface tile drains
have been installed. A large hay barn was built in 1985. The first apple trees were planted the
spring of 1978, even before the homestead was established.
Coming into our 31st year of growth, the apple trees are thriving and changes are constantly
taking place. For 15 years the apple crop here at Apple Hill Farm was sold wholesale as were
other crops. In 1995 we established a “Pick Them Yourself” operation for small fruits and
apples. For our pick them yourself season, strawberries are available mid-June to mid-July,
blueberries mid-July to early September , raspberries, mid-July to early August, black currants
late July to early August. Finally, apples, our largest crop, are done from Labor Day to Columbus
Day. In addition to our pick them yourself business, we built a large modern farm stand
including a bakery where we bake pies and simmer jellies from scratch. This year the farm
stand will be opening Aug 9th, housing the sales area for the peaches, apples, our own
homemade apple cider, jams, jellies, baked goods, NH cheeses, NH bacon, Farnum Hill hard
cider, and Flag Hill Wine and many fall treats and vegetables. From August to November 25th,
Apple Hill Farm’s hours will be 8:30 to 5:30 , 7 days a week. Peaches will be the first tree fruit
crop we start to harvest. Apples will be for sale, all picked in the stand or you can pick them
yourself as the season allows.
We are not new comers to the apple and farming industry having been involved in agriculture
since high school. Our farm is frequently the site of tours for farmers and others interested in
agriculture in New Hampshire. In our cultural practices we are strong believers in integrated pest
management with numerous traps placed, and monitoring techniques used in all crops on the
farm. We also have a two acre block of McIntosh and Cortland apples which are grown
organically and have been treated that way for five years. Somewhere at anytime on the farm
we’ll have an experimental area, where in cooperation with University researchers, we are trying
out new forms of crop management. We have and are now holding positions in the New
Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation,S.P.A.C.E., and N.H.Stories. Apple Hill Farm was recognized
as a 2003 “Farm of Distinction” by the NH Department of Agriculture, Markets and Foods.
We believe that what is wrong with today's food supply is that Americans have become to far
removed from their food supply. They are not aware of where and how their food comes from.
We are trying to change that trend. We welcome you to our farm at any time and encourage you
to ask questions about how our crops are produced.
Thank you for letting us share a touch of country with you!
Chuck and Diane Souther
