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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 30th 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 26th, 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 30th 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 26th, 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