Community
Four Hills Farm Bristol, VT
There are many rolling hills in the pastoral landscape around Four Hills Farm, but its name actually refers to a different kind of hill entirely. The four Hill siblings – Ron, Brian, Joanne and Kevin – purchased the family farm from their parents, Jeanette and Robert, who are technically retired, but still involved. There are even three from the next generation of Hills back on the farm after each earned a degree in a different aspect of agriculture: Elizabeth and Britney, Brian’s daughters, and Megan, Ron’s oldest.
Flood Brothers Farm Clinton, ME
The Floods have been farming the fields of central Maine for more than 200 years. Their land, which runs for miles alongside the Kennebec River, is currently home to three generations and employs 12 family members plus another 30 people. “For us, family not only includes our relations, but our employees, many of whom have been with us for decades,” says Jenni Tilton-Flood who married Dana Flood, a member of the third generation.
Five Mile Farm Lisbon, NY
Five Mile Farm has been in the Akins family since the mid-1800s. Today, the fifth, sixth and seventh generations work together on the farm with an eye to future generations as well. All new efforts on the farm, explains Mark Akins, have at least a 30-year outlook.“We ask ourselves, ‘Are we doing this for immediate satisfaction, or are we building this for the future?’” he says. “Everything we do has to be sustainable.”
Elm Farm, LLC Woodstock, CT
For well over a century, Peckhams have farmed in Woodstock. Matt Peckham’s great-great-great-grandfather, Amos Peckham, and his son, Samuel Howard Peckham, settled in the town and started their dairy delivering milk door-to-door to their neighbors. While they honor the past, Matt and his wife, Chrissy, also have a strong eye on the future.
Echo Farm Puddings Hinsdale, NH
The Hodge sisters are first-generation farmers who fell in love with the work and the animals as youngsters. The girls were barely teenagers when their parents bought Echo Farm to fulfill their own dream of moving to the country. The family’s small farm is “a 4-H project gone haywire,” jokes Beth, the oldest. It was their father, a CPA and financial planner, who “pushed for pudding,”
Coon Brothers Farm Amenia, NY
Three generations of Coons currently work on the family dairy in the bucolic Smithfield Valley about 100 miles north of New York City. Since the farm began as Smithfield Guernseys, Dirck Coon and his sons, Peter and Dave have been joined by Peter’s sons, Isaac and Amos, who work together with other family members and employees to milk about 350 cows, care for another 250 young stock and raise a variety of crops.
Conant Acres Canton, ME
Situated in the picturesque Androscoggin River Valley in the western Maine foothills, four generations of the Conant family work together. The slogan at Conant Acres is “Where Families Come First” and this is evident not only in the deeply pedigreed herd, but also in the people who care for the cows. In the early 1970’s, Duane Conant concentrated his efforts on purchasing promising young registered Holsteins, which led to a worldwide reputation and many awards for the family farm.
Clessons River Farm Buckland, MA
Melissa Griffin grew up the fifth generation on her family’s Buckland, Massachusetts farm and returned to join her parents, Paul and Judy Willis, after earning a master’s degree in trumpet performance. The father-daughter team gets help from their wife and mom, Judy, as well as Melissa’s husband, Adam, who both hold down off-farm jobs.
Champlainside Farm Bridport, VT
Tim and Julie Howlett raised their five daughters on the family farm where Tim’s grandfather settled more than 70 years ago. The family lives in the house he grew up in and Tim always planned to stick around and become a farmer.
Richardson Family Farm Hartland, VT
Tucked into the rolling hills of central Vermont is a picture-perfect farm with a herd of caramel-colored Jersey cows, beautiful wooden barns and a sugarhouse with artfully piled firewood. Along with their dad, Gordon, Scott Richardson and his younger brother Reid now run the farm their great-grandparents bought over a century ago.
Percy's Bouchard Farm Stowe, VT
Paul was born on his family’s farm and his son Ryan, the fourth generation, came home recently after a decade spent in California to join his father on the farm. Taking advantage of plentiful visitors year-round, Paul and his wife Lee also run a maple syrup operation and grow a corn maze for the busy fall leaf-peeping season. They rarely lose a visitor, Paul jokes: “I don’t make it that complicated.”
PAPAS Dairy LLC North Bangor, NY
The Poupore brothers run PAPAS Dairy in North Bangor, New York, and the name of the farm is a shout out to their father and an acronym for the five siblings. Peter, Alan, Patrick, Aaron, and Scott initially ran the family’s operation. PAPAS Dairy is a large operation with 2,100 milkers, about 2,100 young stock, and 4,000 acres of land. They grow corn silage and haylage, and with some 4,200 cows to feed, they use every bit of it on the farm.