Brookdale Fruit Farm was first established in 1847 in Hollis, New Hampshire and has been family owned and operated for more than 175 years. It started with Edwin Hardy, who primarily used the property for subsistence farming. Hardy grew apples and vegetables along the land’s stone walls and raised cows, chickens, and hogs.

The next generation continued the farm as a dairy, delivering jugs of milk to Nashua by horse and buggy. Third-generation farmer Harold Hardy planted orchards on the farm and began selling peaches, pears, cherries, strawberries, and vegetables to passers-by. Throughout the 1960s, Brookdale shifted its focus to produce and erected a roadside stand in front of a neighboring home. The present-day stand was built in 1975.

In 2000, Brookdale was one of five recipients of the Millenium Farm/Ranch Family Award from the Ag-Earth Partnership, a coalition of more than 70 agricultural organizations and agencies dedicated to sustainable farming.

The farm’s acres are protected under a Land Conservation Investment Program. Brookdale Fruit Farm is now in its seventh generation of family management.

The farmstand sells Brookdale’s own produce, honey, and flowers in addition to baked goods, specialty foods, and gifts. Visitors are invited to shop and pick their own fruits. They can also stop by the window at Annabelle’s Ice Cream for a frozen treat to enjoy amongst the orchards.

Photo courtesy of Brookdale Fruit Farm