Sagatabscot Orchards, one of many apple farms in the Sterling area, has been a family endeavor from the start. The first colonial family to settle on this segment of the Redemption Rock Trail arrived in 1746 and stayed for 164 years — five generations. They subsisted primarily on “cottage industries” like ladder making and shoe making, while dairy farming and raising sheep. The property includes a house dating to circa 1746 and a barn dating back to 1840.

In 1910, the property was briefly sold to Arthur Wilder, who harvested American Chestnuts for timber.

The French family, current owners of the orchards, first obtained the property in July 1912. Arthur French, a civil engineer and professor from Worcester, was seeking a summer property where he could keep his three boys “out of trouble.” He bought the 16-acre farm for $1,200 and began tending an apple orchard.

Arthur French’s eldest son Willard took an interest in the farm and sought a degree in pomology and agriculture at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Willard also became an educator and cared for the apples during his summers off. His son, also Arthur, would later inherit the farm and add an additional 50 acres before passing it to current owner Jim French in 2005.

Now in its fifth generation, Sagatabscot Orchards specializes in over 22 varieties of apples, including classics like Macintosh, Cortland, Gala, and Macoun, as well as heirloom varieties like Sops of Wine, Northern Spy, and Rhode Island Greening. Three acres of the farm are a conservation restriction owned by the Sterling Land Trust, while the remainder thrives in a low-spray orchard designed to protect pollinators. The Nashua River Watershed Association and the Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust have recognized the French family for their land stewardship.

Guests are invited to visit in-season for apples, hand-pressed cider, and more.

Sources: facebook.com/sagatabscotorchards, thelandmark.com, youtube.com
Photo: facebook.com/sagatabscotorchards