Gould Hill Orchards has been a part of the small town of Hopkinton, N.H., since the 1700’s. It wasn’t until 2008 that the 80-acre farm faced possible extinction.
That is until Amy and Tim Bassett moved to the area.
After leasing the land for a couple of years the Bassett’s have now become the third family in more than 250 years to own and operate Gould Hill Orchards.
“We could not have done this without the help of the Farm Service Agency,” said Tim. “Gould Hill will remain a fixture in the town of Hopkinton as a family destination for picking apples, enjoying views and making memories that last a lifetime.”
Loan Officer Rebecca Davis assisted the Bassett’s through the process and paperwork for an FSA beginning farmer loan that helped purchase 58 acres of the orchard for $857,000.
“I grew up on a dairy farm that is still operating. My brother runs the farm now and my parents are still there and work on the farm every day,” said Tim. “That’s helped with equipment operation and time management, but there is still much to learn about apples.”
The Gould Hill land was purchased by Joseph Gould around 1735. Three generations later, Robert T. Gould turned the land into an agricultural business, growing apples, peaches and operating a dairy. By 1929, the dairy operation phased out and the apples boomed with shipments going worldwide.
With only one daughter, Gould had no one to pass the farm down to, so decided to sell it to Edward Leadbeater. By the 1960s, Leadbeater was growing more than 20 varieties of apples and producing 30,000 bushels a year. He also opened a retail sales area and added an apple cider production section. By 1971, he passed the family farm down to his son Erick.
Now age 68, Erick has sold a portion of the farm to Tim, Amy, Hannah, Amelia and Cameron Bassett, who have their own ideas of keeping the land fruitful.
“We plan on expanding the store and adding new products and yummy goodies,” said Tim, who also hosts many school groups to educate them about fruit growing, tree grafting, storage and care.
The family believes in educating people about agriculture because most people don’t understand the importance of it in their lives, according to Amy. “Food is at the store and they just pick it off of the shelves,” she said.
Overall, the Bassett’s are pleased with their purchase and content in knowing they saved a rich history and landmark in Hopkinton. When asked about the importance of the orchard to the community Amy said “You might want to speak to others in the community for feedback on that, but many think it is a farm of high importance, due to the amount of land, long range views and having been in operation since the 1700’s.”
