Applecrest Farm Orchards

About the Farm

The land that Applecrest Farm Orchards calls home has been cultivated since 1665, when Englishman James Prescott first settled the property. The modern farm's story began in 1913 when Walter Baldwin Farmer purchased the land with his wife and two daughters, transforming it into what would become New Hampshire's oldest and largest apple orchard. Farmer spent his first decade raising chickens to sustain himself while waiting for his thousands of newly planted apple trees to mature, building the stone structures and original infrastructure that still grace the property today.

In 1954, William and Jean Wagner, native New Yorkers with little knowledge of apple farming, purchased the operation and dedicated themselves to mastering pomology. Jean Wagner proved to be a tireless businesswoman who initiated the farm's first fall festival and continued working well into her eighties. Their sons Ben and Peter returned in the 1960s to manage daily operations, with Peter eventually purchasing the farm outright in 2006 and becoming the sole proprietor alongside his wife Linda and son Todd.

Today, four generations of the Wagner family have sustained this legacy of wholesome farming, with Todd and his children now living in the original Farmer homestead. Nearly a century after an "Apple Train" carried visitors weekly from Boston's heart to these rolling orchards, Applecrest remains committed to sustainably growing the finest fruits and vegetables available. Their mission encompasses not just agricultural excellence but environmental stewardship, employing both traditional farming techniques and modern technology to maintain healthy soil and promote biodiversity for future generations.