Atkins Farm

About the Farm

Atkins Farms Country Market traces its roots back to 1887, when George H. Atkins moved to South Amherst and planted a small orchard that included 13 trees of a new apple variety called the McIntosh. Over the decades that followed, George and his son William expanded their holdings, purchasing more land and planting additional trees until they reached over 2,000 by 1948. The farm remained primarily a wholesale operation during these early years, selling apples to markets in Holyoke and New York City.

The transformation from wholesale orchard to retail country market began in earnest in 1962, when Howard Atkins built the first retail building at the current location. Despite Howard's initial fears that no customers would show up on opening day, the venture proved successful from the start. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the business expanded steadily, adding new varieties of apples by purchasing 150 acres in Belchertown, incorporating produce from local farmers, and gradually introducing specialty items like maple syrup, honey, and homemade pies. Key renovations in 1972, 1995, and 2002-2004 transformed the original steel-framed building into a 25,000 square foot specialty food retail establishment.

Today, Atkins Farms Country Market operates as a locally owned and operated business that combines the charm of an old-fashioned country market with modern specialty food retail. The farm has evolved from its original wholesale apple production to focus primarily on growing the best quality fruit for their own store, cultivating apples, peaches, and pears on 60 acres across their Belchertown and Peach-Berry Hill orchards. Their mission centers on exceeding customer expectations through the highest quality selections possible, featuring locally produced and privately labeled goods alongside conventional and seasonal products, all while maintaining exceptional customer service and actively supporting community events and local organizations.