Chase Hill Orchard 

Come for the heirloom apples and stay for the spectacular view......

The goal for my retirement dream was set in the early 2000's. It would be a gentlemen's farm with maybe some blueberries and or raspberries, a few chickens and a goat or two.  A nice old place, a rickety barn in need of repair, a farm house with a pot bellied stove in the kitchen, a few acres, maybe 10 or so....  

I had spent my early life working in retail selling and merchandizing boots, shoes, men's clothing, luggage and yes, even fur coats. In my mid thirties a course correction into the world of retail financial services took me on a journey through Y2K, into advisory businesses, down to Jacksonville FL and then on to Sarasota.  A glorious ride through the thick and thin of corporate politics and customer service. Truly a life altering experience that provided me with knowledge and resources as well as a few cuts and bruises.

A gentlemen's farm?  Why not a fishing boat and a condo in Bradenton, FL?  Why not a golf course home in Estero, FL  with a caged pool overlooking  a lush green?  Well, I'll tell you why.  As a high schooler I spent many hours at the Sugar Bush Farm in Goffstown, NH.  I experienced hay season, apple season and  maple sugaring. I learned what it takes to "pick sap" and to "pick hay".  I even learned how to milk a cow.  This young French and Irish Catholic became part Yankee.   Something got into my blood during those days, something that I had to address.....

When I returned to NH after 10 years in Florida, the search began,  the farms that I liked, I could not afford.  The farms I could afford needed thousands in repairs.  The search shifted to raw land and in the fall of 2018 a P&S was signed for 20 acres in Lyndeborough, NH.  In April of 2019, the sale was final on 22.6 acres of land.  An abandoned orchard that included several acres of woodland and a spectacular view.  

The orchard had been abandoned in the 1990's.  The apple trees were in rough shape.  Many were being suffocated by grape vines and poison ivy.  There were blossoms, there were bees and the wildlife was abundant.  Initially there were roughly 1000 trees.  3 acres of trees were removed to make room for a Christmas Tree planting.  2 acres of trees were removed to create room for those blueberries and raspberries.  A visitor from the UNH Extension said, and I quote, "cut em all down and start over".  No not me.  I wanted to make these trees thrive again and produce heirloom fruit again.

An apple orchard and all the expenses and intense labor was not part of the original Gentlemen's Farm blueprint.  My life had taken a few sharp turns over the years. So, why not another sharp turn into the challenge of a lifetime?

The pruning began in earnest in 2020.  The orchard has been scaled back to roughly 300 producing trees.  Each year over 4 years 25% of each tree was surgically removed. The bonfires were spectacular! The science behind the life cycle of an apple was studied,  a grower's license was obtained.  In 2025 the trees were ready to be sprayed.  The sprayer was obtained, the fungicides, pesticides and foliar nutrients were applied and now in September 2025, the apples are abundant, and the wildlife has never been happier.  The bunnies, turkeys, deer, coyotes, countless bird species and rogue bobcat or two seem to be enjoying the transformation of Chase Hill Orchard.  A transformation that has truly made my third career worth every moment.

The site is under construction, I will be sharing more information regarding my experiences with apple orchard management,  tree pruning and IPM (integrated pest management).  I will share my experiences with Christmas tree farming as well.

I'd like to acknowledge the people who helped to make this all happen:

George and Irene Hebert

Layne Hebert

Brian Bresnahan (web design)

Matt Batty (graphic art)

Dan Parnell (best buddy and helper)

Brandin Shost (Sugar Bush Farm)

Karl Zahn (realtor)

Ken Spacht (Wolf Rock Construction)

Pam Holt (land seller)

Fred Daigle (Nutrien)

The UNH extension