Brasen Hill Farm

02/08/2024

Seacoast Eat Local is seeking passionate individuals to join our Board of Directors and help us build a thriving, resilient local food system!

No prior board experience? Don't let that stop you! We welcome fresh perspectives and a desire to make a difference. We value diversity and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, experiences, and skills.

Ready to join the movement? Learn more and apply here ➡️ seacoasteatlocal.org/about/our-board

09/26/2021

(1/2) In 2013, we moved to Warren Rd here in Barrington, with sheep, goats, chickens, and farm dogs in tow - and took this picture! In the years since, we've added beef cows, ducks, rabbits, acres and acres of pasture, high-tensile fencing, two hoop houses, one greenhouse, two caterpillar tunnels, and renovated and preserved the historic barn. Standing in the fields that August day eight years ago, it was hard to conceive of the sheer amount of work waiting for us as we shaped this farm into the vision in our minds.

For many years, we worked under the fact that starting a farm while also running a farm is a double dose of difficulty. Building brooders, clearing land, working in soil amendments, and setting up fencing all happened around the ongoing tasks of daily feedings, vegetable harvests, farmers markets, and CSA pickups. Renovating the barn was a perfect example of this, as we spent an entire season with the barn torn down and our animals housed in our hoophouses. They loved it, with stacks of straw to climb on. Us? Not so much, since farms tend to function better with infrastructure such as, you know, barns. Moving our tools, our thoroughly-explored bales of straw, and our herd back into the barn was a day of celebration for us and felt like a momentous step forward after such a long and much needed project.

Eventually, finally, and after what felt like far too long, we turned a corner. We spent more time using the systems we'd set up than inventing new ones, jobs that had taken us ages to do now hummed along under the ease of a well worn routine, and we found ourselves at home in the neighborhood and community, rather than newcomers chasing wayward sheep.

A number of changes brought about this newfound stability - having our barn back, the support of our customers, secure fencing - but above all else, we felt that we turned a page when Kyle came to the farm, quickly followed by Amy. All of that permanent fencing, the caterpillar tunnels, and the ease of running the farm? Kyle and Amy stepped up to bat and have been nailing home runs since their first days here.

09/26/2021

(2/2) Having teammates like Kyle and Amy has allowed myself and Theo to accomplish so much more than we were able to before they joined us - solar panels will be going on the barn, we're setting up a new forestry management plan, and we've been hosting the kids from the Dover Children's Home on farm visits. The future looks bright where we stand today because of them, and we're excited to continue our work managing the property even as we begin to shift to focus on the youth programming and community engagement that has always been our long-term goal for the property.

We’re even more excited to turn over the farm business to Kyle and Amy. After years of working together, it's with delight and so much gratitude that Theo and I get this opportunity to step back from the day-to-day of farming.  We aren't going anywhere - we still live in the farmhouse, still manage the property, and are still raising the meat rabbits. But having Kyle and Amy here lets us get to work shaping our lives, this land, and our opportunity here into everything else we've dreamed of: working with kids, getting out in the forest, finally pulling out the last of the invasive species (we're coming for you, multilfora rose), preserving the historic cemetery on the property, continuing the ongoing maintenance of the buildings that date to the 1700s, and working with organizations like Seacoast Eat Local.

But mostly, we're excited to watch what Kyle and Amy have planned. It's with a sense of pride, and a bittersweet sense of loss that is also so much gained, that we're handing over this farm and this business we've worked so hard on for so long now. We can only do it because we know this operation couldn't be going to two better farmers, who will continue what we've begun and as they've done since they first came here as employees, continue to spin the farm into something bigger and better. Best of luck to them - and thank you to every one of you reading this for the years of support and enthusiasm that has brought the farm this far and will continue to propel it forward into the future.

-Eleanor and Theo

06/09/2020

BHF for BLM

10/02/2019

Winter farmers markets are starting soon! Can't wait to see you all November 16th in Exeter and November 23rd at Wentworth GH!

Announcing the Winter Farmers' Market 2019-2020 dates! And! And! And! We have a spiffy Google calendar download you can use to add all the dates directly to your calendar! Help us share widely, please!

https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/seacoasteatlocal.org_l7dt2k9qe9rm8j6m8ovqd20ut0%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics

06/13/2019

Help us support this wonderful organization that does so much to connect consumers and farmers around the Seacoast!

You Can Help Local Farmers and Producers. Consider making a donation to Seacoast Eat Local to strengthen our local food economy and support farmers all year long. - https://mailchi.mp/seacoasteatlocal/help-local-farmers-grow

04/29/2019

Avoiding spoilers like

03/31/2019

Oh h*ck, it’s raining

03/23/2019

Seacoast Eat Local is hiring a Program Director! This is a great opportunity for anyone looking to be involved in local food here in the Seacoast and excited about working for a wonderful nonprofit.

07/20/2018

Summer evening