Applecrest Farm Orchards in New Hampshire: History, What It Grows, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Applecrest Farm Orchards in Hampton Falls, New Hampshire, calls itself the oldest and largest apple orchard in the state and the oldest continuously operated apple orchard in the United States, in operation since 1913. It grows over 40 apple varieties plus peaches, berries, sweet corn, pumpkins and summer vegetables, and is now run by the fourth generation of the Wagner family.
| Location | 133 Exeter Road (Route 88), Hampton Falls, Rockingham County, New Hampshire |
|---|---|
| Orchard since | 1913, when Walter Baldwin Farmer named it Applecrest Farm Orchards |
| Sectors | Apples (40+ varieties); peaches; berries; sweet corn; pumpkins; vegetables; cider; bakery |
| Scale | Self-described as the oldest and largest apple orchard in New Hampshire (acreage not published on the history page) |
| Land history | Settled in 1665 by James Prescott, according to the farm |
| Ownership | Wagner family since 1954; Peter, Linda and Todd Wagner operate it |
| Official website | Applecrest Farm Orchards official site |
History of Applecrest Farm Orchards
The land was settled in 1665 by James Prescott. In 1913 Walter Baldwin Farmer bought the farm with his wife and two daughters and named it Applecrest Farm Orchards. He raised chickens for his first ten years while the orchard matured, bought up surrounding acreage and planted thousands of apple trees.
William and Jean Wagner bought the farm in 1954, and their sons Ben and Peter ran day-to-day operations starting in the 1960s. Jean started the farm's first fall festival, and the Wagners studied pomology. Peter bought the farm outright in 2006, and he, his wife Linda and their son Todd run it today as the fourth generation, according to the farm's own history page.
What Applecrest Farm Orchards Grows and Raises
The farm grows more than 40 varieties of apples along with peaches, berries, sweet corn, pumpkins and summer vegetables. It operates year-round and sells cider, homemade confections and local farm products through its farm market. Its website lists pick-your-own, a bakery, a creamery, events and festivals, a MarketShare CSA and growing practices.
Acreage and tree counts are not published on the pages we reviewed, so none are given here. The farm's own history describes it as the oldest and largest apple orchard in the state.
How Applecrest Farm Orchards Makes Money
Farm market and pick-your-own
The farm market sells fruit, cider, baked goods and local products year-round, and pick-your-own brings customers to the trees. Selling directly captures the retail price rather than the wholesale price.
Bakery, creamery and cider
Value-added products such as cider, confections and bakery items turn orchard fruit into higher-margin goods and extend the season beyond harvest.
CSA, events and festivals
A MarketShare CSA, events and fall festivals add subscription and visitor income. Jean Wagner started the first fall festival, which is now a model of agritourism built on an orchard.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Applecrest Farm Orchards
First, an orchard is a multi-decade asset, so diversifying varieties and products protects against a bad apple year. Forty varieties spread harvest timing and customer appeal.
Second, direct sales and events can carry a farm in a high-land-cost market near the Seacoast. Third, a documented family story and generational handoff, from Farmer to the Wagners and now the fourth generation, help a brand last.
An orchard that has been selling apples since 1913 and started its fall festival long before pumpkin spice took over the internet earns a place of honor at farm.FM. The farm satire possibilities include chickens waiting ten years for trees to grow, and the farm humor is that over 40 apple varieties still do not settle the cider debate. Applecrest has all the ingredients for gentle ranch humor and farm jokes, from a 1665 land grant to a bakery you cannot leave empty-handed.
farm.FM, the nation's first satirical farm site, also runs Tractor Tunes, a country music lineup for farmers. For a sample of the writing, try the archive of one of its staff humorists.
How to Contact Applecrest Farm Orchards
Website: https://www.applecrest.com/
Address: 133 Exeter Road (Rt. 88), Hampton Falls, NH 03844
Phone: 603.926.3721
Email: info@applecrest.com
Contact details as published on the operation's own website, November 2026. Hours, picking and events vary by season; confirm before traveling.
Applecrest Farm Orchards Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Applecrest Farm Orchards official site - The orchard's own website
- Applecrest's history - The farm's history page
- New Hampshire Farms profile - Independent farm directory profile
- USDA NASS New Hampshire - Official New Hampshire agricultural statistics
- NH Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food - State agriculture department
Applecrest Farm Orchards FAQ
When was Applecrest Farm Orchards founded?
Walter Baldwin Farmer bought the farm and named it Applecrest Farm Orchards in 1913.
Who owns Applecrest today?
The Wagner family: Peter, his wife Linda and their son Todd, the fourth generation.
What does Applecrest grow?
More than 40 apple varieties, plus peaches, berries, sweet corn, pumpkins and summer vegetables.
How do I contact Applecrest?
Call 603.926.3721 or email info@applecrest.com.
Applecrest Farm Orchards shows how a historic New Hampshire orchard keeps growing through direct sales, value-added products and family continuity. See our New Hampshire farms guide for the state's climate, programs and markets.