Acorn Hill Farm is a 150-acre farm on the south-facing slope of Acorn Hill in Lyme, New Hampshire. Lyme is a rural community on the east bank of the Connecticut River about 100 miles north of the New Hampshire/Massachusetts border and 120 miles south of the New Hampshire/Canadian border. Much of the land in Lyme is used for either forestry or farming. The population in the 2000 census was 1,679, and by 2004 it was estimated the population had grown to 1,702.

Acorn Hill Farm is owned by Janine Johnson Weins, who inherited the property after her mother's death in April of 2002. In 1942 her father had paid $2,500 for the land, buildings, equipment, and an obligation to maintain the tenant farmer. In addition to the main house there are seven buildings: a garage, two English-style hay barns, a carriage barn, a converted corn barn that now serves as an office and quest house, a chicken coup, and a combination milk house/well house. When Janine was young, she and her family raised chicken, pigs, sheep, and ducks. Every spring they planted a large vegetable garden. During the summer they picked wild strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and mushrooms. In the fall they collected the apples, cherries, plums, and gooseberries that grew in the strips of land separating the lawn from the hayfields.

Many things have changed since Janine's father purchased Acorn Hill Farm over 60 years ago. The outhouse is gone and has been replaced with indoor plumbing. The single pair of wires that once connected the farm to one of only two party lines in town has been replaced by a cable that carry signals for phone, fax, and DSL. Recently the farm land, which was always fertilized by manure, has been certified organic. During the warm months, a neighbor pastures 50 or so beef cattle on the property.

Some things haven't changed. Janine still plants a garden, picks wild berries, and maintains the fruit trees. In the last years of her life, Janine's mother became frail and blind and was unable to maintain the property. Janine's reflections on her subsequent renovations of the property can be found in the collection of essays, Renovation Reflections.

Feel free to e-mail or write us the old-fashioned way if there are events in the area you would like us to post on this site, or if you have any questions or comments about the site or the farm. We look forward to hearing from you!