About Parker farm

PARKER FARM

828 Lancaster ave
Lunenburg,massachusetts 01462
978-582-9943
parkerfarm@mac.com
Parker farm was founded in 1990 by Steve Parker,a first generation wannabe farmer.After moving back to the “old country”(boston) from the wild and remote outpost of Providence,Rhode Island,were he had, amongst other things,been employed as a bill collector and founded/played drums in the notorious punk rock band “Strange Flesh”,Parker settled in a small apartment in waltham,where,to his chagrin,he had no yard to plant a garden,a luxury he had enjoyed while living in Olneyville,a
section of Providence.
Not to be denied his garden fetish,Parker set forth towards Concord,hoping to find a corner of a field that someone might allow him to use.While driving along lexington rd in concord,he noticed an over grown field and an old farm house.Curious,he knocked on the door-an old woman answered,Parker asked her if she wanted to rent out a small piece of land,to which she replied “why don’t you just rent my whole farm?” Having very little knowledge of farming,he gave her the obvious answer-sure!
So he took his life savings,sold his drums and purchased a tractor,and various other implements he needed to start farming.
“I had no idea what i was doing”,Parker says,”but from the moment I first set the plow in the ground,and I looked back and saw the soil turning over,I knew I was doing the right thing.suddenly I felt like all the questions I had about life where answered”.That first year saw mixed results,but all in all,was a success.Parker is quick to give credit to a number of Concord farmers for their guidance-”I was very fortunate to be neighbors to Ed and Mary Nowalk.I ended up working for Eddy and Mary as much as I was on my own farm.They were amazing people.Towards the end of the summer I started doing a little work for Steve Verill as well-he offered me a full time job-after thinking about I came to the conclusion that i ought to learn a bit more about farming,and accepted”
So,in sept of 1990,Parker began working at Verill farm,doing all manners of task-baling hay,caring for the cows,growing vegetables,and a whole assortment of other farm related task.In the meanwhile,he continued to work part time for Ed and Mary Nowalk,as well as trying to take in as many lessons he could from the other farmers in the area-Bill Kenny,Frank and Joe Palumbo,Patsy Rodgers and others.”I really just tried to immerse myself as much as possible in farming-I wanted to prepare myself for what I knew was coming-a return to farming on my own”
And that return came sooner than expected-in October of 1991,he was awarded the lease to the farm land at the Gore estate in Watertown,which had Been farmed by the Devincents of Watham,who had decided to scale back their operation.So in the spring of 1992,Parker started what would evolve into the farm as it is today.

Other important dates
1994-gains lease on the Lyman estate farmland in Waltham,also begins to lease greenhouse range at Ricci farms in Waltham.Things really begin to “grow”.Drops wholesale end of business,focusing entirely on restaurant sales.
1995-at the end of the year gives up the lease at the Gore estate to focus entirely on the Lyman esate.Moves down to Ft.myers,Fla.To start a winter farm in november.In December of that year,his faithful companion, Joad,a Red Tick Coonhound,is killed by an alligator near Immokolee,FL.Ends up getting his crops stolen-by the landowner,who had lured him to Florida with wild promises
January 1996-meets Horace Brittian a farmer in Ft.Myers,who upon hearing Parkers tale of woe,lets him use some of his land as well as give him employment-parker credits him for “saving my life”.
March 1996-despite some success,Parker heads home.Although he plans to return too Fl.in fall 1997,he later opts not too,as he feels the stress of two farms 2000 miles apart is a bit too much.
1996-2000-continues farming as he had.Ricci farm sells out to developers,so he puts up a greenhouse at the Lyman estate.
June 2000-starts selling at the Waltham farmers market
November 2000-George Bush elected- “it wont be that bad” Parker remembers thinking,not anticipating the legacy of stupidity that would follow.
March 2001-finally,after a 13 year quest,Parker purchases his own land,a 25 acre tract in Lunenburg,Massachusetts.He continues to farm the Lyman land as well as his own land.In the fall,begins to clear the woods on the new land,starting firewood business with the wood.
Spring 2002-starts Csa program-for more info,see the csa page on this site
2004-Gives up the Lyman land,begins to rent more land in Lunenburg-with rented land,farm now up to 45 acres
Winter 2005-erects 2 greenhouses on his land.
May 20th,2005-son,Stephen jr,born-life will never be the same again!
2006-completes clearing of a two acre site for orchard planting.so far about 4 acres have been cleared,bringing the total tillable acreage on his land to 18 acres.overall farm acreage remains at about 45.
2007-lots of exiting developments-begins to clear another 2 acres for more orchard ground,will be planting apple and peach trees in April on the ground previously cleared-check the Library page for weekly updates.