Jean and Wendy Palthey established Tunbridge Hill Farm in 1991 as vegetable farm following organic-type methods. The buildings and the land were originally part of a small hill side dairy owned by the Farnham family. Many descendants are still neighbors. All can vouch for the great soil that our garden now occupies. The soil is the foundation of all life forms. One important task of the soil is to impart the terroir into the bio-mass. This is the regional flavor that makes one carrot taste different from another. We are really fortunate that all foods whether produce, fruit, dairy, meat or maple syrup that come from this hill have been known to elicit comments of exceptional flavor.
Starting with this great foundation, we have followed a model of small intensive very diversified ecological farming. Small scale allows us to participate in the day to day planting, picking, and bed prep and weeding etc. We never want to be just people managers. Intensive means that we produce a lot on relatively little acreage. This means you cannot use the tractor for a lot of work because the beds are too close together. This is not always a good thing, but it is one way to grow a lot on hill side land. We grow a huge diversity of vegetables which helps us stay sustainable. It is always a good year for something. We follow organic practices although we are not certified by the USDA. We deal directly with most of our customers who can choose to trust us or not. We feel that the federal government took over the word “organic” as a marketing term, and not as a philosophy of common sense. The word organic was used originally to describe small farms with a commitment to health; environmental, human, and animal. We do not have a lot in common with the mega “organic” farms, and prefer to raise food that we enjoy eating and feeding to our own children without the FDA’s approval.