Welcome to our farm and orchard. This farm was founded around 1820 by the DeMeritt family as a family farm. As such it would have produced the dairy products, meat, wool and vegetables necessary to sustain. The DeMeritt family owned the farm until approximately 1930's.
In the 1940's the farm was changed into an apple orchard and many of the large trees that you see here were planted at that time. During the 1970's the farm had one of the largest dairy herds in the area.
Mary Ellen and Roy Wilson purchased the farm in 1992 and took over active management in 1998. Today it has a total of 120 acres, of which 20 comprise of orchard. The farm is undergoing another transformation. New varieties of apple trees, peach trees and blueberry bushes are being planted. Additional Christmas trees are being planted and nutured for future generations of family fun. A cross-country ski and nature trail has been constructed along with an additional pond and picnic areas. The farm will become a place where you and your family will come to spend an hour or an afternoon to enjoy the freshest farm produce and fruit.
We want to create a healthy farm environment which will provide you and your family with many enjoyable memories. New varieties and sizes of trees are being planted which will be easier to harvest and provide greater taste experiences. We are also adding other features which will make exploring the farm an unforgetable adventure.
In 2007, the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food named us a 'Farm of Distinction'. This award has only been given out to a handful of exceptional New Hampshire farms in the past 10 years. We are very proud to be included in this select group. This recognition makes all of the hard work we do each season worth it!
2007 also brought about the creation of DeMeritt Hill Stables. Construction of our indoor riding arena was completed in addition to all major renovations of existing buildings and barns. These renovations were crucial in order to preserve these historical buildings and not let them deteriorate. These updates will better serve the riding community for years to come.
The October 2008 issue of NH TO DO magazine featured a detailed story about the farm and the family activities that are available throughout the fall. It was a wonderful opportunity to share our story with all of New England. We are taking the feedback we received from the public and making changes throughout the farm to better serve your needs in the future.
In February 2009, we had the distinct honor of representing the state of New Hampshire in the "Harvest New England Agricultural Marketing Conference and Trade Show". The Best of New England conference was a wonderful opportunity to share best ideas and practices within the agricultural community. We had a great time representing the proud state of New Hampshire at the conference and look forward to doing it again in 2010!
October 2010 marked the first year of 'Haunted Overload' being hosted at DeMeritt Hill Farm. This exciting and internationally recognized haunt happens each year in October. Please check the events page for the latest information on the event.
Haunted Overload has continued to gain in popularity throughout the country for the uniqueness and creativity of the haunt. In October of 2011, Haunted Overload was featured on The Weather Channel as one of the Top 10 haunted attractions in America on the show 'Top Hallow Screams' (#5). Additional television coverage during 2011 season also included stories on WMUR and NH Chronicle.
In Feb 2012, Haunted Overload was ranked #18 in the Top 20 Most Influential Haunted Attractions of ALL TIME! by Hauntword Magazine. This is an incredible honor since it includes Disney's Haunted Mansion, Universal Studios Horrow Nights and Busch Gardens. We can't wait until fall arrives.
As we continue to serve the agricultural needs of the seacoast area, We would love to hear from you as to what we can do to make DeMeritt Hill Farm 'your farm' for family fun.
Meg and Roy Wilson
2007 Winner