Welch Farm – A Journey Through Time
Welch Farm: 186 Roque Bluffs Road, Roque Bluffs, Maine 04654 | lhanscom1@gmail.com
https://welchfarm.com/
Wouldn’t it be nice to get into a time travel machine and go back to the 1800s to experience life when things were simpler?
You don’t need the time-travel machine. Use your car instead and visit the beautiful six-generation Welch Farm in Rogue Bluffs, Maine, for an authentic old-world experience.
In late April 2025, we visited Lisa and her father, Wayne, at Welch Farm to see this phenomenal wild blueberry farm in remote DownEast Maine along the ocean. When we arrived, they were waiting for us with big smiles and a lovely welcome. It was an amazing experience.
A Journey Through Time – Welch Farm History
“In the late 1700s/Early 1800s, the Thompson family bought the land and established a mixed farming operation in what was then part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. They raised cattle, hay, and wheat. In the mid-1800s, the Thompsons built the Western-style barn, which remains standing on the farm today and is one of the oldest buildings still standing in Roque Bluffs.
In 1912, the farm was purchased by Frank and Mary Welch, who converted the fields to wild blueberries over time. “One year after buying the Homestead, the original Thompson house burned. While the Welch’s rebuilt their family home, they worked the farm and tirelessly cleared the land to plant wheat, rye, and oats. They also raised 400 head of sheep and milked 40 cows by hand.“ (Lisa Hanscom)
“As Frank worked to clear the land, using sheep to help in the process, these natural, wild blueberry plants began to take over. By the early 1920s, Frank and Mary began managing and harvesting those natural little wild blueberries to sell locally and were shipped by train to the markets in Boston under their fresh product brand, Bluffs Point Blueberries.
Frank and Mary raised a daughter, Priscilla, on the farm. When Priscilla and her husband moved to Boston after WWII to find work, Frank and Mary took in and raised Priscilla’s children, Wayne and his sister Margo. At the feet of his grandfather, Wayne learned farming and blueberry production. At the age of 16, Wayne became the head of the family and was solely responsible for the farm operation after the death of his grandfather. Wayne soon made the decision to cut the number of cattle and to get rid of the sheep so he could focus on the wild blueberry production. In honor of his grandfather, he named the farm Welch Farm.
Todays Operations
Today, Wayne’s Daughter, Lisa, helps with the daily farm operation and management. Over the past 10-plus years, the farm has expanded from a wild blueberry crop being sold only to a Wild Blueberry Processor to offering our own fresh Blueberries and value-added products, Christmas wreaths, and centerpieces during the holidays. Cabin Rentals are available during the summer season so people can stay and enjoy a Welch Farm experience. Farm Tours are given all spring and summer long, where you, our guests, can learn about this amazing wild fruit, the Maine Wild Blueberry, and about the wild blueberry Industry. You might even want to visit during the wild blueberry season and try your hand at raking those small berries with the big taste.” (https://welchfarm.com/#about-us)
Blueberry Farming
Welch Farm has 64 acres of wild Maine Blueberries. They harvest half of that (32 acres) each year and let the other half rest, which “promotes healthy plant growth and yields. This biennial cropping cycle allows the plants to recover, develop new growth, and produce a larger fruit crop the following year.” (Wildblueberries.com)
Speaking of wild Maine blueberries, here are some interesting fun facts about them.
- “Unlike ordinary blueberries, wild blueberries are not planted. Instead, they are indigenous (1 of 3 native North American fruits) and spread naturally where Mother Nature put them, with thousands of genetically different varieties in every field. This diversity is what gives wild blueberries their intense, delicious, sweet-tart taste and their spectacular blend of complex flavors.
- Wild blueberries have an extensive underground rhizome system. As much as 70% of the plant actually lives underground, spreading horizontally in the few inches of organic matter atop the sand and gravel of glacial soil below.
- The millions of plants on the wild blueberry barrens provide a unique genetic diversity and complex flavor profile that cannot be duplicated by ordinary blueberries, which have only a few varieties per acre.
- Extensive research over the last 20 years is revealing just how much wild blueberries can improve human health. Findings suggest that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of wild blueberries may contribute to better brain health, gut health, heart health, cancer prevention, reduced risk of diabetes, and increased urinary tract health.”
(https://www.wildblueberries.com/?pressreleases=the-story-of-wild-blueberries-10000-years-in-the-making)
A True Taste of Maine
Lisa told us they do tours all summer, often with 4-5 daily tours during the season. The best time to visit is during the harvest: about mid-July to mid-to-late August.
A typical tour consists of Lisa telling you about the blueberry industry, teaching you how to rake, fresh-pack the berries in the processing center, and then take home a five-pound box. This gives you a first-hand experience in blueberry farming; you even get to take home the “fruits of your labor”! 😄
A Place for Community and Celebration
They have two rustic rental cabins, built by the Amish, for those who want to live the simple life and stay on the farm for a few days. They are considering building several wooden “hobbit houses”, so stay tuned.
Many stories have been written about them worldwide, from countries like Canada, Nigeria, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and many more, as well as across the U.S. Thus, you never know who you may meet from around the country or the world when you visit!
Most people who visit the Welch farm are active and interested in farming and this unique historical farm experience.
The farm is beautiful with its rugged blueberry barrens and has about a mile of oceanfront that guests can access and enjoy. The scenery is phenomenal, and the sense of peace and tranquility is unsurpassed. If you really want to escape the “maddening crowd” to decompress and destress, this is the place to go!
What are their goals for the farm?
Lisa would love to be able to work the farm without her full-time job, which is now needed to keep the farm running, fix things like the original barn, repair and purchase needed equipment, and more.
How can they accomplish this?
If they can expand the rental side with the proposed “hobbit houses”, that would bring in more revenue. They are also thinking of using the farm for events. They have space for events like weddings, photography shoots, and much more.
Perhaps the best thing about our visit was meeting and spending time with Lisa and her father, Wayne. If you think about people we describe as “salt of the earth”, that describes them! They were so kind, friendly, and helpful that we left this wonderful experience feeling that we had made some nice friends and great memories.
Videos
Here are a couple of excellent videos about the farm and blueberries:
This one stars the adorable Leom for a fun farm tour! https://vimeo.com/660951929 (Created by Ashley Hinson)
This second one is a documentary called “Growing Wild,” which shares the experiences of four blueberry families. https://www.growingwildfilm.com/
We loved the visit- you should take a trip to see for yourself! It takes almost two hours to drive from Bangor, but the small country roads and lovely scenery are definitely part of the journey.