History
Hobbs Farm is a 12-acre farm that was established in the 1860’s. The farmstead was run by the Hobbs family as a gentleman’s farm for raising sheep. After being sold and sitting fallow for years, Hobbs Farm was purchased in 2012 by Throwback’s owners and reinstated as a fully operational farm in 2016.
We would like to acknowledge that we are on the homelands of the Abenaki people, who have ongoing cultural and spiritual connections to this area. We acknowledge the land and the people who have stewarded it through the generations. At Hobbs Farm, we hope to continue to be stewards of this land and strive to mimic a natural system that is mutually-beneficial for all beings.
Programs
Here at Hobbs Farm, our number one goal is always to provide the freshest, most delicious food for Throwback’s restaurant and brewery. Year-round, you can find our produce gracing the plates of customers, from our Heirloom tomatoes in the summer to our colorful salad mix in the winter. The principles of Farm-to-Table resonate deeply with our farmers, chefs, and owners. Our goal is to create a hyper-local system where as much of the food used by the kitchen is grown right here, and then eaten at Throwback!
As well as providing food for our restaurant, Hobbs Farm strives to provide as much produce for Throwback’s brewery as possible. Between our hop yard, perennial fruit beds, small orchard, and annual crops, we grow a large diversity of ingredients that are used in Throwback’s beers.
Additional produce and products from the farm that are not utilized in-house are available through our community outlets. The Hobbs Farmstand is located on-site at Throwback Brewery and operates year-round. At the Farmstand, we offer a large diversity of the finest flowers, eggs/meat, preserved goods, and produce that the season has to offer. As well, we run seasonal Produce and Flower CSAs for community members that are looking to support our farm directly. Lastly, we attend the Seacoast Eat Local Saturday farmer’s markets that operate year-round.fertilizers – which also helps sustain the earth. Our beers are produced with malt from Valley Malt in Hadley, MA (125 miles away).
Valley Malt sources their raw barley from Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, and New York. In other words, the vast majority of the malt we use is grown less than 200 miles from our brewery.
In addition to sourcing from our own farm, our kitchen sources from local providers as well, including Vernon Family Farms (chicken), Stout Oak Farm, the Three Rivers Farmers Alliance, and more!
Barn
Back when it was a sheep farm, Hobbs Farm was home to donkeys, including Jericho, who lived on the property for 26+ years and inspired the name of our double-IPA. Currently, our two resident donkeys, Rocky & Jane, spend their days at Hobbs Farm playing in the paddock, munching on carrots, and greeting visitors to Throwback. Our three Nigerian dwarf goats, Rose, Blanche, and Dorothy, came to Hobbs Farm originally as dairy goats for Throwback’s kitchen. In the summertime, you can enjoy a beverage outside at the Beer Garden while watching the goats lounge on their raised sitting platform. Our flock of laying hens are a Polish Heritage breed called Houdan. Their speckled plumage and feathery crest (feathers on the tops of their heads) make them a favorite of our owner Annette and our customers alike! As well, we raise pigs on the farm seasonally for meat, in addition to having them prep the ground for future plantings in our no-till system. Stop by the Hobbs Farm Barn the next time you visit Throwback and say hello to our quirky group of farm animals!
Crew
Since Hobbs Farm was re-invigorated in 2016, the farm has been run by a dedicated group of seasonal and year-round farmers. Passion for food and local agriculture, a love of working outside, and caring for animals are all things that unite the crew in their mission to provide as much food for the local community as possible.
Sustainability
At Hobbs Farm, we believe in caring for the land and reducing our impact on the environment as much as possible. That is why we strive to be sustainability-minded in all of our decision making at the farm.
In 2019, we were awarded a $25,000 grant from the USDA’s Conservation Program. About two-thirds of the money was allocated towards acquiring and installing two 2,100 square foot high tunnels, which allow us to extend our growing season as well as experiment with growing crops that need warmer weather than our climate allows. The remainder went towards microirrigation, a form of irrigation that delivers water directly to the roots of the plants – slowly and over a longer period of time. Compared to conventional sprinkler irrigation, microirrigation systems use 20 to 50 percent less water, preventing runoff and reducing evaporation.
We practice regenerative agriculture here at Hobbs Farm, utilizing cover crops and no-till practices to build soil health and fertility, implementing crop rotations that reduce pest and disease pressure, and incorporating our animals into the farm system to reduce our use of fossil fuels. We focus on companion planting, interplanting to maximize each farm bed’s potential output, and providing food and forage for pollinators. Though we are not certified organic, we pride ourselves on mimicking a natural system as much as possible and utilizing best management practices for the land that are often more strict than those on certified organic operations.
Donations
The Hobbs Farm Food Donation Program has been one of the most rewarding aspects of our farm. In its first year, thanks in part to donations from a handful of our very supportive customers, the Food Donation Program provided over $850 of fresh food to the local community. That’s 430 lbs of food to be exact – including tomatoes, cukes, sweet peppers, beans, squash, etc. – all grown right here at Hobbs Farm during the 2021 growing season! Donations went to local food banks in NH and MA.
With a mission of donating $1k worth of food for 2022, we doubled that goal and donated over $2k in freshly grown produce last year! All of the food went to the local community, with our primary recipients being The Movement Family in Lawrence, MA in support of their weekly dinners for individuals dealing with homelessness, as well as the Newmarket Community Church Food Bank.
In 2023, we hope to be able to match the same $2k in Hobbs Farm produce donations. If you are interested in learning more about the Hobbs Farm Food Donation Program or are looking to donate, please check out our Donation Page for more information.
