HOLLIS – For Eleanor Whittemore, Brookdale Fruit Farm has been home for 85 years.

Whittemore has lived through many of its historical changes: from the day they sold the horses to buy motorized tractors to the modernization of the farm’s irrigation system.

For those changes she did not witness, she has family to fill her in – her family, the Hardy family, has owned the farm for seven generations. And on June 17, Hardy family members will invite the public in to explore Brookdale and celebrate its 165th anniversary, with tractor tours, history lessons and, of course, lots of strawberry shortcake.

The celebration will be held from 1 p.m.-4 p.m. and will allow attendees view the farm’s fields, greenhouses, and packing and shipping building first-hand on the tractor tours. At each stop, farm workers will be on hand to talk about what it takes to run the farm, discussing packing methods, the irrigation system and even growing organic produce.

Back at the farm stand, visitors can stuff themselves with dessert, view historical photographs and hear about the history of the farm from Hardy family members.

Whittemore, who, with her husband, is the oldest living member of the Hardy family and still lives and works on the farm today, said she hopes the anniversary celebration will help locals learn more about the farm that has been a mainstay for so many years.

The Hardys have owned the farm since 1847, when there were only six acres of farmland. As that acreage grew to today’s 300 acres, Whittemore said many changes came along with the growth.

The farm was first used primarily to raise animals, including horses, cows, chickens and ducks. The family made and sold barrels during the early years to help generate some income to support the farm and its residents.

A few years later, the farm began growing grains to feed the animals and the residents. Years later, when more land was acquired, the family bought more cows, Whittemore said, and began operating Brookdale as a dairy farm.

As time went on and more acreage was added to the farm, the family began growing apples and various vegetables. In the 1920s, the first storage area was built, which would allow the family to package their produce and transport it to vendors in nearby towns. At that time, produce was stored in a cellar dug in the side of a hill to keep it cool. In the 1950s, cool-storage rooms were added to the farm.

The farm’s horses were sold in the 1940s and motorized tractors became the tool of choice for tilling the land and maintaining the farm.

Ever since then, Whittemore said, the farm has continued growing and has been working to modernize its equipment each year.

The farm not only uses a modern irrigation today, it also sells parts for such systems to fellow farmers.

Its reach to the public has also grown over the years, Whittemore said. After years of transporting goods to other communities by horses or inviting locals to the farm to purchase produce, the farm opened its first roadside stand in the 1975.

Today, the Brookdale farm stand offers everything from fresh fruits and vegetables to raw honey, baked goods, cheese, cooking items, and local products like eggs, beef and even spaghetti sauce.

Whittemore said while maintaining a farm for 165 years is no easy feat, doing it as a family is rewarding.

Three generations of the Hardy family work at the farm today, she added, with many of them living on or next door to the farm land.

“Everything we are today, it’s a family effort,” she said.

For more information about the farm or the 165th anniversary celebration, call 465-2240 or visit www.brookdalefarms.com.

Danielle Curtis can be reached at 594-6557 or dcurtis@nashuatelegraph.com.