Farm History

Nourse Farm was established in 1722 by William and Ebenezer Nurse, two brothers who fled Salem after the hanging of their grandmother, Rebecca Nurse, during the 1692 Witchcraft Hysteria. Many are familiar with Rebecca’s story: she was the 71 year old innocent victim accused of “witchcraft” forever immortalized in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible and other productions. Learn more about Rebecca’s plight. For several years the brothers farmed together, realizing their boyhood dreams. The rock that marks their initial “camp” where they contemplated their futures is still a cherished family spot.

In order to escape continued persecution, the spelling of the family surname was changed to Nourse, though the pronunciation remains the same. Needless to say, the pastoral, rolling hills of Westborough provided a welcome refuge as well as an agriculture opportunity for the Nourse family since they have peacefully farmed this land for over 280 years. As the following generations farmed the land of their forefathers, they contributed to the town of Westborough and local history. Two of the more notable Nourses include, Benjamin Alden Nourse and Joel Nourse.

Benjamin Alden Nourse

Benjamin Alden Nourse was a local Selectman and a State Representative, thriving farmer, meticulous business man, and loving father. At the height of his agricultural career, Nourse Farm boasted 57 different varieties of apples that were so delicious, clients in England had them regularly shipped across the Atlantic. Much of the Nourse Family history was well documented in the detailed journal entries recorded by Benjamin Alden. His thoughtful pen chronicled all Nourse Farm activities from “ploughed fields” and “harvested apples” to “made sleds for the boys” and “celebrated Ernest’s 6th birthday”.

A page from Benjamin Alden's Journal

Alex Gross, a descendent of Benjamin, recently conducted extensive research on the journals and discovered how this "simple farmer without a college education turned a small farm into a thriving business, which competed with other farms on the local, regional and national level." Read selections from Alex's research.

Joel Nourse

Joel Nourse was a gifted blacksmith who perfected his craft working in the barn that is still found on Nourse Farm today. Joel is the designer and creator of the Nourse Eagle Plow, a plow that in 1842 revolutionized farming in the rocky New England soil with its smooth surfaces and uniformity that facilitated even the most difficult tillage. The Nourse Eagle Plow was best selling plow in the country for over a decade and is currently housed in the Smithsonian Museum of American History.

The Nourse Eagle Plow

Nourse Farm Present Day

Today, the 140-acre Nourse Farm is the 10th oldest continuously operating family business in the country. Over time, farm operations have varied from production for consumption to dairy farming to its current berry specialization. Currently the 8th and 9th generation of Westborough Nourses are directly involved with Nourse Farm and contribute to its operations in various ways. Farm Owner, David Alden Nourse, raises a small herd of beef cattle; Farm Manager, Jonathan Willard Nourse, directs operations, including the increasingly popular Community Supported Agriculture initiative; and Timothy Haskell Nourse with his wife Catherine, are the owner-operators of Olde Nourse Farm Gourmet, the on-line retailers of Nourse Farm jams.

Learn more about the history of the Nourse Farm