The Murray Family has called River Road home for more than 100 years. Current owners Don and David’s great grandparents moved to River Road and began a dairy farm. A horse drawn wagon delivered milk to customers in Penacook. By 1918 a pint of milk delivered to a home was fetching 6 cents while a quart was bringing 12 cents. A purchase over 4 quarts was 11 cents per quart.
David and Don’s father and mother (Jesse and Helen) began what was known throughout the East as Murray Farms Hatchery. Up to 60,000 baby chicks were hatched weekly in the prime of the poultry days at the farm. Baby chicks were shipped all over the east to many poultry farms.
In 1964 Jesse and Helen began what is now know as Murray Farm Greenhouse. Once again it was time to turn to family. EVERYONE worked. As us kids got married it was a given that the in-laws were expected to pitch in when they got out of their daytime jobs. They surely did not have to wonder what their weekends in the spring were to consist of. With long hours 7 days a week even neighbors brought food to help feed the gang on weekends.
David and Don have now owned the business for quite some time, and Don’s son Scott has been with us full time since his college days. Cousin Tommy has been a huge asset seasonally, even though he likes to consider himself semi-retired. And then we have a couple “gals” who have been around almost long enough to become family, Sarah is back for her 5th spring and Sue who is in her 23rd year, both helping out seasonally. Their dedication surely has been appreciated by the family and customers.
Some things have changed over the years, how plants are germinated, transplanted, even the greenhouse and parking area is not original, however during one weekend Christmas of 2009 a working family count produced 12 family members, helping out during the busy holiday season. As we approach the 2014 season, (our 50th year) mom called from where she winters in Fla., she asked how everything was coming along in the greenhouse and commented she was looking forward to getting home to help run cash register in the evening hours, she will be 94 in September (don’t tell her you saw her age on the internet) In simple terms any family farm is a way of life. We invite you to stop out during any of our open seasons May and June for spring plants. Also during late August and September for our fall mums or just after Thanksgiving for our Christmas season.
The “mother” of any family business has a very interesting position It is said “man is head of household” Mom always said “but woman is the neck” It must be true because mom sure did plenty of “steering” over the years!