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| Farmers Tom Corbett, left, and Ryan MacKay stand near some of their cattle. T&G Staff/Christine Peterson |
Telegram & Gazette Staff
Posted Aug. 27, 2015 at 7:26 PM
Updated at 8:18 AM
HOLDEN - At some point, they will be the old guys on the block.
But now, Ryan MacKay and Tom Corbett are young, up-and-coming farmers growing their business.
That business, Lilac Hedge Farm owned by MacKay, 24 and Corbett, 25, could take a big leap forward with the announcement this week that they have purchased the 350-acre former Sandstrom Farm, located mostly on Bond Road. Their farm now is operating on leased property, including a 200-acre farm on Prospect Street in West Boylston.
The two men raise cattle, sheep, hogs and and poulty for various markets and community-supported agriculture customers.
They also do a traveling petting zoo which was what got them started in business. The new farm will allow them plenty of room to move many of their black angus cattle and Katadhin and Dorper sheep to graze and wood lots for their Hampshire, Berkshire and Tamaworth pigs.
The purchase came at a perfect moment, according to Mr. MacKay. They had been looking for property when Mr. MacKay heard the old farm might be available. They acted quickly and showed up with an offer in hand.
It was accepted and they paid what could be considerd a bargain price of $550,000, especially in the fast-growing residential community of Holden. The land comes with half of a free-standing barn and a metal quonset hut. Of the 350 acres, 120 are cleared land. They will be able to begin using it almost immediately without much field preparation
"Everything just came together right," Mr. MacKay said.
The Sandstrom Farm was the last dairy farm in Holden, going out of the business in the 1990s. In 2007, part of the barn was destroyed by a fire set by two Clinton men who were later convicted of a spree of four fires, including burning the homestead of Mary Elizabeth Sawyer in Sterling known as "the Mary Had a Little Lamb House," the Usher Paper Mill in Erving and a railroad bungalow in the town of Florida.
At present, Lilac Hedge Farm operates on five properties in Central Massachusetts, including the Jordan Farm in Rutland owned by Mr. MacKay's cousins. The move will not bring all operations under one roof and will require eventually building infrastructure for the animals, but it consolidates much of the farm.
Mr. Corbett said it will allow them to install permanent fencing and a chance for them to spend their money on something long-lasting.
"Eventually we'll bring everything there," Mr. Corbett said, adding that they hope to use some of the property in West Boylston next year during their transition to their farm. They plan to move some of their livestock to the property in the late fall. At present only corn is growing there.
The property will be used mostly for raising livestock for beef, poultry, pork and lamb products. There are no plans to raise vegetables other than for feed or open a dairy.
Mr. MacKay and Mr. Corbett are friends who worked together at Davis Farmland in Sterling tending livestock and learning about best practices for raising animals. Neither grew up on a farm, but Mr. MacKay's family ran a dairy farm called Lilac Hedge Farm in Holden from the late 1800s until the mid-1960s. Their enterprise is named in honor of the former farm.
The two men were in college in 2011 and working part-time jobs when they became partners and founded Lilac Hedge Farm. The business has continued to grow, now selling at 10 farmers markets and several retail locations. Last month they open a year-round retail stall at Boston Public Market.
Both are members of the Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee of the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Mr. MacKay said he is also on the state Livestock Committee and on the state's board of directors for the Farm Bureau Federation.
Their farm sells fresh and frozen meat which is processed and mostly packaged at Adams Farm in Athol. They also have several specialty products produced from them by other businesses including pepperoni, meat sticks, kielbasa and bacon hot dogs.
The farm has 50 breeding cattle and more than 100 steers, but the numbers vary. For now, the steers will remain at Jordan Farm.
They employ five full-time staff and operate at the Boston store 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays. Mr. MacKay said they have a couple of wholesale accounts in the Worcester area and would like to become more active there.
"We're trying to keep growing and growing," Mr. Corbett said.
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