For generations, Leary Farm has been a familiar and trusted presence in our community, rooted in hard work, family, and a deep connection to the land.
While many people associate farming with the busy summer months, the work at Leary Farm never truly slows down. Even in the off‑season, there is careful planning, preparation, and teamwork happening behind the scenes.
Leary Farm is a six‑ to seven‑generation family operation that has evolved over time. What began as a dairy farm more than 80 years ago has grown into a diverse agricultural business. About 15 years ago, the farm pivoted into vegetable production, a move that allowed the family to expand and adapt while staying true to their agricultural roots.
Today, Leary Farm grows a wide variety of fresh vegetables, including green peppers, sweet corn, cabbage, summer squash, cucumbers, and tomatoes. In addition to vegetables, the farm also produces its own beef, raises chickens, and cuts hay. It’s a diverse, multi‑faceted operation that relies on careful coordination and long‑term planning.
What makes Leary Farm especially unique is the close‑knit family behind it. Multiple generations work together, bringing both experience and fresh perspective to the operation. Everyone knows each other well — not just as coworkers, but as family members who grew up side by side. That familiarity creates trust, efficiency, and a shared sense of pride in the work they do.
While the growing season often gets the spotlight, the off‑season is when much of the foundation is laid. Winter months are spent ordering seeds and fertilizer, planning crops, and lining up help for the busy months ahead. Many of the decisions that affect July and August are made as early as October. By the time spring arrives, seeds are already ordered, supplies are in place, and the greenhouse is gearing up for action.
In early spring for example, green peppers are planted and later transplanted into hundreds of trays, eventually totaling tens of thousands of plants. Alongside planting, there’s ongoing preventive maintenance to tackle. Equipment is serviced, buildings are repaired, and infrastructure is prepared for the demands of the growing season.
Much of what stands on the farm today was built by the family themselves. Trees were cut from the surrounding woods, milled on site, and turned into barns, storage buildings, and workspaces through collective effort. That hands‑on approach adds another layer of meaning to the work, each building carries memories of collaboration and shared accomplishment.
When harvest season arrives, the scale of Leary Farm’s operation becomes especially clear. Trailer‑load after trailer‑load of produce leaves the farm, often day after day. Seeing the volume of food produced and shipped is deeply satisfying; a tangible result of months of preparation and teamwork.
Equally meaningful is hearing directly from customers. When someone reaches out to say a product was the best they’ve had and that they’ll be back, it reinforces why the work matters. Leary Farm takes pride in producing high‑quality food, and that commitment shows in both their wholesale operations and their on‑site retail store.
The farm’s retail store plays an important role in its future, allowing the family to sell more directly to customers and keep the business strong. And while visitors may pass by on Route One, it’s the local customers, the familiar faces who stop in multiple times a week, who truly sustain the farm. Those daily interactions, conversations, and relationships are at the heart of what Leary Farm does.
Our recent Mission Moment video highlights more than farming practices. It tells a story of resilience, family, planning, and community, values that align closely with our own.
During National Agriculture Month and beyond, we’re proud to spotlight Leary Farm and the people whose dedication helps feed our community, season after season.
To watch the full video, visit our YouTube channel by clicking
the link here.
