About Our Farm in Barnstead, New Hampshire

At Third Stone Farm, we grow a variety of trees across our 24 acre farm. We have around 6,700 Christmas trees planted ranging in all sizes. We plan to maintain a plantation of 6,000-7,000 trees. Meet the family behind the farm.

The Trees We Grow

We primarily grow Balsam Fir, Fraser Fir and Canaan Fir. We no longer grow Blue Spruce. We have started a few White Spruce, Korean Fir and Concolor Fir that will be available in a few years. See photos and details of each fir.

How We Grow: Organic & Permaculture Practices

About 12 acres of our farm currently are planted in trees, with another 8 acres forested and the remaining land as field.

Why all the field? Well, at Third Stone Farm, we authentically follow organic and permaculture practices. Plantation blocks of trees are rotated around the farm as part of our agricultural practice. When a new block of trees is planted in the spring, we maintain those trees each year by hand pruning and weekly mowing. We never use chemicals, herbicides or pesticides. When those trees are harvested, the field remains fallow for a few years before replanting trees. This practice helps build up soil fertility naturally (with the occasional sowing of buckwheat and other cover crops as a green manure), and is very good for wildlife. We are currently in the process of organic certification through the USDA but this requires several years of planning, work and records before it is complete, even though we have always abided by the requirements since our founding in 1979.

Our Forest

Our forest is very actively managed with a mix of typical New England species, primarily of white pine, red oak, red maple, sugar maple, beech, ash, white birch and poplar. We harvest white pine for building material, promote the maples for sap collection and manage the other trees for biodiversity, wildlife and firewood for our properties. Ask us about our legacy tree program!

Where We Are in Central New Hampshire

Third Stone Farm sits at 106 Garland Road in Barnstead, in Belknap County in central New Hampshire. Families come from around the region, including the Concord and Manchester areas, the Seacoast, and the towns around Lake Winnipesaukee. You can see the farm from Route 28, but the way in is Parade Road; don’t let your GPS send you down Route 107. Here are directions to the farm, and you can check this season’s hours and prices before you come.

Memberships

We take stewardship of the land very seriously. We are members of the NH Northeast Organic Farming Association, the Green Alliance, the NH-VT Christmas Tree Association and the National Christmas Tree Association.