History

When you push through the gates of Quimby Farm, past the long-standing wooden stables and stone walls suggestive of its history, you feel as though you have been teleported into the past. Horses and cows are grazing peacefully as the grapevines creep towards the sun. Animals have leisurely roamed and berries have ripened in the sun on the Quimby Farm for centuries before today. In fact, the farm being over 200 years old, it encompasses four generations of the Quimby family.

“My husband remembers fondly that, in the wintertime, when Mt. Zion Road was snow covered, sometimes Howard, his wife Phoebe, and their four daughters would ride up and down Mt. Zion Road in a horse drawn sleigh.”

Lisa Ward

(1 & 2) Howard working on the farm (3) Shawn & Diana representing @ the local Farmer’s Market (4) New Quimby Generation (5) Jake coaxing a calf (6) Shawn & Abby working on the farm (7) Karen & Mark helping out (8) Howard & his grandchildren (9) Mule-Drawn Sleigh (10) Howard & grandchildren (11) Young Howard (12) Phoebe & Howard enjoying their time together.

Quimby Family Timeline

  • 1808 Cornelius Quimby, great-grandfather of Howard Quimby, is born. He lived with his wife and son. Cornelius passed at a young age, and his wife survived him until 1900.

    1845 John C. Quimby, father of Samuel J. Quimby, is born.

  • 1887 Samuel J. Quimby is born. He married Emma Schuman and had four sons, Sam Jr., Richard, Howard, and Paul.

  • 1911 Sam Sr. bought a farm on Western Ave in Marlboro where he brought his wife Emma and they began raising a family along with their crops.

  • 1940 The land is purchased by Sam Sr. and becomes the Quimby Farm

    Sam Sr. was known for his vast knowledge about treating sick animals and neighbors often came to him for advice. He bought farm animals including horses, mules, cows, sheep, pigs, goats, and chickens, continuously growing his farm. They also grew several varieties of grapes.

    His eldest son, Sam Jr., enjoyed sports and was thankful that Howard was eager to work extra hours on the farm while he pursued his youthful passion. All of the brothers helped out on the farm, but it was Howard who enjoyed it the most.

  • Howard and Phoebe Quimby took over the farm operations while raising four daughters; Lisa, Karen, Melissa, and Diana. Howard added raspberries and blackberries while maintaining the grapes and farm animals with his father.

  • August 16th, 2015 Howard passes away peacefully at home at age 87.

  • Presently, Quimby Farm is still thriving with Howard & Phoebe’s daughter Diana and her husband Shawn most heavily involved. Shawn likes to call himself the accidental farmer! What started out as helping his future father-in-law turned into a genuine love of cultivating the land. The rest is history: they are now married with two daughters and they all take great care of the farm.

  • The Youngest Quimby Farm Generation consists of Connor, Noah, & Maya Clemmer and Emily & Abigail Henry. They were all lucky enough to have grown up on the farm together, enjoying its natural beauty and all it had to offer.