Helen MacArthur Farm - Holliston, MA

History of MacArthur Farm:

MacArthur Farm was established in 1982 by Peter and Helen MacArthur. MacArthur farm represents the family farm in Massachusetts. Peter attended Norfolk County Agricultural School in Walpole, MA. As a student he worked at Volante farm, First National Grocery Store and the Little Red Store in Needham all at the same time. He learned the art of farming from Ferdinand and Eugene Volante who became his father in law and uncle in law when he married Helen Volante.

It was Peter’s life long dream to grow vegetables and flowers and own his own business. His parents Ruth and Curtis Macarthur encouraged him. He grew up with a strong work ethic. Curtis was a veteran of world war II , a civil engineer under General George Patton's command. After the war, a young man of 22 years of age, he began a career at Raytheon where he worked for over 40 years. As part of his work, he was a designer of the Patriot Tomahawk Cruise missile. Ruth Macarthur raised her five sons. Since 1972 she has volunteered at the Beth Israel Deaconess hospital, formerly Glover hospital for almost 20,000 hours of service to the community. She loves Disneyland and has been there about 18 times.

Helen’s parents met when Anne, her mother, was visiting family in Italy. Ferdinand and Anne married, and he immigrated to America where he worked on the family farm. Helen grew up on her grandfather’s farm, Peter P. Volante Farm in Newton Center, MA.. Peter Volante won an award for developing pascal celery and it’s wrapper. There as a child, she learned all about growing vegetables and flowers, and taking care of customers from her aunt Josephine, nicknamed “Margie”. Her mother Anne was the family cook, and thus Helen’s expertise in Italian cooking, with all the fresh vegetables and fruits was learned.

When we go to Boston City Hall Farmers Market, I am reminded of my grandparents, Peter and Caterina Volante. In the early 1900’s they took their produce to Boston. My grandfather dropped my grandmother off at one corner, and he sold at another corner not far from the present City Hall Market!

After her grandparents died, the Newton farm was sold for house lots, and her parents bought Fletcher Farm in Needham in 1962. At Volante Farm in Needham Helen worked in the office, the farmstand, the greenhouses, and the field. She learned bookkeeping from her mom. She cut bunches of fresh flowers every morning for sale at the farm. Helen received a B.S. in Plant and Soil Science from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Ma., and a M.S. in Nutrition from Framingham State College, Framingham, Ma..

Peter and Helen were married in 1976. They left the farm in 1980 to start their own business with their baby Brad. One day in January 1981, Peter happened along a brush filled property on Route 126 in Holliston. The land called to him. As he walked on the property, he came across a knocked over For Sale sign with a phone number on it. He called the number and bought the land. February 1982 was ground breaking for their new home, farm stand and greenhouse. Their second son Dan was one when they moved to Holliston.

Opening day was May 1st, 1982. Since then we have grown to twelve greenhouses. We farm 18 acres of land across town. We have also expanded to selling at six farmers markets. Our daughter Katie was born, and helps out after school, weekends and summers on the farm and at farmers markets. Farmers markets gave the children a good base of plant knowledge, life and business skills and a sense of family history. Brad is an architectural engineer. Dan is currently pursuing a career in the music/recording industry specializing in music production. Together, Peter and Helen bring a wealth of knowledge, experience, excellence, and commitment to their work through their love of farming.

We have quality and selection!