Tessier Farm
Tessier Farm Connects with the Community | October 2019
By Maria Landry
“We haven’t bought meat in a grocery store for 20 years,” Carrie Tessier remarked as she made yogurt one October morning at Tessier Farm. She and her husband, Jason, started their family farm in 1999, just up Malbons Mills Road from where Jason grew up.
“We wanted to raise meat for our own family,” she explained. “Then we realized there was a need in the community. We started expanding so we can give our community a little bit of everything that a family farm can offer.”
With the farm store open Wednesdays and Fridays noon-5 p.m. and Saturdays 8 a.m.-noon, the Tessiers now sell everything from meats and dairy products to handmade soaps and lotions, honey, maple syrup, jams, eggs, fresh roasted coffees, and teas. Their cream cheese—in flavors ranging from maple to garlic and herb—is a popular purchase.
“You can come to your local farmer and get your staples,” Carrie said, noting that a number of customers stop by the farm weekly for meats and other essentials.
“Last week they might have bought hamburg and steak, and this week they might pick up some pork and chicken, and next week is a special rabbit for someone’s birthday,” she noted. “People enjoy coming to the farm—they like seeing the animals, being able to purchase stuff right here, and asking questions directly to the farmer.”
Carrie said she and Jason like to encourage people to try raising some of their own food so they can know where their food comes from and be sustainable.
“If you have milk, you can have butter, you can have cheese,” she said. “We like being able to provide for people or help them learn how to do it for themselves.”
The Tessiers put on workshops both at the farm and off-site, and they often host school groups and other tours. Carrie said she loves to see schoolchildren’s joy and excitement as they experience the farm.
The Tessiers’ own children, two teenage daughters, help out at the farm, and the family occasionally hires a high school student, but the effort is largely on Jason—who also works full time as buildings and grounds director for MOFGA—and Carrie, who recently became full time at the farm after working out of the home for 17 years.
“I don’t think I could go back,” she said. Asked what she likes best about farm life, she replied thoughtfully, “Being home, working my own schedule … and the animals. Each cow means so much to me. They all have names, and we talk about them like family. … I think just being able to say that it’s not work when you enjoy it so much.”
Part of enjoying it, Carrie noted, has to do with keeping it at a scale they are comfortable with. “We’ve learned as we’ve gone along in 20 years how to do things that fit our lifestyle,” she said. “Bigger is not better. We kind of ebb and flow with what is needed. If we see a need in the community, we try to fill that void but keep it small, keep it manageable.”
Last year they offered a family Halloween experience at the farm, and the turnout was staggering. Despite it being bigger than anticipated, the Tessiers are excited to host the event again this year—on October 31, 4-7 p.m.—and share their farm with visitors.
“We’re a great family place. We’re off the road,” she said. “The kids get to see other kids dressed up and see the animals. The store’s open. We’re going to do milk on tap this year. It’s like watching the farm in action. We do chores at six, so if you stick around you can see us milk the cows.”
Ultimately, the Tessiers are happy to be a resource for their community and are grateful for what the community gives in return.
“I’m so thankful for the community’s support,” Carrie said. “It’s a really good feeling.”
Learn more about Tessier Farm on their website and Facebook page.
