'A good life': After 50 years farming, Tree-Berry Farm owner plans to pass the torch

SCITUATE − Beverly Westerveld was 13 years old when she planted her first Christmas tree after her father started Tree-Berry Farm in Scituate in 1974. They added blueberry bushes shortly after.

After decades at the helm, Westerveld will sell the farm on Route 123 to R and C Farms, which is across the street. Tree-Berry Farm offers blueberry picking and Christmas trees. The town of Scituate owns the land, but Westerveld owns the agricultural rights to farm it.

“It’s been very expensive to keep the farm going and I’ve basically been doing it for the customers and the satisfaction I get from the customers who enjoy the farm so much,” Westerveld said. “Every year I have a lot of work I can’t do physically, and when you can’t sharpen the blades on the mower deck and have to pay someone to do it, it gets expensive. I have to pay people to do what I used to be able to do.”

Westerveld said she is in talks with the Simons family, who own R and C Farms, for them to take over the blueberry operation starting next year. She will continue with the Christmas trees through 2025, when that portion of the farm will close. A woman who answered the phone at R and C Farms declined to comment.

"I'm glad they're going to take over because I know they love the land as much as I do," Westerveld said.

The history of Tree-Berry Farm

Westerveld said her father started Tree-Berry Farm in 1974 on land owned by his father and grandfather. Her family sold the land to the town of Scituate in the 1920s but maintained the agricultural rights to farm on it.

She said her father planted Christmas trees in 1974 and blueberry bushes in 1976. The farm opened for customers in 1980.

"I took a few years off for college and a few years off for chemo, but I've been there otherwise," she said.

Westerveld said she's watched generations of kids come through the farm, both as employees and as customers who visited to pick blueberries or get a Christmas tree.

“It’s fun to realize how many generations I’ve made happy and how much enjoyment I’ve gotten from the work,” she said. “I love teaching the younger kids how to work and take responsibility and I’ve watched them blossom into really good people.”

Westerveld is ready to retire

After two bad blueberry seasons in a row, Westerveld said she was forced to create a GoFundMe online fundraiser in March 2023 to keep the farm open. She raised about $12,000, which helped her cover expenses and payroll for the year.

She said this season has been mediocre, with lots of people looking to pick berries but not as much crop as she would have liked. She said she's glad she got another season in with the customers she's been seeing for nearly 50 years.

"I got to make the decision on my own to retire and I didn't have to close down," she said. "It's been a good life."

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: 'A good life': After 50 years farming, Tree-Berry Farm owner plans to pass the torch