Our farm flourishes with seven generations of expertise and counting

History

How is there a farm in north Wilmington?

Clark Webster purchased the land in 1832, and the original deed is written on sheepskin. At that time it was mostly rocky pasture. In 1835, Clark’s son, Isaac, began clearing the ground of the multitude of rocks, and thus began the Webster farming of this land.

Our Grandfather John Webster gave the farm the name Highland Orchards, officially when he was registering his Guernsey milking herd in 1940. But, by then he had been farming successfully for 26 years and everyone informally knew it as “Webster’s.” In 1941 John purchased the Pennsylvania farm outside of West Chester, which he also named Highland Orchards.

As the father of five daughters, John Webster used to say, “All my boys are girls!” So, when his daughter Elizabeth married Robert Hodge, they became managers and then owners of the Pennsylvania farm. They and their six children expanded the plantings, buildings, and property to today’s prosperous, efficient business. Elizabeth and Bob have now turned over the farm to their children.

Meanwhile, John’s daughter Elaine had married Jack Linton and they enjoyed six children. By 1970, Jack, Elaine, and the Linton children were working the remaining five acres of the Delaware homestead. Now, Elaine, her daughter Ruth, and son Matthew, plant, harvest and sell their produce, including some fruit from trees planted by John Webster 50 years ago.