McQuesten Farm (Litchfield, New Hampshire) – Food Shop Review

McQuesten Farm in Litchfield is not your typical farm stand. They do have a good sized stand with great produce available all summer. A good place to make your corn and tomato run during the height of the season. This farm has taken the “pick your own” motive to the extreme. You can from 09:00 am to 2:00 pm pick your own beans, beats, tomatoes, peppers, squash and other vegetables. When arriving at the farm you go into the farm stand and exchange your driving license for a good sized bag that you then fill with your hand picked produce from out in the fields. When finished they will inspect your car to make sure you are not over picking and return your license. One bag costs $15.00.
The farm stand itself has the usual array of fresh vegetables. Corn and some other items are not pick your own available but can be purchased here.

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New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

The farm has an enclosure where the little ones can feed some ducks and goats.

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If you are ready head off into the fields for some picking. First here are a few rules:

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New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

There seems to be a lot of people going after shell beans?

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We stuck to the more traditional vegetables.

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New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

It is a shame the amount of waste that you see in the fields.

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This is our haul for one $15 half bushel bag.

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Sandown Historic Museum and Depot

The Sandown Historic Museum and Depot is a wonderful little museum run by the local historical society in Sandown, New Hampshire.

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New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

The grounds have several train cars and other large artifacts.

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New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

The museum is open on Saturdays during the summer months and the depot building and several of the rail cars contain displays.

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New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

The volunteers are very nice and full of interesting information.

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Just up the road a half mile is the Old Meeting House, worth a visit as well.

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New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

One of New Hampshire’s many rail trails runs along the side of the depot and is a perfect spot for hiking, mountain biking and snowmobiling.

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New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

The Old Meeting House Historic Site – Sandown, New Hampshire

The Old Meeting House in Sandown is renowned for the extent of its originality. Built in 1773 its exterior clapboards are original as well as its 18th century pulpit and box pews.

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The Sandown Historical Society has several artifacts from th meeting house and the colonial period.

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New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

Restaurant Review – Cracker Barrel (Londonderry, New Hampshire)

I usually prefer a local diner or small breakfast spot when going out for breakfast, but the Cracker Barrel in Londonderry is very convenient for our Saturday day trips. Located just of US Route 93 at exit 4 it is a quick and easy stop when heading either north to the New
Hampshire lakes and mountains or south to Massachusetts from our home in Raymond.
I do enjoy the decor of Cracker Barrel with its rustic charm and this particular location is very nice set alongside a very picturesque pond.

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New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

As you approach the restaurant you will notice the porch area with its chairs (all available for sale) and checker boards recreating the front porch of a southern home.

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New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

As you enter the building there is a good sized gift shop area selling a variety of tourist type kitch. You will also find the rest rooms here and towards the back of the area is the hostess for the restaurant.

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New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

There is a large fireplace as the centerpiece of the restaurant which is very homey during cool winter months and antique signage and artifacts adorn all of the walls.

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New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

As you are waiting (not so patiently in Alex’s case) there is a wonderful little peg game at each table. This game was my late mother’s favorite and she always did quite well.

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New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

The orange juice is fresh squeezed and very pulpy and the hot chocolate rich and creamy.

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Most of the breakfast items are fairly pedestrian. The sausage is somewhat dry and the hash browns gummy. The eggs, bacon and pancakes are standard fare.

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New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

The best part about the pancakes are the bottles of pre-warmed syrup.

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Be sure to order the southern items on the menu. I lived in Florida when attending graduate school an miss some of the southern side dishes. This is one of the few places in northern New England where you can get grits, biscuits and gravy or for lunch turnip greens.

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New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

Chester Village Cemetery Historic Site – Chester, New Hampshire

The Chester Village Cemetery in Chester, New Hampshire is one of the oldest in the state. Buried in the cemetery are two New Hampshire governors, a chief justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court and the clock maker Isaac Blasdel.

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New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

The cemetery was founded in 1751 and is located in the town center of Chester. The 2.5 acre site lies in the eastern corner of the NH Route 121 and NH Route 102 junction. The side of the cemetery abutting NH Route 121 is the “Revolutionary Quarter” with graves dating from the revolutionary war and colonial periods.The works of two prominent local stone carvers Stephen and Abel Webster are in evidence here.

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New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos