Milan, New Hampshire · Est. on seven generations of family land
Where the forest heals
and the farm sustains.
A veteran- and woman-owned homestead bridging past, present, and future — where the cows once grazed, the forest still stands, and the next chapter is just getting started.
This land has a name.
It's always been ours.
Stearns Brook Farm stood on this ground long before us. Cows grazed these fields, the brook ran the same path it runs today, and the Masters family has worked this soil across seven generations — from the original farm, through Keith's fourth generation and Erica's fifth, to the sixth and seventh generations growing up on it right now.
Legacy Acres is our chapter of a story that started here long ago. The land remembers. So do we.
400 acres. One responsibility.
Legacy Acres sits inside 400 acres of working forest and farmland — land we don't just live on, but steward.
Sustainable forestry, working land, family name.
As members of the NH Timberland Owners Association, we manage our forest with the same care we give the farm — selective harvesting, habitat protection, and long-term land health over short-term yield. This is the same ground forest therapy walks move through, the same ground that's fed seven generations.
Our forest work runs alongside Masters Land & Gravel, a separate family operation rooted in the same name and the same land. Different business, same legacy.
Land Stewardship
Sustainable forest management across 400 acres — habitat, timber, and trail all considered together.
Masters Land & Gravel
A related family enterprise. Ask us for details on materials and land services.
Rooted in family.
Growing with purpose.
Legacy Acres at Stearns Brook Farm is a small, working homestead in the North Country of New Hampshire — veteran- and woman-owned, community-rooted, and built on the belief that good food, healthy land, and meaningful work belong together.
We raise free-range hens (and ducks, and quail), keep bees, tend a kitchen garden, cure meats, blend teas, and offer forest therapy in the woods right behind the house. We also make Dick's Rub — Rick's namesake recipe — because every homestead needs at least one thing that makes people laugh and then ask for the recipe.
Meet the Farmers
We Are Legacy Acres
The roots run up, back, and forward — deep, and still growing.
Four generations, one family, one piece of land.
Erica (Masters) Buteau
Fifth-Generation Masters Family · Co-OwnerErica is the bridge between past, present, and future at Legacy Acres — fifth-generation on the Masters side, who came home to the land her family worked for generations. She's a certified forest therapist, master herbalist, and first responder, and brings that same care into everything from the tea blends she formulates to the way she runs the homestead. She's also the author of the Androscoggin After Dark series and founder of The Peri Files.
Rick Buteau
First-Generation Farmer · Co-OwnerRick Buteau is a retired Army veteran, first-generation farmer, and co-owner of Legacy Acres at Stearns Brook Farm. He oversees livestock and farm operations, develops the farm's signature Dick's Rub seasoning blends, and brings a deep commitment to hard work, self-sufficiency, and supporting fellow veterans through agriculture.
Senior Farmers · The Generation Before
Keith Masters
Fourth-Generation Farmer · Land StewardKeith, aka Dad, aka Papa, is a fourth-generation farmer, locally known as the top welder in the area — officially retired, though he's never once stopped working. He's the land steward of the family's 400 acres, famous around town for his potatoes and even more famous for the French fries he makes from them. If it grows here, there's a good chance Keith planted it.
Diane Masters
Pickle Master & Canning QueenDiane, aka Mom aka Mimi, is the pickle master and canning queen of Legacy Acres — the hands and the recipes behind every jar that leaves the farm. She's also the brains behind the books, keeping the homestead's records, recipes, and history as carefully tended as the pantry shelves.
We stand with.
We are.
Junior Farmers
Our kids, the sixth generation — each one carrying a piece of the operation, in their own way.
Troy
Firewood CrewSplits and bundles every piece of firewood that leaves the farm.
Sam
Family BakerTroy's wife and the hands behind the cookies, breads, and chocolate-dipped treats at the Shed.
Kendra
Official Food TesterQuality control on everything that comes out of the kitchen — a job she takes very seriously.
Isaac & Connor
Off the Farm, Always FamilyBuilding their own paths off-farm, but no less a part of the Legacy Acres story.
The Chicken Tenders.
The future of the farm, already putting in the work — eight little hands carrying on seven generations on this land.
From Our Album
A working homestead in pictures — the land, the harvest, and the people behind it.
Made with intention.
Sold with pride.
Everything here comes from this land and these hands. No middlemen, no mystery ingredients.
Dick's Rub
"Classic BBQ that rubs you right."
Brown sugar, paprika, black pepper, kosher salt, garlic, onion, chili, cayenne. Balanced for low-and-slow or screaming hot. Made in Milan, NH. Best on ribs, pork butt, chicken, burgers, and veggies.
All ten flavors available now.
Masters' Potatoes
Seven generations of the Masters family have grown these potatoes on this land. They're not a product — they're an inheritance. Available seasonally at the farm stand and through local markets.
EggsChicken · Duck · Quail
Our hens, ducks, and quail roam freely. The yolks are the color of marigolds. You'll taste the difference.
- Chicken eggs — available now
- Duck eggs — available now
- Quail eggs — available now
Raw HoneyTwo hives and growing
Our hives are part of the Hives for Heroes program. North Country wildflower honey, unfiltered and raw. Limited quantities — ask about availability.
- Raw wildflower honey
- Comb honey — seasonal
- More hives coming in 2027
MeatQuail · Chicken (soon)
Raised right here, processed with care. Quail available now. Chicken coming soon as the flock grows.
- Whole quail — available now
- Whole chicken — coming soon
Tea BlendsGrown & blended by Erica
Formulated by a master herbalist using organically grown and foraged ingredients from the farm and surrounding forest. Functional, flavorful, and rooted in tradition.
- Seasonal blends — rotating
- Custom blends — ask Erica
Firewood & Fire KitsFirewood · Starters · S'mores
Seasoned hardwood firewood, natural fire starters, and complete s'mores kits. Everything you need for a proper fire. Perfect for gifts or a Friday night.
- Seasoned hardwood — face cord & bundles
- Natural fire starters
- S'mores kits — gift-ready
Farmhouse GiftsGifts · Planners · Coloring Books
Handcrafted farmhouse gifts, practical planners designed for homestead life, and coloring books that celebrate the natural world. Made here, shipped with care.
- Farmhouse gift sets
- Homestead planners
- Nature coloring books
BooksAndroscoggin After Dark · The Peri Files
Erica is the author of the Androscoggin After Dark series and founder of The Peri Files. Signed copies and merch available right here on the farm — a homestead can hold more than one kind of harvest.
- Androscoggin After Dark — series
- The Peri Files merchandise
MushroomsShiitake · Lion's Mane · Blue Oyster
Sustainably grown right here on the farm — no wild foraging guesswork, just clean, consistent fruiting. New oyster varieties are in the works as we expand the grow.
- Shiitake
- Lion's Mane
- Blue Oyster
- More oyster varieties — coming soon
Canned GoodsPickles · Jellies & Jams · Vegetables · Baking Mixes
Masters' family recipes, put up the old way. Pickles, jellies, jams, canned vegetables, and homemade baking mixes — pantry staples with seven generations behind them.
- Masters' pickled beets
- Mustard pickles
- Jellies & jams
- Canned vegetables
- Baking mixes
Pasta & NoodlesHomemade Dried Pasta · Egg Noodles
Rolled, cut, and dried right here on the homestead. Simple, honest pasta made the way it used to be made — no shortcuts, no fillers.
- Homemade dried pasta
- Egg noodles
Freeze Dried GoodsCandy · Soups · Mushrooms · Fruit
Freeze-dried the homestead way — long shelf life, full flavor. A fun treat and a practical pantry staple, side by side.
- Freeze dried candy
- Freeze dried soups
- Freeze dried mushrooms
- Freeze dried fruit
Pet Treats & ToysHandmade · Farm-Tested
Homemade treats and toys, tested by our own farm dogs and barn cats. Simple ingredients, no nonsense — just like everything else here.
- Handmade pet treats
- Farm-made pet toys
The Farm & Forest Shed
Find us at 316 East Side River Rd (corner of 1 Masters Way) — self-serve, 24 hours a day. Fresh eggs, raw honey, seasonal produce, and homemade baked goods — cookies, breads, and chocolate-dipped treats made right in our kitchen. Stop by any time, day or night, and leave payment in the box.
We're a working homestead, not a storefront — what's out is what's fresh. Follow us on social to catch what's in season, or call/text ahead for anything special.
A Little Free Library
We're adding a Little Free Library right at the Shed — take a book, leave a book, browse while you wait for the eggs to settle into your basket.
The land is always
planning ahead.
Chicken Meat
The flock is growing. Whole farm-raised chicken, processed on-site. Coming as soon as the birds are ready.
Coming SoonMasters' Bait
Red wigglers and night crawlers under the Masters' family name — a homestead tradition, expanded. For fishing and composting.
In DevelopmentMealworms
Live and dried mealworms for backyard chickens and pets. High-protein, home-grown, and exactly as useful as it sounds.
Coming SoonForest Therapy
Guided woodland sessions with Erica, a certified forest therapist. Small groups, seasonal scheduling, deeply restorative.
Inquire NowWhat people are saying.
Great customer service — shipped quickly, packaged appropriately. Will shop here again. Thank you!
Really cute and well made. Arrived on time. You can tell these were put together with real care.
The eggs were absolutely beautiful and so fresh. You can truly taste the difference when hens are raised right.
Come find us
on the land.
We're a small, working homestead — a heads-up before you visit is always appreciated. Call, text, or drop us a message and we'll let you know what's fresh and what's coming up.