Terra Nova Orchards

Most settlers in the 1800s planted orchards and Terra Nova was no exception. The Mellis family had the largest orchard on Lulu Island with at least 100 apple, cherry, and pear trees planted in seven long rows that ran north to south.

In the 1950s, farmers transformed fields stretching to the south, creating intensively cultivated commercial vegetable gardens. They grew hay, oats, and barley and kept cows on the Parson’s property, along with Bantam chickens, guinea hens, rabbits, sheep, geese, and bees.