Q&A: Lookout Farm overhauls U-pick, grows brewing operations
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Lookout Farm in Natick brews beer and cider.
Belkin Family Lookout Farm in Natick purports to be one of the oldest working farms in the country, having first been settled in 1650, according to the company’s website. Most recently, the farm was purchased by Joan and Steve Belkin, who took over in 2005. In the years since, Lookout has launched the Lookout Taproom, which sells beer and hard cider. Social media director Laura Neville spoke with WBJ about how the brew operations work in conjunction with the farming side of business, as well as what it’s been like weathering the coronavirus pandemic.
What was it like deciding to add the brew and cider operation to the farm?
The exciting decision to produce hard cider and beer all started with the initial question: How can we best use the fruit that we grow? Integrating our farm grown fruits into our beers and ciders was the natural progression.
What is it like balancing a farm with a brew- and-cider operation? Are the two symbiotic?
Our farming operation and beverage production share a symbiotic relationship. Everything we grow serves as our inspiration when developing flavor profiles. We use thousands of pounds of fruit at a time when producing cider, so there is a good deal of coordination between our farming and beverage production teams as to what fruit is needed, how much and timing. We just harvested and processed 1,200 pounds of sugar pumpkins just the other day.
What has life on the farm been like since the pandemic struck?
Since the pandemic struck, life on the farm has been non-stop, especially with our fruit U-pick season in full swing. We quickly realized we needed to evolve our business to survive, so we re-envisioned our U-pick operation and opened up an all-outdoor two-acre restaurant.
Have you learned any valuable business lessons since the pandemic hit?
Valuable lessons learned from the pandemic: Stay nimble and manage your emotions; be ready to acknowledge when something’s not working; and be willing to make a change.
Is there anything new and exciting coming down the pipeline?
As for new and exciting things in the pipeline, let’s just say we’re working on some ideas to further enhance the farm guest experience.
This interview was conducted and edited for length and clarity by WBJ staff writer Monica Busch.
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