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William Spence was born in County Donegal, Ireland, in 1877, and emigrated to the U.S. in 1897. He worked hard for the American dream, and by 1920 owned a furniture store in Arlington, MA. In 1934, his doctor advised him to move to the country for his health, so he sold the store and bought a farm on Lowell Street in Woburn, MA. Must have been good advice, since he lived to the age of 96! He and two of his sons, Robert (Bob) and Albert (Bud), learned to farm from local farmers and by reading pamphlets from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In 1946, the Spences bought another farm on Wyman Street in Woburn, where the farm offices are today. In 1951, they opened a retail farmstand on Wyman Street to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to the local community. This photo shows the second farmstand to be built on the Woburn site, after a barn fire in February, 1979 destroyed the first.

The family also leased land in Woburn and Burlington where Route 128 (I-95) now runs, growing vegetables for local and Boston markets. During harvest seasons, Bob and Bud took turns driving to Quincy Market every few days with fresh-picked produce. The truck would be loaded after supper, and the chosen brother would arrive at the market around midnight, sleeping in the truck until the market opened at 5 am. After selling the produce through a market agent, Bob or Bud would enjoy a hearty breakfast at Durgin Park or another local restaurant and then drive home for a little more sleep. The other brother worked in the fields that day. Later, when the farm acquired a second truck, William's wife Mabel often drove it, so one brother would always be available at the farm.

During World War II, the Spences delivered produce directly to the U.S. Army in South Boston and the U.S. Navy in Charlestown. Army deliveries were made to Commonwealth Pier, where the produce could be loaded directly onto the convoy ships. In the summer of 1945, since labor was scarce, Bud Spence drove to Fort Devens to pick up German prisoners of war (and their guards) to work in the fields. Bud remembers that most were farmers' sons in Germany, and were happy to have the opportunity to escape from the camp for a little while. Bud and Bob supplemented their Army lunch with candy and other incidental treats, and sometimes Mabel cooked them a few chickens to take back to the camp. A couple of the men wrote to the Spences after they were repatriated, thanking them for their kindness.

To be continued ....