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The Bettencourt Family has been involved with farming in Rhode Island for
over 100 years. It started in 1905 when Manuel Bettencourt, an immigrant from the Azores, purchased land in Warren, RI. The farm was originally a
dairy farm and consisted of approximately 22 acres. It was turned over to Manuel's son, Frank, around 1950. Around 1967, Frank turned the farm over
to his brother Alfred, who converted it to a vegetable farm and continued to farm the land with his son Alfred, Jr. until he passed away.
Around 1995 the Bristol County Water Works took about 7 acres by eminent
domain. Alfred had a life estate in the house and farm. He passed away in 2007 and the farm reverted back to the family, which consists of 13
individual families. The land is for sale today. Alfred also owned about an acre of land in Swansea, MA where he and his son operated a roadside stand for over 30 years.
Al, Jr. and his wife, Gail, continued to farm the land in Swansea and sold the vegetables at a farmer's market in Providence.
They did this for two years, commuting from their home in Coventry; but in 2009 decided to look for another home. They soon
stumbled across a house in Pascoag while on their way to look at another house, and made an offer on the home the first day they saw it.
Today Al and Gail continue to be in the farm business with an honor stand at their home in Pascoag.
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