In a jam: Cooking up how to preserve iconic Acton grapes

Plant lovers and town staffers are putting their heads together to save a set of historic Acton grapevines from a wrecking ball’s wrath. 

Vines currently sprawl over a small plot next to the former Welch’s headquarters on Baker Avenue. Zoning Board of Appeals Chair Theo Kindermans said the landlord plans to demolish part of the vacant office in the spring.

Officials have a few leads on places to transplant the beloved vines, and some gardeners are eager to help preserve a piece of agricultural history. 

“Acton has a lot of claims to fame,” said Tim Parker, who currently grows grapes at the Hugh Cargill Community Garden on Walden Street. “But that’s kind of a unique one.” 

Historic grapes

Ephraim Wales Bull developed the Acton grape here in the mid-1800s. Welch’s opened in New Jersey in 1869 and launched a slew of Acton grape products over the years. The company relocated to Acton in the 1980s and grew deep roots here before moving to Waltham this year.

Taurus Investment Holdings owns the larger Baker Avenue complex that Welch’s once called home. Taurus anticipates starting demolition in spring 2026 in preparation for a new apartment complex called Novo Riverside Commons.

Most of the building will remain, but the work would squash plants grown from cuttings of Bull’s original vine. 

The current vineyard will become a parking lot. 

Town Planner Elizabeth Hughes is among those trying to save the vines and the grapes they engender. She told The Acton Bridge that she had some potential locations as of October 29, “but nothing has been finalized.” 

Agricultural Committee co-Chair and Hutchins Farm staffer Liza Bemis said her team heard about the relocation effort, but “it’s not a good fit for us.” And Lise Holdorf of Barrett’s Mill Farm said that the town reached out, but “unfortunately we don’t have the capacity (or expertise).”

Hughes said the vines will likely go to multiple sites. Acton’s community gardens are one possible taker.

Community garden 

Parker said he’s been gardening at the Hugh Cargill parcel for eight years. The garden is one of four in town where people can rent individual plots. 

Roughly five years ago, Parker expanded his domain to an overgrown patch of grass with grape leaves peeking into view. He trimmed the grass and nursed the vines back to health. 

Parker hadn’t grown grapes before, but he studied up, became the area’s “default grape person,” and now helps with several plants. He lets others, like gardener Lai Chan, take his crop. Chan cooks the grapes into jelly and pays Parker back with a jar. 

One of Chan’s friends made jelly every year. She lived in town and has since died. “I make [the jelly] kind of remembering her,” Chan said.

Standing on the other side of the field one recent afternoon, Parker and Hugh Cargill garden coordinator Michelle Wiggins agreed the place could be a good fit for some of the Welch’s vines, although he said Acton grapes “don’t always take kindly to being moved.”

Minding their beeswax 

A Taurus spokesperson told The Bridge that the team has offered to coordinate digging with their contractor “to ensure the plants are handled with care.” She had no update on the timeline for the rest of the Novo project. 

In addition to grapes, at least two beehive boxes sit within the footprint of the envisioned 201-unit apartment buildings. Taurus plans to continue its bee program and is working with its vendor to relocate the hives. 

Hughes said she’ll gather a team of volunteers in the spring to cut back the Welch’s vines, dig them up, and move them. 

“If there [is] someone who is an expert on this process, I would love to talk with them,” she said.