Daytripping 2004

Farms and Gardens to Visit this Summer

Welcome to The MOF&G's annual Daytripping feature! These tours offer much to beginning and experienced growers. Find out how to raise organic beef, harvest organic cranberries or use worms to make compost. Grab your Delorme Atlas and head for the farms! Please leave the dog at home...

If you would like to be included in the 2005 Daytripping list, please contact Jean English, 662 Slab City Rd., Lincolnville ME 04849; 763-3043; jenglish@midcoast.com.

Date	Farm
June 5	Morris Farm, Wiscasset--Perennial Plant Sale
June 23	Avena Botanicals Medicinal Herb Garden, W. Rockport
June 26	Morris Farm, Wiscasset--Dairy Day
July 11	Avant Gardens, W. Gardiner 13th Annual "Gardens in the Watershed" Tour Snakeroot Organic Farm, Pittsfield Morris Farm, Wiscasset--Local Foods Festival
July 18	Avant Gardens, W. Gardiner Khadighar, Industry--General Farm Tour
July 21	Avena Botanicals Medicinal Herb Garden, W. Rockport
July 25	Brae Maple Farm, Union Caldwell Farms Beef, Inc., Turner Mandala Farm, Gouldsboro Morris Farm, Wiscasset (This is Open Farm Day; check with your local Cooperative Extension office for more farm tours in your area.)
August 1	Crossroad Farms, Jonesport Khadighar, Industry--Scatterseed Project Tour
August 4	Avena Botanicals Medicinal Herb Garden, W. Rockport
August 7	Kiwihill Farm, Sidney The Red House Farm, Waldoboro
August 15	Raven’s Place Solar Homestead, Knox
August 22	Morris Farm, Wiscasset--Tour de Farms IV
October 2	Pat & Mike’s Garden, Ellsworth
October 9	Pat & Mike’s Garden, Ellsworth
Many dates	Appleton Children’s Garden, Appleton Beau Chemin Farm, Waldoboro Maine Coast Heritage Trust’s Belted Galloway Farm, Rockport

Androscoggin County

CALDWELL FARMS BEEF, INC., IN TURNER was established in 1944 and is now owned by Ralph Caldwell and is operated by Ralph, Sandra and Deed Caldwell. This third- and fourth-generation farm offers MOFGA-certified organic dairy and beef products; natural beef; shavings and biomass; and organic compost. The diverse operations of this farm have enabled more family involvement in the business.

Date: July 25

Directions: From Route 4 in Turner, at the intersections of Route 4 and 117, take Rt. 117 north for 3.9 miles. The farm will be on the right. A 100-acre field is on the left. From I95, take Exit 30B to Winthrop on Rt. 202. In Winthrop, take 133 W to Wayne. At the intersection of 133 and 219, go left onto 219. Head west through Leeds to N. Turner. At the intersection of 219 and 117, go left onto 117 heading south. The farm is approximately 3.5 miles on the left; a large field is on the right.

Address: 313 N. Parish Rd., Turner ME 04282; 225-3871.

Franklin County

KHADIGHAR IN INDUSTRY, MAINE, is a unique example of veganic gardening--maintaining soil fertility sustainably without animal manures. Molly Thorkildsen and Will Bonsall focus on self-sufficiency, growing a wide range of vegetables, fruits, grains and legumes. Special features include extensive terraces, solar-powered irrigation, intensive (not raised) beds, and the use of ramial chips (chipped branches of deciduous trees).

Date: Sunday, July 18, 2:00 p.m., rain or shine: General Farm Tour--Visitors’ interests usually draw this tour out to 2 1/2 to 3 hours, so plan accordingly.

Date: Sunday, August 1, 2:00 p.m., rain or shine: Scatterseed Project--Tour of seed propagation plots, including discussion of pollination control strategies. Many varieties of crops are grown. The discussion includes exploring plant genetic diversity in order to identify varieties that are suited to specific local conditions and uses.

Directions: From Farmington, follow Route 43 east to Allens Mills (about 4 miles). Continue on Route 43 for another 1 1/2 miles, past Junction 148. Continue on Route 43 another 1000 feet to the first road on the right. Follow signs.

Address: Khadighar, 39 Bailey Road, Industry, ME 04938. Tel. 778-3387.

Hancock County

PAT & MIKE’S GARDEN IN ELLSWORTH offers visitors a chance to pick their own cranberries every year on the first two Saturdays in October. This event gets a little bigger every year, and everyone seems to really enjoy it if the weather cooperates.

Dates: Oct. 2 and 9

Directions: Take Rt. 179 north out of Ellsworth (North St.). The farm is 3 miles up on the right.

Address: Pat & Mike MacFarlane, Pat & Mike’s Garden, 581 North St., Ellsworth, Maine. 667-3420; macfarlane@panax.com.

AT MANDALA FARM IN GOULDSBORO, Sara Faull, Genio Bertin and Margaret Youngs raise 3.5 acres of organic vegetables for a CSA, three farmers’ markets and for wholesale markets. They also raise sheep and cashmere goats for meat and fiber; chickens for organic eggs and meat; pigs and one dairy cow. They breed, raise, train and use Norwegian Fjord draft horses. These horses will be giving carriage rides around the farm for a small fee (weather dependent).

Date: Open Farm Day, July 25, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Directions: From Ellsworth: go north on Rte.1 toward Machias for approximately 15 miles. Take a right onto Rte. 186 toward Winter Harbor and the Schoodic section of Acadia National Park. Go 1 mile. At the top of the hill take a left onto Young's Farm Road. The farm is the second house on the road and has a sign at the end of the driveway.

Address: 46 Youngs Farm Rd., Gouldsboro ME 04607; 963-2984.

Kennebec County

AVANT GARDENS IN WEST GARDINER consists of small gardens in a suburban setting cultivated by June Zellers and Adam Tomash. Their 1.25-acre lot has about 0.25 acre in vegetable production plus nursery crops (trees, grapes, berries, daylilies) and a small orchard (cherries, peach, pear, apple and plum). They use drip irrigation, solar powered electric fencing, season extending, warm weather crop production for small scale gardeners (tomato, pepper, eggplant, cuke, melon), top grafting of old apple trees, hot frames for seedling production, vermicomposting (inside), large scale compost production, interesting celery growing techniques, and soil pest control using nematodes.

Date: July 11th and July 18th, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Directions: Go to Gardiner, turn up Highland Ave. -- the hill between the Irving Gas station (next to McDonalds) and the steel company. Proceed 2.9 miles toward West Gardiner. The house is a blue ranch on the right, number 751 (numbers go up from Gardiner). Call 582-5848 if you need more specific directions.

Contact: Adam Tomash, BlueMoon Macintosh Resources, 751 High St., West Gardiner ME 04345; 582-5848; bluemoonmac@prexar.com.

KIWIHILL FARM IN SIDNEY, owned by Tom Vigue, features veganic farming; intensive beds for vegetables; beans; some grains; an orchard, including kiwis; and medicinal herbs. Tom and Eileen Fingerman make all of their own compost and use the soil block method to start seedlings. Their stone house has a stone finish counterflow fireplace and an attached, passive solar greenhouse.

Date: Saturday August 7; tour starts at noon.

Directions: From Augusta, take Rt. 27 N to Rt. 23. Turn right onto Rt. 23 (Pond Rd.). Go exactly 2.0 miles down Rt. 23. Turn right onto Robinson Rd. Go 0.3 miles, then stay left at fork/mailboxes. Go down the dirt road and follow signs to parking.

Address: 127 Robinson Rd., Sidney 04330, 547-3000, kiwihill@midmaine.com

Knox County

THE APPLETON CHILDREN’S GARDEN grows at the Mildred Stevens Williams Memorial Library. The children of Appleton in conjunction with the Library's Summer Reading Program planted this garden, while Abbie Read of Artgarden developed the playful design. The plans call for a spiral path with bean tunnels and a teepee. A gazebo is an added feature.

Date: The garden is always open to the public. To take part in or experience the weekly children's programs, visit on Tuesday or Wednesday mornings in July to mid-August. Call Debbie Keiran for a garden activity schedule at 785-2418.

Directions: From Route 17 in Union turn northward onto Route 131, right between the John Deere and Ford tractor dealerships. The next town northward on Route 131 is Appleton, about five miles. Go north from Union on Route 131, past Sennebec Pond on the right, then bear right where Route 105 joins Route 131, staying on combined Routes 131 and 105 northbound past the Appleton Village School on the left. When you reach the village of Appleton (signs say to slow to 25 mph), turn onto Sennebec Road. The library will be on your left. Continue over the bridge of the St. George River and the garden will be on your right. Parking is available at the garden.

Address: Appleton Library, Sennebec Road, Appleton ME 04862; Tel. 785-5656

THE 13th ANNUAL "GARDENS IN THE WATERSHED" TOUR is sponsored by and benefits the Georges River Land Trust. This year seven diverse country gardens in Rockland, Thomaston, Spruce Head and Port Clyde are featured. Most have water views; one features a Japanese garden. A gourmet bag lunch is available by pre-order. Tickets are $15 in advance, $18 on tour day. Tickets and brochures for the self-guided tour are available from the GRLT office and at area bookstores.

Date: July 11, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine.

For further information, please contact Marnie Pease, Publicity Chair, at 230-1215 or marnie.pease@verizon.net.

COME TO MAINE COAST HERITAGE TRUST’S BELTED GALLOWAY FARM IN ROCKPORT to enjoy a scenic, pastoral setting where world-famous Belted Galloway beef cattle grace the pastures.

Date: The Visitor Center is open from late June through August, from noon to 4 p.m. Russell Ave. bisects the property, offering visitors the opportunity to view the landscape all year.

Directions: Take Rt. 1 to Camden and turn onto Chestnut St. beside Camden National Bank. Continue for 1 mile, where you will begin to see the farm on both sides of the road as it turns into Russell Ave. in Rockport.

Contact:Ron Howard, manager, 70 Russell Ave., Rockport ME 04856; 236-2739.

AVENA BOTANICALS AND AVENA INSTITUTE IN WEST ROCKPORT offer Monthly Garden Walks in the summer. Join Deb Soule for captivating walks through the Avena Botanicals Medicinal Herb Garden. Specific information about the uses and cultivation of various herbs will be shared.

Date: June 23, July 21, Aug 4, 4-5 p.m.; free

Directions: Follow Route 90 west from the Camden area to Mill Street, just after Tolman Pond. Take a left on Mill Street.

Address: 219 Mill St., W. Rockport, ME 04856; 594-2403.

AT BRAE MAPLE FARM IN UNION, walk through Andrea and Allen Smith’s MOFGA-certified organic vegetable, herb and dry flower gardens. The Master Gardener’s vegetable demonstration garden, period garden, and--new this year--medicine wheel will be on display also. Enjoy pastoral views from the historic 1787 farmstead and visit with Scotch Highland cattle, sheep, and miniature, standard and mammoth donkeys. Master Gardeners will be giving 30-minute talks throughout the day on a variety of topics, including composting, irrigation and making twig fences. Master Gardeners will also answer your gardening questions, and beekeepers Jean and Richard Vose will answer beekeeping questions. Wool spinning demonstrations will be ongoing, as will Garden Art by local artist Priscilla Cross. Herbal refreshments with recipes will be available.

Date: July 25 (Open Farm Day), 10 to 3.

Directions: From Union going west on Rt. 17, take the first right after the John Deere tractors onto North Union Road. Go 1/4 mile--it’s the first farm on the right. Look for signs.

Address: 233 N. Union Rd., Union ME 04862; 785-4978.

Lincoln County

BEAU CHEMIN FARM IN WALDOBORO is owned by JoAnn and Wayne Myers and includes organic flowers, berries and veggies; 18th & 19th century livestock; Shetland and Soay sheep, antique spinning wheels and spinning wool.

Date: Weekends, 10 to 4, July through September.

Directions: Turn south off Route 1 onto Finntown Road. The turnoff is 1.5 miles west of the Rt. 90 intersection in Warren and 3.5 miles east of Moody's Diner in Waldoboro. Beau Chemin is 3.5 miles down Finntown Rd., with two red barns on the right, parking and farm stand on left.

Address: 1749 Finntown Rd., Waldoboro ME 04572 832-5789; wwm@midcoast.com.

THE MORRIS FARM TRUST IN WISCASSET is a nonprofit organization that promotes the values of sustainable agriculture and stewardship of the earth through education, demonstration and community involvement. It is home to a small organic herd of dairy cows, a vegetable garden, raspberry patch, pastured poultry and pigs. The Morris Farm hosts educational programming throughout the year; offers field trip programs for elementary school children in the spring and fall; hosts winter and summer day camps and programs for adults.

Date: June 5, 10 a.m.--Annual Morris Farm Peerless Perennial Plant Sale. Home gardeners will find healthy, hardy, Maine-grown, heritage perennials from established Midcoast gardens for sale at reasonable prices to help support the farm’s summer programming. A sampling of books, tools and gardening miscellanea will also be offered. Delicious homemade goodies, including pies, cookies, breads and savories, will quell shoppers' hunger.

Date: June 26, 3 to 5 p.m. -- Dairy Day. Join The Morris Farm in celebrating Dairy month! Learn how to make butter and ice cream, and taste what you've made. Walk the cows in from the pasture to the millking barn and watch a milking demonstration.

Admission: $5/person, $15/family.

Date: July 11, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Local Foods Festival-- "Where the Fields Meet the Sea." Do you know where you food comes from? This festival connects us to our local food sources. Farmers and fishermen from Midcoast Maine will display and sell their goods. Meet the people who are responsible for the food that you eat, learn how to make butter and ice cream, listen to live music, indulge in fresh veggies and fish. Fun for the whole family! Free.

Date: July 25, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.--Open Farm Day. Tours of the farm throughout the day. Call for specific times. Milking demonstration at 4 p.m.

Date: August 22--Tour de Farms IV, a bicycle tour of farms and farm stands to highlight and support cycling and local agriculture. Three rides ranging from 18 to 108 miles begin and end at The Morris Farm. The tour is followed by an afternoon barbecue featuring produce and meats from the farms visited on the ride. Call for details, cost and to register.

Directions: From Augusta, take Route 27 S to Wiscasset. The farm is on the right after the Wiscasset Community Center, 3/4 mile before the intersection with Route 1. From the north, take Route 1 S to Wiscasset, take a right on Route 27 N. The Morris Farm is 3/4 mile down the road on the left, after the Wiscasset Primary School.

Address: The Morris Farm, P.O. Box 136, Route 27N., Wiscasset, ME 04578; 882-4080 or www.morrisfarm.org.

THE RED HOUSE FARM IN WALDOBORO, owned by Bill and Amy Hinkley, features an 1820s farmstead with 20 acres of organically managed wild Maine blueberries.

Date: August 7. Farm Tour at 10 a.m. We will walk the blueberry fields and discuss organic blueberry culture and harvesting practices.

Directions: In Waldoboro, turn onto 220 North (left if coming from the south, right if coming from the north) across from Moody’s Diner. After 2.4 miles, turn right onto Feylers Corner Rd. Go to the end of the road (3 miles). At the stop sign, go straight through the intersection. Take the first right onto Clary Hill Rd. Our house, a red cape, is the second on the left.

Address and phone number: 156 Clary Hill Road Phone: 832-6568

Somerset County

SNAKEROOT ORGANIC FARM IN PITTSFIELD, owned by Tom Roberts and Lois Labbe, features three greenhouses and 2 acres of fields, a small maple sugarbush and a very active composting operation. We grow a wide variety of veggies and herbs, produce many seeds for sale and for our own use, and attend the Unity, Pittsfield, Fairfield and Orono farmers' markets. We have a unique CSA plan, also. We compost chips, grass clippings, cow manure and leaves in two separate composting operations.

Date: July 11, noon to 5 p.m.

Directions: From I-95 Exit 150 in Pittsfield, go away from town (left if coming from the south, right if coming from the north) and go about 3 miles to the second left, which is the Snakeroot Road. We are on the Snakeroot Road, 1/2 mile from the Weeks Road end. A "Welcome visitors" sign will be at the end of our driveway.

Address: 3645 Snakeroot Road, Pittsfield ME 04967, 487-5056, tom@snakeroot.net, www.snakeroot.net.

Waldo County

RAVEN’S PLACE SOLAR HOMESTEAD IN KNOX is owned by Mike and Margie Shannon, who have a small, off-grid solar/wind homestead and gardens that produce much of their food for the year. To read about their integrated lifestyle, see the Dec.-Feb. 2002-2003 issue of ***The Maine Organic Farmer & Gardener.***

Date: Aug. 15, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Directions: Take Frye Mt. Rd. (formerly Getchell Rd.) off Route 137, 10 miles from Belfast. Go 1.2 miles on Frye Mt. Road. Look for the house with the solar panels.

Address: 241 Frye Mt. Rd., Knox ME 04986. 722-3772.

Washington County

CROSSROAD FARMS IN JONESPORT is owned by Arnold and Bonnie Pearlman, who raise 16 acres of approximately 300 varieties of vegetables, 2 acres of apple trees and have solar powered electricity and a composting operation. They started this homestead 34 years ago.

Date: August 1, noon to 2 p.m.

Directions: From Ellsworth, go 60 miles on Route 1 toward Machias to Route 187, Mason Bay Road. At the second junction of Route 187, turn right at the DOT sign for Crossroad Farms. Go 2.2 miles to a larger DOT sign and turn right on Indian River Crossroad, a gravel road. Go 1.5 miles to the farm.

Address: Box 3230, Jonesport 04649; Tel. 497-2641.