Originally published in the Republican Journal. Photo by Greta Rybus. By John Piotti The storm hit at 6 p.m. July 28. Torrential rain. Plum-sized hail. Wind gusts of 70 mph pummeling everything from all directions. “It looked like a thunderstorm,…
At Springdale Farm in Waldo, 92-year-old Lois Whitcomb is trying to create a future for the farm she purchased with her late husband, Colby, in 1951. At 488 acres, this large, protected farm property is the result of multiple land purchases…
Originally posted in SeaCoastOnline. OGUNQUIT, Maine – Paul Lapierre and his family recently completed an agricultural easement on Lapierre Farm in Berwick. The easement was arranged and funded in cooperation with Maine Farmland Trust and Great Works Regional Land Trust.…
People have been growing food in the upper Kennebec Valley for thousands of years. Native Americans and European settlers alike recognized that the intervale land, at the confluence of the Sandy and Kennebec Rivers, is some of the most productive…
Bruce and Rosemary Ballard bought Ballard Farm in St. Albans/Palmyra 1964, and on January 29, 2015 the couple closed on an easement that will ensure their 372 acres are protected as farmland forever. For 21 years, the Ballards ran a…
In October, Maine Farmland Trust closed on a purchased easement with Valle-Vu Farm in Ripley. The property has a rich history as farmland, and owner Frank Spizuoco is passionate about continuing the tradition and making sure that the land stays…
Cultivating land can enrich our lives beyond the basic provision of agricultural products. Last June, Maine Farmland Trust closed on a purchased easement with…
It's not easy to be a dairy farmer, but at Holt Farm in Canaan, three people have forged a relationship to give a historic dairy farm a future. Mike Holt’s family has been farming in the Canaan area for…
There are many reasons to protect farmland, and there is often an added economic benefit to farmland owners. By selling the development rights on a farmland property, land owners can then use those funds to re-invest in their farm business,…
Photo: Back: Jason Wade, Erin Wade, Judy Bennett, Steve Bennett. Front: Julia Wade and Brendan Wade There are lots of reasons to protect farmland: to prevent encroaching development, to help make land more affordable for new farmers, or to ensure…