Introducing the Maine Farms Podcast!

This summer, MFT intern Diego Velasquez produced six pilot episodes for the Maine Farms Podcast. Diego interviewed farmers around the state on two timely topics: Farm Succession, and the intersection of Farming and Climate Change. The podcast explores both of these issues through candid conversations with Maine farmers. Over the next month, we'll release episodes from both the Farm Succession and the Farming and Climate Change series, so stay tuned for the latest episodes!

First up: An episode from the Farm Succession series, featuring Jo Barrett, a farmer who found a way to transfer her farm to the next generation of farmers. For many years, Jo and her late husband operated King Hill Farm in Penobscot, Maine. When unexpected health issues made it impossible to keep farming, Jo found a younger couple willing to take on the farm, and together they puzzled out how to transfer the operation. In this episode, Jo shares the ups and downs of her journey with succession planning and why she is grateful she started thinking about it early.

Sidenote: This Farm Succession episode is launching as we prepare for our annual confence on the same topic -- the Farmland Access & Transfer Conference, co-hosted with our partners at Land For Good. The conference is a day of practical workshops to better understand the options, resources, and steps to accessing or transferring your farm or farmland. Last year's conference drew over 130 farmers, policymakers, service providers and advocates and featured storytelling, skill-building workshops, and thoughtful discussion around farmland access and transfer challenges and successes.Whether you are a landowner, a farm seeker, a service provider, or simply interested in learning more about the importance of the future of farming in Maine- we will have something for everyone! Learn more here.

Listen to this first episode below, and keep an eye out for more episodes coming soon!