Daytripping in Maine - 2002

Welcome to The MOF&G's annual Daytripping feature! We had a tremendous response to our request for farms and gardens to visit this summer. Between these and the practical workshops that MOFGA is hosting (thanks to generous support from the Maine Initiatives Harvest Fund), beginning and experienced growers have much to see. Find out how to keep bees, identify mushrooms, please chefs, milk cows, tincture herbs... Almost anything you want to learn is covered in these farm and garden visits and workshops. So grab your Delormes Atlas and head for the farms! Please leave the dog at home...

Daytripping Dates

ANDROSCOGGIN COUNTY

Dates: Open daily from 6 to 6 on weekdays and 8 to 5 on weekends. Open House on July 28 in conjunction with Open Farm Day. Garlic Festival August 10. Octoberfest October 26. The two latter dates feature family fun events, food and wine tasting, and sit-down meals. Reservations are preferred for the Octoberfest dinner sampler.

Directions: From Route 4 take Route 117 north for 1 mile. The house and store are on the left. From Augusta, take 133 in Winthrop to 219 to 117 in N. Turner. Go 6 to 8 miles to the top of the hill.

Address: 284 Turner Center Rd., Turner ME 04282; Tel. (207)225-3231.

AROOSTOOK COUNTY

WoodPrairie FARM IN BRIDGEWATER is a 110-acre, MOFGA-certified organic farm with 45 acres in rotated cropland. Jim and Megan Gerritsen and their family raise certified tablestock and seed potatoes, carrots, vegetables, milling grain (wheat, oats, rye, spelt and corn) and hay. The Gerritsens market their crops through a mail order catalog and wholesale to mail order seed companies and natural food stores.

Date: July 28, in conjunction with Open Farm Day. A walking tour will take place from 2 to 4 p.m.

Directions: From Bridgewater, at the big white school and church, take the West Road for 3 miles to a "T" and turn left. The farm is 1/3 mile in on the right. The mailbox says Gerritsen, but the farm is 600 yards further in.

Address: WoodPrairie Farm, 49 Kinney Rd., Bridgewater ME 04735; Tel. 425-7741.

CUMBERLAND COUNTY

Dates: Sunday, June 30, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday, July 28, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

From Rt. I 95 take exit 17 onto Rt. 1 south. At the first stop light take a right to East Main Street then take a right on East Main Street and first left onto North Road. Travel this for 3 1/2+ miles, going over three different sets of railroad tracks. Avalon Farm is just after the third set of tracks on right.

Address: 1167 North Road, North Yarmouth, ME 04097; 829-5386.

THE OXFORD STREET GARDEN PROJECT IN PORTLAND is an Urban Community Garden designed to help foster hope and healing of homeless clients who are staying at Portland Shelters and/or using the services of the Preble Street Resource Center. The project, coordinated by Cathleen Prata, provides education and employment opportunities in an herbal and vegetable garden and herbal cottage industry while fostering community life.

Date: July 18, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m

Directions: The garden is on Oxford Street in Portland. Coming from the south, take 295N, take exit 6A, stay straight on Forest Ave. for not even 1/4 of a mile, turn left onto Cumberland, turn left on Elm, turn right on Oxford; it is #197-203 . Coming from the north, take 295S to exit 7(Franklin St), stay straight on Franklin Street for less than a half mile and then turn right onto Cumberland Ave. From Cumberland Ave. take a left onto Elm, then a right onto Oxford St. It is #197-203

Tel: (207)775-0026

SUNRISE ACRES FARM IN CUMBERLAND CENTER is managed by Sally Merrill and John Bliss. Located on 148 acres, 10 miles northwest of Portland, the farm is diversified, with sheep, beef cows, laying hens, pastured poultry, bee hives, and a 4-acre organic garden. On Open Farm Day, Sunrise offers garden tours/pasture walks on the half hour and hay rides on the hour. During the walking tour, the principles of rotational grazing and the consequences for the land, the livestock, and human beings who participate will be explained.

Date: Sunday, July 28, 9:30 A.M. to 12:30 P.M.

Directions: From Interstate 495, take Exit 10, turn left, go one mile to the second light, turn right, bear left at all forks. Three miles on the left. From Interstate 295, take Exit 10, turn right, at light turn right onto Route 9, go three and half miles. Just before the Mobil on the left, turn left onto Winn Road. The farm is the second one on the right.

Address: 42 Winn Road, Cumberland Center, ME 04021; Telephone: 829-5594

HANCOCK COUNTY

BEECH HILL FARM is managed by Lucian Smith and Maggie Smith and is owned by College of the Atlantic. This organic vegetable farm has 6 races of crops, including strawberries, lettuce, herbs, a mix of many varieties of vegetables, heirloom apple orchards, and a small herd of Scotch Highland beef cows.

Date: The farmstand is open Tues., Thurs. and Sat. from 8-5 from July through September. Visiting should be restricted to these days. The farm will be open to the public from 10 to 4 on Open Farm Day, July 28, as well, when tours will be given throughout the day.

Directions: 102 S through the town of Somesville, right on Pretty Marsh Rd. at blinking yellow light, first left (Beech Hill Rd.). Farm is 1 ½ miles up road on right hand side.

Address and phone: Box 171, Beech Hill Rd., Mount Desert, ME 04660; 244-5204

THE GOOD LIFE CENTER, FOREST FARM, IN HARBORSIDE, is the last homestead of Scott and Helen Nearing. It is now maintained by resident stewards and features the Nearings’ hand-built stone home and thriving organic gardens. It is located on Penobscot Bay with a view of the Camden Hills and is open year-round, with afternoon tours given by the stewards.

Dates: July and August.--open six days, 1 to 5 p.m., closed Wednesdays. September through June--open five days, 1 to 5 p.m., closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. (Please call ahead during winter months.) In addition, Monday Night Meetings are held, usually at 7 p.m., from mid-June through mid-September. These cover a range of topics, from organic gardening to economic justice. Contact The Good Life Center for this year’s schedule.

Directions: Take I-95 north to Exit 30, Augusta. Take Route 3 to Belfast, then Route 1 north through Bucksport to Orland. *Take Route 15 south toward Blue Hill. Turn right onto Route 199, go to the end. Turn left onto Route 175 south to Brooksville. Turn right onto 176 going west. Follow signs for Holbrook Island Sanctuary, which is on the way to Forest Farm. Stay on 176 west toward South Brooksville, and take a right onto Cape Rosier Road. Go past Holbrook Island Sanctuary on the right, Undercliff on the left. At the grange, turn right, follow the road to the end, then turn left to Orrs Cove. Go 2 miles to Forest Farm on Cape Rosier, Harborside.

From the north, take I-95 to Bangor, then Route 15 south through Bucksport to Orland. Continue from * above.

Address: 372 Harborside Rd., Harborside 04642; Tel. 326-8211.

FRANKLIN COUNTY

KHADIGHAR IN INDUSTRY, MAINE, is a unique example of veganic farming--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).

Dates: Sunday, July 28, 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.

Sunday, August 4, 2:00 p.m., rain or shine: Scatterseed Project--Tour of seed propagation plots and screen house, including discussion of pollination control strategies. Hundreds of varieties of many 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.

WHITEHILL FARM IN EAST WILTON, OWNED BY MICHAEL AND AMY LEBLANC, has 100 acres, 15 in hay, 5 in gardens and pasture, and 80 in woods. They raise diversified, certified, organic, heirloom vegetables and herbs. There are 50 raised beds, crops grown under cover, and gardens planted to vegetables, herbs, and everlasting flowers. Garden tours all day will show organic and intensive techniques, vegetable trials, mulching, rotation and cover crops. Composting, food dehydrating, root cellaring, seed saving and season extension handouts will be available. The small Kitchen Garden Store, where you can sample produce, organic vinegars, pesto, garlic and herb mixes, will be open all day. Come and pet the donkeys! Drink sun tea and lemonade!

Dates: Sunday, July 28, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Directions: From Route 2 (at Franklin Memorial Hospital), go south on 133, 1 1/2 miles to the first four corners. Go left on McCrillis Corner Road and up the hill 1/2 mile. The house is on the right across from the white farm house.

Address: Whitehill Farm, PO Box 273, 357 McCrillis Corner Road, E. Wilton ME 04234; 778-2685.

KENNEBEC COUNTY

Date: Group tours can make arrangement by calling. (Tours usually are planned for 9:30 a.m. and can last 1 to 2 hours with an educational program,

Directions: North: take Rt 202/9 into Albion. Coming into Albion, there is a small hill. At the top of the hill, make a LEFT onto the Hussey Rd. Go 2 1/2 miles (bearing right at the fork). The farm will be located on the left. Look for the farm sign.

South: take Rt 202/9 into Albion. Pass Truevalue Hardware store on the left (H.L.Keays & Sons). Take the next right onto the Hussey Rd. Go 2 1/2 miles (bearing right at the fork). The farm will be located on the left. Look for the farm sign.

Address: 16 Duck Pond Rd., Albion, ME 04910; tel. 207-437-2441

STONY BROOK HERB FARM IN FAYETTE is owned and operated by Linda and Greg Nelson. Their 150-year-old farm is surrounded by more than an acre of beautiful organic herb, vegetable and flower gardens. While you are there, tour the restored barn recently converted into an educational center and drying facility. Linda and Greg sell quality dried medicinal herbs, tea blends and other herbal products. They also offer herbal classes throughout the summer and will be hosting an Open Garden Day, listed below. Call or email for a schedule of classes.

Date: Aug. 3--Open Gardens from noon to 4:00 p.m. and Free Herb Walk at 1:00 p.m.

Directions: From Augusta, head west on 202, 11, 17 & 100 to Manchester, turn right on 17 and go 10 miles to Kents Hill. Turn right on 41 toward Mount Vernon, go 3.5 miles to the "chimney" where Route 41 crosses the stream between Echo Lake and Taylor Pond; take Sandy River Road to the left and go 1 mile to Stony Brook Herb Farm on the left.

Address: Stony Brook Herb Farm, RR 2 Box 5150, Kents Hill ME 04349, 207-293-4185; info@stonybrookherbfarm.com; www.stonybrookherbfarm.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 have 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. This is the first year for the garden, so it will be interesting to see how much we can accomplish in a few months.

Date: The garden is always open to the public. If you want 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

AVENA INSTITUTE IN WEST ROCKPORT is a nonprofit organization that teaches about many aspects of herbs. The following walks and workshops are planned for this summer.

June 12, 6 to 8 p.m., Wild Plant Walk--Identifying and learning about trees and wild plants and their practical, edible and medicinal uses at Avena Institute; taught by Nancy Reitze, a Recreational Maine guide, naturalist and herbalist. Fee: $15 members, $20 non-members.

June 19, 4 to 5 p.m., Monthly Garden Walk--Join Deb Soule for an early summer medicinal herb walk through Avena's herb gardens. Free.

June 28, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Nourishing Our Spiritual Lives: A Retreat Day for Women-- Explore how women can nourish their spiritual lives within the context of daily living, including sitting and walking meditations in the garden and a nourishing lunch, taught by herbalist Deb Soule and registered Maine Guide and meditation instructor Ann Delenbaugh. Fee: $80 members, $85 non-members.

July 10, 4 to 5:30 p.m., 8th Annual Avena's Fairy Tea Party--Join us for tea, cookies and fairy fun and an informative garden walk led by Deb Soule. Come dressed as your favorite garden fairy and bring a friend. The Young and Wise, Female and Male are all welcome. Free.

July 14, Georges River Land Trust Gardens in the Watershed Tour--Avena’s Herb Garden will be one of the gardens featured in the Georges River Land Trust 11th Annual Tour. Contact 594-5166 for information.

July 27, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Introduction to Medicinal Herbs--for any person interested in beginning to learn how to use medicinal herbs for nourishment and healing; taught by herbalist Lynnsey Carroll. Fee: $70 members, $75 non-members.

August 3, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Aphrodite In Summer: A Day for Women in Avena's Garden--This day of retreat and fun will be conducted in the spirit of Aphrodite. We will create a safe and nurturing female space to explore her realm through poetry, art, creative expression and the healing use of herbs; taught by writer and teacher Patricia Reis and herbalist Deb Soule. Fee (includes organic vegetarian lunch, herbal teas, oils and creams): non-members $90; members $85.

August 10, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Naturopathic Approaches to Preventing and Treating Cancer--This class will offer ways to prevent and treat cancer by understanding naturopathic approaches to health and wellness; taught by Naturopathic Doctor Celeste Bonde. Fee: non-members $75; members $70.

August 14, 4 to 5 p.m., Monthly Garden Walk--Join Deb Soule for a summer medicinal herb walk through Avena's herb gardens when the garden is full of extraordinary color. Free.

For more information, contact Avena Institute, 219 Mill St., P. O. Box 333, West Rockport, ME 04865; phone: 594-2403; fax 594-2975; e-mail institute@avenaherbs.com.

THE ELEVENTH ANNUAL "GARDENS IN THE WATERSHED" TOUR is sponsored by the Georges River Land Trust and features five gardens plus one land conservation easement in and around Knox County. Three short talks/demonstrations will take place, including a demonstration of the Maine Master Gardeners’ project at Brae Maple Farm in Union (also the site of the conservation easement); a demonstration and talk about setting up window boxes and container gardens by Jan Macdonald of Barley Joe Farm; and a talk by Deb Soule at Avena Herb Gardens entitled, "Growing and Using Medicinal Herbs." Both Brae Maple and Avena are MOFGA-certified organic farms.. Tickets are $15 ($12 in advance). A catered bag lunch is available by pre-order.

Date: July 14, The tour will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine.

For more information, contact Jane Rasmussen at 372-6390 or rasmusjohn@aol.com.

THE MORRIS FARM TRUST IN WISCASSET is a non-profit, educational farm. It is home to a small organic herd of dairy cows, vegetable garden, raspberry patch, pastured poultry and pigs. The Morris Farm also hosts educational programming throughout the year; offers field trip programs for elementary school children in the spring and fall; winter and summer day camps; a new overnight camp for young women; and programs for adults.

Second Annual Morris Farm Peerless Perennial Plant Sale: Saturday, June 8, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Home gardeners will find healthy, hardy, Maine-grown, heritage perennials from established Midcoast gardens for sale at reasonable prices. A sampling of books, tools, and gardening miscellanea will also be on offer. Delicious home-made goodies, including pies, cookies, breads, and savories, will quell shoppers' hunger as the plants will satisfy their appetites for interesting additions to their gardens. The proceeds of the sale will help underwrite the farm's summer programming.

Open Farm Day, Sunday, July 28, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. -- Tours of the farm throughout the day. Call for specific times. During evening milking at 4:00 p.m., try hand milking a cow and see how the cows are milked with the machine.

Tour de Farms IV, Sunday, August 11, is a bicycle tour of farms and farm stands to highlight and support cycling and local agriculture. Three different 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, Wiscasset, ME 04578; 882-4080

PRIMO'S RESTAURANT: Right on the grounds of Primo Restaurant in Rockland, Dan Gross grows a wide variety of vegetables, herbs, flowers and fruits. "We focus on growing what is most valuable when fresh, and hard to find varieties," says Gross. "In the back of the restaurant we grow row crops, while right around the restaurant we make our gardens as eye and nose appealing as possible."

Date: Sunday, August 18, from early morning until 3 p.m.

Directions: The restaurant and garden are located 1 mile south of downtown Rockland on Rt. 73 toward Owls Head. It’s right across from the technology school; look for the "Primo" sign on your right.

Address: 2 South Main St., Rockland ME 04854; Tel. 596-0770; contact person is Dan Gross; you can also check out Primo’s website for directions and a preview of the garden at http://www.primorestaurant.com.

LINCOLN COUNTY

AT BEAU CHEMIN FARM IN WALDOBORO, Wayne and Jo Ann Myers have a preservation farm with 18th and 19th century plants and livestock and early 1800 buildings. They raise old North Atlantic breeds of sheep, including Shetland and Soay; Silver Dorking and Dominique chickens; garden-variety ducks; a couple of donkeys; and Jersey cattle, which are not rare but were the milking mainstay 100 years ago. These animals are raised "close to organic" but are not certified. Wayne has a spinning wheel collection and can show how those operate, and he can provide background regarding types of wheels Beau Chemin markets certified organic cut flowers and vegetables. They hope to have their heirloom plants marked for visitors, or can provide information about them.

Date: August 3rd. Rain date is August 4. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Other time of day is OK if pre-arranged.

Directions: If traveling from points south on Rte 1, watch for Moody's Diner. From Moody's Diner in Waldoboro, head north 4 miles. Finntown Road is a right hand turn. Note that Finntown Road runs through three towns -Waldoboro, Warren and Friendship. The turn onto Finntown Road actually occurs in Warren. Don’t be concerned when you see a Warren town boundary marker before the Finntown Road turn.

If traveling from points north on Route 1, travel south through Thomaston and into Warren. Finntown Road is a left hand turn about 2.2 miles from Mainely Poultry.

If coming east or south on Rte 90 (from Camden or Rockport or Belfast), at the intersection of Rt. 90 and Rt. 1, go right or south on Rt. 1. Watch for Finntown road, a left hand turn approximately 1 mile from the Rt. 90 and 1 intersection.

Once on Finntown Road, proceed 3 1/2 miles on Finntown Road. The farm is at the top of a hill. There is a farm sign. The house is on the left, major garden area is on the left, greenhouse, livestock and barns on the right.

Address: 1749 Finntown Road, Waldoboro ME 04572; Tel. 207-832-5789

OXFORD COUNTY

SWALLOW SONG FARM IN BETHEL is owned by Tim McGuire and Beth Myers. The fields of this 25-acre certified organic farm slope down to the banks of the Androscoggin River. More than 200 varieties of perennials are for sale from spring through fall, along with organic growing supplies and products made by local folks. Produce, including culinary herbs, is available summer and fall, with seedlings for sale in the spring. Landscape services, licensed and insured, are available also. The farmhouse (originally a dwelling, shed and hay barn, c. 1776) and the cemetery on the farm, the Bartlett, are said to be the oldest in Bethel, and the post and beam barn dates back to the mid-1800s. Elizabeth Ingalls lived here and was the first Anglo woman to spend a winter in the area, then Sudbury Canada. For this distinction she was awarded a special hundred-acre lot of land. Bring a picnic, follow the path to the river or relax on the upper slopes. Bird watchers note: This is a great spot and the owners welcome your viewing

Dates: 2002 Farm Market hours: May 16 - June 30: Thursday-Sunday, 9-5; July 1 - September 15, Thursday-Sunday, 12-5.

Sunday, June 23, 12-5--Summer Solstice Celebration--Tour the farm and fields and celebrate the coming summer.

Sunday, July 28--Open Farm Day--See the farm at work and join your children in a kite making workshop with "papakite" from Midcoast Maine (call for more info).

Sunday, October 27, 12-4--Pumpkin Party--Join Tim and Beth for a pumpkin party--Pick your pumpkin and give it a face.

Directions: Leaving Bethel on Route 26 south, turn left at Intervale Road, travel 7 miles along the river.

Address: 1460 Intervale Rd., Bethel ME 04217; 824-0634; fax 824-7256; email farm1776@megalink.net.

SOMERSET COUNTY

Date: Noon to 4 p.m., Sunday, July 7. Every hour Tom and Lois will begin a walking tour of the raised bed gardens and trellised greenhouses, answering questions about composting, field preparation, growing, varieties, marketing, their CSA, or anything else that comes up. For more information see their website at http://www.members.mint.net/troberts/SOF/index.html.

Directions: From Exit 38 off I-95, head away from town. The Snakeroot Road is your second left, in about 2 miles. The driveway is 1/2 mile down on right. From the Unity area, take the Prairie Road (right off Rt 139, just after the river) and keep going until the end, when you are at Maine Central Institute in Pittsfield. Take a left, go about a mile until you get to Nancy's Restaurant at the corner of the Webb Road. Take the Webb Road to the end, and you are on the Snakeroot Road. Go right, and the farm in 1/2 mile on the left. When you are at the farm, all you see is a long driveway heading into the woods. If you look down the driveway, you can see our sign about 100 feet in.

Address: 3645 Snakeroot Road, Pittsfield ME 04967; Tel. 487-5056;

WALDO COUNTY

THE CURRA FAMILY FARM IN KNOX, owned by Susan & Peter Curra, is on land that has been farmed since 1814. The Curras have operated here since 1970. They have about 2 acres of MOFGA-certified vegetables, specializing in onions, shallots and leeks, but with a wide range of vegetables, from asparagus to pumpkins. Seventy-five acres of hayfields and 20 acres of pasture for their cattle along with a woodlot make up the 165 acre total.

Date: Saturday, June 15th. The Curras will guide visitors through their plantings and will be happy to share their practices at 10:00 a.m. and again at 2:00 p.m.

Directions: Located on Curra Road, which is 1/2 mile west of the intersection of Rte. 137 & 220 in Knox. Approximately 4 miles from MOFGA’s site, 18 miles outside of Belfast and 20 miles from Waterville.

Address: 80 Curra Road, Knox, ME. 04986; Tel.(207)382-6161.

KELMSCOTT FARM IN LINCOLNVILLE is a non-profit organization that conserves endangered livestock. Rare breeds are a unique attraction at Kelmscott. Visitors can also enjoy the heirloom herb garden. Daily activities and tours are available during the summer.

Dates: Tuesday-Sunday, 10a.m.to 5p.m., May 1 to Oct. 1, 2002

Admission: Adults: $5; children ages 4-15: $3; children under 4 are free. Admission is free on Open Farm Day, July 28, 2002.

Directions: Kelmscott is located on Rt. 52 in Lincolnville, 6 miles south of Belfast and 9 miles north of Camden.

Address: 12 Van Cycle Rd., Lincolnville, ME 04849; (207) 763-4088

WASHINGTON COUNTY

Date: Sunday, August 4, 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.

SCYTHE SUPPLY AND SHORE ROAD FARM IN PERRY are owned by Elliot Fishbein and Carol Bryan. Scythe Supply sells and promotes the European scythe and has all the equipment necessary to enable people to enjoy this healthy mowing alternative. Elliot and Carol teach and demonstrate the techniques of mowing and maintaining the tool. Their web site at www.scythesupply.com is a comprehensive resource for the scythe enthusiast.

Shore Road Farm is a MOFGA-certified, diversified, organic market garden. Crops include asparagus, high bush blueberries, raspberries, garlic, sweet melons, and a range of herbs and greens.

Date: Open Farm Day, July 28; for other times, please call.

Directions: Take Route 1 to Perry (near Eastport). On Route 1, opposite the Friendly Restaurant in Perry, turn into and follow the Shore Road. Drive 2.4 miles, look for mailbox # 496 (#33). The house is opposite the mailbox.

Address: 496 Shore Road, Perry, ME 04667; 853-4750.

YORK COUNTY

DAYS MEADOW FARM IN KENNEBUNK is owned by Dan Fleishman and Claudia Berman, who raise 2 acres of mixed vegetables in eight beds with flowers scattered throughout. Poultry are pastured in a 1/4-acre enclosure. The farm is surrounded by 65 acres of fields and woods in a conservation easement. Hiking trails lead to the Kennebunk River.

Date: July 14 and August 11, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Directions: Days Meadow Farm is located on Maine Route 35, 4.5 miles north of Turnpike Exit 3 and 2.5 miles south of Maine Route 111. Look for the sign at the driveway. Drive all the way to the end of the driveway, as it is shared with others.

Address: 889 Alewive Road, Kennebunk 04043; Tel. 985-6896.

LITTLE RIVER FLOWER FARM IN BUXTON is owned by Bruce "Gourdman" and Nancy Stedman, who grow annual and perennial cut flowers and a wide variety of vegetables. Their hardshell gourds, which they grow and on which they craft, are unique.

Dates: Sunday, June 23, 2 p.m.- 6 p.m.; Sunday, August 18, 2 p.m.- 6 p.m.; Sunday, September 15, 2 p.m.- 6 p.m.; or anytime by appointment.

Directions: From north and east: Driving west on Route 25 - 1/4 mile west of intersection Route 25 & 114 in Gorham, turn left onto Flaggy Meadow Road, go 5 miles to Groveville Center, bear slightly to the right onto Turkey Lane. They are 7/10 of a mile on the left. From south & west: Go east on Route 202 & 4 onto Route 22, go north at Gorham Tractor, approximate 3 miles, turn right onto Groveville Road at flashing yellow light (1.8 Miles to Groveville Center, left onto Turkey Lane, they are 7/10 of a mile on the left.

Address: Little River Flower Farm, 160 Turkey Lane, Buxton, Maine 04093; 207-929-3967