Diversified and Organic

A farm stand, this one all organic

  Some farmers are very diversified, they raise and sell vegetables, fruit, meat and cheese; all organically raised or grown.  Farms of this type have increased the number of farms in the State.  Usually small and family operated they seem to give an adequate return on investment.  They remind me of a family farm many years ago that were self-sufficient, the difference being that they are more productive so there is product to sell.

They raise animals for meat.

Animals for meat, fiber or cheese



...and a few fresh eggs, all free range



Alpaca

Unshorn and badly in need of a 'haircut'

Part of the crew

   Guanaco on a picnic?  Llama see, Alpaca lunch!
I know that's an old joke, but it's early, and it's the best I can do.  Alpacas are raised for their wool, it's like mohair, very soft and warm.  There are several farms in Maine that raise alpacas, some like Two Sons Farm, herd shown above, have a large number of animals, others have only a few.
  They are quite hardy and do well in Maine's climate.  Like raising sheep the herd needs to be moved to different pastures to prevent damage to grass roots.




Shearing underway.

Local cows....

Charolais in Hampden - click

  There are many small or medium sized farms all over Maine, some have a few cows either for milk or meat, or both.  Some farms raise vegetables for a farmers market, and of course family run orchards or tree farms.  Today we're going to look at just the few town surrounding where I live here in east-central Maine.

Black Angus in Hermon - click

My personal favorite, the Ayrshire bull in Hermon - click

Holsteins at a medium sized dairy farm in Winterport - beautiful - click

Christmas Wreaths...

A wreath workshop

...believe it or not are a big part of the Maine economy.  There are two large companies and a lot of small operations.  It starts with "tippers" men and women who go tipping are people who take the ends or tips of brances from evergreen trees.  Careful works means not much damage is done to the tree.  It takes maybe a dozen, or more, tips to make a wreath.  Wreaths are assembeled by wireing the tips to a wire frame, then decorations may be added, pine cones, ribbons or berries. 
  Many wreaths are sold in roadside stands, one factory supplies L L Bean, and Worcester Wreath sells a lot the the mail or internet.  That company, Worcester, also supplies and operates Wreaths Across America which decorates Arlington National Cemetary.  Worcester makes and trucks the wreaths, and they are placed by volunteers from many towns and cities, it's a wonderful gesture.

Wreaths at Arlington - click



The finishing touch



Worcester Wreath

 


 

Standardbred Horses

And...they're off and running!

  Standardbred horses are raised for Harness Racing, the only kind of racing in Maine, so there are some farms that raise them.  One of them, near where we lived a short time ago is the source of the photos (other than the above) taken by my lovely wife.
  The animals are beautiful to look at, especially the colts that run, and I believe hard to train.  They must pace or trot (different leg placement) and not run.  The front and back legs on the same side move forward or backward at the same time.  Given that they still are very fast.  The few times I've gone to the races it's always a fun time, but it's been a long time since I've been.

Hanging out with Mom.

Family time (Dad's aren't welcome - yet)

Roadside attraction

Potatoes

Spraying for Potato Bugs

  I didn't think we would leave the farms until we talked about Maines' number one crop, potatoes.  At one time Maine was the largest producer in the country, that was about 50 years ago.  Now it's still the most important crop.  Crops are rotated, so last years field of 'taters is probably going to be canola or oats this year.  Broccoli is also grown but hasn't reached the point of being an "important" crop.
  Every year at picking time, or digging time, that years crop of rocks is piled up, Maines' rocky soil still presents a problem, even as the machinery gets larger those rocks are a problem, there are large piles at the edge of a lot of fields, large piles, small rocks (baseball size).
  Most of the crop from Maine goes to frozen french fries or for potato chips (they're called chippers), and important part of the crop are seed potatoes.  You just can't cut up any old potato for seed, those are grown, sent to Florida (mostly) replanted and then cut for seed.  That is the biggest part of preventing plant diseases - there's a reason for everything I guess.

Seed potato crop in blossom, there are white or purple blossoms.



Off the fryer



A lot of Central Maine farms raise chippers for Frito-Lay

Seafood

A little variety

  Seafood is Maine to some people, and it provides a living for many.  There isn't, yet, a way to farm lobster, Maines' most famous seafood, but believe me it's being developed.  Right now, the products in that header make up the successfully farmed seafood.
  It started with salmon, it was being farmed overseas, mostly in Norway, and researchers got held from there.  Most of the Salmon farming is done in Cobscook Bay and near Eastport.  Oyster and Mussel farming got a start soon after, those are grown on ropes since they don't swim.
  These farms are all protected and use net fences to keep them where they belong, just like livestock on a farm on land, they just look different.  The University of Maine and some private companies are now working on a way to farm Cod, then it's on the Halibut, two very popular fish which could use a little help since natural sources have been over-fished in the past.


Mussels on a rope in Blue Hill Bay



Salmon pens near Eastport



Experiments with Cod farming