Volume 19, No.2, Fall/Winter 2020

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NEWSLETTER

PAID

Volume 19, No. 2

PERMIT NO. 30 FARMINGTON, ME

97 Main Street Belfast, Maine 04915

Fall/Winter 2020

phone: 207-338-6575 e-mail: info@mainefarmlandtrust.org website: mainefarmlandtrust.org RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Digging in to make a better future, together Across the country and right here in Maine, agricultural communities are weathering the overlapping crises of a pandemic, climate change, the economy, and inequity, all of which expose the vulnerabilities in our current food system, and threaten the future of local food production. Amidst all of the uncertainty of this year, we continue to find hope in Maine’s farm and food community, in the land that sustains us, and in our work to cultivate a thriving agricultural landscape, where farms feed our economy, steward our natural resources, and nourish all of us.

In This Issue:

Page 01: Digging in to make a better future, together Page 02: Farmland Protection Page 03: Farm Viability Page 04: Farm Viability Page 05: Farmland Access Page 06: Policy & Research Page 07: Outreach

Thank You to our featured Business Members!

Upcoming Exhibits A Reflection on Water Virtual Exhibit October 20-January 15

Joseph A. Fiore Art Center Residents Virtual Exhibit For a full list of our business members, and to find out how your business can join, go to: mainefarmlandtrust.org/business-members

January 25- April 9, 2021 mainefarmlandtrust.org/mft-gallery 97 Main Street, Belfast, ME 207.338.6575 mainefarmlandtrust.org

we’re talking about, knowing we’ll be doing this work for decades and generations.”

Alex Fouliard, Farming for Wholesale Program Manager “A farmer called the other day to describe a piece of unpromising ground he had reclaimed. By the end of the conversation he delightedly exclaimed, “I just put down thirty bales while we were talking.” Late October rains following long months of extreme drought yielded this much needed hay. This year has challenged farmers’ very survival from multiple threats, and yet they remain dedicated to their work and to the land, and their resilience inspires me.”

Nina Young, Farmland Project Development Specialist

As we near the end of 2020, we asked a few of our staff to share what’s giving them hope as they look to next year and to the future:

“As we experienced again this year, farmers are on the frontlines of climate change. I am looking forward to expanding MFT’s farmer services programs to support farmers in “Farmers are serious about assessing the anticipating and addressing the impacts ways their businesses interact with the of climate change on their farms. I’m wider systems of our society. I’m inspired excited to be part of the Climate by the folks who are keeping up the calls Adaptation Fellowship, a cohort of for change, and the farmers who are farmers and technical advisors who will listening and responding. The farmers in be learning together and experimenting our business planning program, Farming to integrate the growing body of climate for Wholesale, largely asked to use their change research into the day-to-day upcoming workshop time to learn from management decisions on farms. Given one another about becoming anti-racist MFT’s focus on farmland conservation, I businesses, creating land justice for think it is vital for our organization to find Wabanaki peoples and farmers of color, ways to assist farmers as they confront and to discuss how they reconcile their the challenges of climate change and business values with capitalism. There’s increase carbon sequestration on their urgency in doing this work today, and also farms increasing the resilience of commitment to the landscape change Maine’s farm businesses and our 97 Main Street, Belfast, ME 207.338.6575 mainefarmlandtrust.org

communities as a whole.”

Sarah Simon, Farm Viability and Farmland Access Program Director “When visiting with farmers whose land is protected by our conservation easements, I continue to be impressed by their resilience and willingness to adapt and innovate. It gives me hope that MFT’s programs are supporting these farmers and that even in the midst of a lot of uncertainty, our local farmers will be working hard to provide food for our communities.”

Lyndsey Marston, Stewardship Program Director Like the farmers we work with, MFT has had to adapt and innovate to meet the emergent needs of our community this year. We know we are stronger together, and that it will take all of us to create lasting solutions for a better future. As the crises of 2020 underscore, we don’t have time to wait. Whether you are most passionate about protecting Maine farmland from development pressure, increasing local food security for all in our region, or making sure that the future of farming includes everyone now is the time to invest, together, in durable, long-lasting change. We hope you’ll consider making a year-end gift to MFT today and growing the future that we all want for our families, our communities, and our world.

GIVE:

mainefarmlandtrust.org/donate-now 1

FARMLAND PROTECTION

OUTREACH

11 More Farms Protected Since our founding in 1999, we have permanently protected 317 farms and have helped to keep over 60,000 acres of farmland in farming through our protection and viability programs. MFT has multiple tools to protect farmland, depending on the situation, and we often work in collaboration with partner land trusts.

A FEW OF OUR RECENT FARMLAND PROTECTION PROJECTS:

Bahner Farm, Belmont Christa and Mike Bahner of Bahner Farm closed on the sale of an easement on a piece of farmland they recently purchased in order to expand their diversified vegetable farm. Bahner Farm has a popular farmstand along Route 3 in Belmont. The Bahners are excited to secure this piece of land to grow their operation, and are happy to know that it will remain available for agricultural use into the future.

William Bell, Saco Jason Bolton, Orono Stacy Brenner, Scarborough Dave Colson, Vice Chair , Durham Meredith Eilers, Chair, Bowdoinham Walter Fletcher, Pittsfield Eleanor Kinney, Bremen James Lawrence, Rockport Susan Morris, Waldoboro Taylor Mudge, Camden Steve Page, Bremen Jon Olson, Mt. Vernon Henry Whittemore, Treasurer, Readfield

STAFF

Louise and William Sanders closed on the purchase of a 310-acre property in Leeds, long operated as a dairy and then beef farm. With assistance from longtime friend and CPA, George Richardson, and MFT, farmers Haden Gooch and Katie Gualtieri were found for the farm transfer through our Buy-Protect-Sell Program. MFT will lease the farm to Haden and Katie until they are able to secure financing to buy, and we’ll place an easement on the property when the couple purchases the farm, ensuring that this land will remain farmland forever!

Charlie Baldwin, Land Protection Adam Bishop, Land Protection Katie Boss, Development Hannah Chamberlain, Stewardship April Costa, Stewardship Andrea Denny, Database Catherine Durkin, Farm Viability Abby Farnham, Farm Viability Alex Fouliard, Farm Viability Chris Franklin, Land Protection Karen Giles, Gallery Caila Gorniewicz, Development Caroline Ginsberg, Membership Ellen Griswold, Policy & Research Rachel Grant, Finance Manager Caitlin Hopkins, Land Protection Rachel Keidan, Outreach Sue Lanpher, FarmLink Lyndsey Marston, Stewardship Sarah Martel, Legal & Development LouAnna Perkins, Senior Legal Counsel Meghan Quinn, Outreach Tricia Rouleau, Land Protection Ellen Sabina, Outreach Kim Sanborn, Office Assistant Sarah Simon, Farm Access + Viability Brett Sykes, Land Protection Kristin Varnum, Vice President and CFO Rod Vogel, Development Amanda Wheeler, Land Protection Nina Young, Land Protection & MFR

The Dingman family closed on the sale of an easement on their 73-acre property in Turner.

Brother and sister Charlie and Margie Dingman co-own the farm where they were raised.

Emily Dingman (Charlie’s daughter and Margie’s niece) and her partner, Quinten Anderson, will purchase the farm soon with hopes to restore the barn and begin their own small-scale diversified farm.

Fernee Farm, North Berwick Julie and Brian Fernee closed on the sale of an easement on their 85-acre Fernee Farm in North Berwick. The easement was the result of a long collaboration between the Fernees, MFT, and Great Works Regional Land Trust, who took assignment of the easement at closing. It is Julie’s desire to see the land protected from development and affordable for future farmers. An Option to Purchase at Agricultural Value (OPAV) was included in this easement to help insure that this land is actively farmed in the future.

River Run Farm, Dover-Foxcroft Alice Begin and Dan Schmidt closed on the sale of an easement on their River Run Farm, just outside of Dover-Foxcroft on the Piscataquis River. Alice and Dan have farmed this land for the past 15 years, raising goats, horses, cattle and growing hay in the pastures, all while greatly improving on the farm’s infrastructure. The couple is thrilled their farm will now be protected for generations to come.

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Sander-Lou Farm, Leeds

Dingman Farm, Tuner

97 Main Street, Belfast, ME 207.338.6575 mainefarmlandtrust.org

Fiore Art Center Summer Residents

Who we are:

This summer, MFT’s Fiore Art Center hosted four artists for virtual residencies. The artists represented a range of mediums -- from performance art to academic writing, photography to fiction-- yet all centered around agriculture and peoples’ relationship to the land.

Katie Addada Shlon, a farmer and conceptual performance artist based in Photo by James R. Southard Baltimore, was the artist-in-virtual-residence during July. Katie, who uses handmade instruments as meditative tools for exploring the complex relationships we have with the land, tested the sounds of many reclaimed materials throughout the month. Katie believes that “to engage in any kind of work that comments on our relationships to the land demands a conscious decision to re-use already existing materials instead of manufacturing new objects.”

In August we were joined by two unique artists, James (Rob) R. Southard, a photographer, and Sophie Kelmenson, an academic writing resident. Over the month, Rob continued work on a photo series about Kentucky farmers, and aimed to photograph farms in as many counties as possible. Through his documentation, he discovered farmers throughout Kentucky were experiencing different kinds of challenges and successes. Sophie is a PhD candidate at UNC Chapel Hill, and used her residency to work on her dissertation, which examines the American food system. Throughout the month, Sophie worked on exploratory analysis of a dataset and found that there are fewer alternative food jobs in the corn and soy producing states like Iowa and Nebraska, but there are places with both high numbers of jobs in industrial farming and high numbers of jobs in alternative food systems — primarily on the West coast.

Margot Anne Kelly was the literary arts resident in September. Margot is from Port Clyde, where she is involved with a local food pantry and a community garden. During the pandemic, she has been exploring how the community garden can grow fresh food for the local food pantry. “My plan was to write about seeds and seed-saving,” she said“Then, the coronavirus demanded a pivot.” She still wrote about seeds and seed-saving, but in the context of viruses and plagues.

The Fiore Art Center will host virtual residents in 2021. Stay up to date and learn more at mainefarmlandtrust.org/jaf-art-center

Scenes from the Maine Farms Scavenger Hunt

This summer, MFT launched its first Maine Farms Scavenger Hunt. The scavenger hunt engaged more than 400 participants from across the state to learn about local farms, farmers and food! Folks of all ages explored their local food communities (and beyond) and supported a thriving future for farming by eating local and learning about our food system. Make sure to look through all of the scenes from the summer by searching #exploremainefarms2020 on Instagram (@mainefarms) & Facebook. Congratulations to all of the winners!

97 Main Street, Belfast, ME 207.338.6575 mainefarmlandtrust.org

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POLICY + RESEARCH

FARM VIABILITY Five Maine farm businesses receive grants to scale up and reach new markets

Climate and Agriculture Policy Updates This year there have been some important policy actions related to agriculture and climate change at both the federal and state levels.

This spring, we awarded grants to five farms, totaling $238,103, to grow their businesses.

The farms participated in MFT’s Farming for Wholesale program and worked with business advisors to research and define business plans focused on scaling up for wholesale markets.

Federal Government Activity on Climate Change At the end of June, the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis released its report outlining policy recommendations for Congress to implement in order for the U.S. to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The report included many of the farmer-focused climate policy solutions that were included in Congresswoman Chellie Pingree’s Agriculture Resilience Act, which MFT strongly supports. Relatedly, on August 27, farmers delivered a letter to the House Select Committee signed by several thousand farmers from across the country urging effective policy action to combat climate change. 135 farmers in Maine signed onto the letter, and MFT was able to help gather many of those signatures.

State Government Activity on Climate Change The Maine Climate Council (MCC) was established to advise the Governor and the Legislature on mitigation, adaptation, and resiliency strategies that will allow Maine to reduce the impacts of climate change on its residents, communities, industries, and ecosystems. Ellen Stern Griswold, MFT’s Policy and Research Director, is part of the Natural and Working Lands Working Group, which delivered its recommendations related to agriculture, forestry, and natural lands to the MCC in June to inform the state’s updated climate action plan. The recommendations contained provisions to protect more farmland, support farmers in using climate-smart practices, and to grow the local and regional agricultural economy to ensure our future food security.

Our state policy work next year will be focused on working with farmers to advance the legislative and administrative actions needed to carry out the agriculture-related recommendations, and to support the agriculture sector’s economic recovery from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

We did it! Question 1 Passed Maine voters overwhelmingly passed Question 1 on July 14th, supporting a $15 million bond to invest in high-speed internet infrastructure that will be matched by $30 million in private, federal and local support – tripling the impact of this smart investment. The lack of access to reliable, high-speed internet service in Maine is a significant challenge for farmers across the state, preventing them from growing and diversifying their businesses. The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the critical importance of high-speed internet, as many farmers across the state have needed to increase their online business activities and/or pivot to using more online platforms to sell their products.

Hannah Hamilton and Jim Buckle of Buckle Farm are using their grant award to invest in equipment and infrastructure that will help them shift their business model to significantly focus on produce for wholesale markets. Christelle and Jon McKee of Copper Tail Farm expanded their herd, constructed additions to their barn and creamery, and will use grant funds to purchase creamery equipment, a tractor, and cold storage to increase their efficiency at a larger scale. Christelle says already the grant has helped the farmers, “The grant has been amazing for our business and our family. Having the equipment and storage to scale up has made our increased production much more efficient. Our quality of life has greatly improved, which is crucial to the sustainability and success of our farm.”

Pheonix and Megan O’Brien of Hall Brook Farm will construct facilities needed to grow their production and meet food safety requirements, which helps them reach viability shares. With new animal housing and equipment, Michael and Ryan Dennett of Crescent Run Farm are adding more sheep to their flock and shifting their enterprises to focus on emerging opportunities.

Brady Hatch and Brendan McQuillen of Morning Dew Farm are also investing in a new multi-purpose facility to continue growing microgreens, seedlings, and vegetables and become more efficient.

This is the fourth year MFT has offered implementation grants for farms that have participated in the Farming for Wholesale program. “These farmers are all skilled business owners and we’re excited that they’re moving towards greater profitability and success in their goals with these business plans,” said Alex Fouliard, Farming for Wholesale Program Manager. “The future of farming in Maine depends on farmland and thriving farms.”

Learn more about our farmer business planning programs at mainefarmlandtrust.org/workshops/

Maine Local Market Report

Research to Update the Cultivating Maine’s Agriculture Future Guide Over the next year, MFT will be working to revise Cultivating Maine’s Agricultural Future, a guide to support Maine municipalities in adopting farm-friendly policies and planning strategies. Updates will cover the formatting, layout, and statistics, as well as the information on municipal policy tools and strategies and the featured case studies of Maine towns using these tools and strategies to create farm-friendly communities.

Please contact abby@mainefarmlandtrust.org with feedback and case study suggestions.

Stay connected to MFT’s policy work by visiting mainefarmlandtrust.org/public-policy 6

The 2020 crop of grantees include Buckle Farm in Unity, Copper Tail Farm in Waldoboro, Crescent Run Farm in Jefferson, Hall Brook Farm in Thorndike, and Morning Christelle and Jon McKee of Copper Tail Farm Dew Farm in Damariscotta. Each farm was awarded approximately $50,000, which was equally matched by the farm’s own investments, infusing nearly $100,000 into advancing each of these businesses.

97 Main Street, Belfast, ME 207.338.6575 mainefarmlandtrust.org

This growing season, MFT and MOFGA partnered to compile and post bi-weekly Maine Local Market Reports for the purpose of supporting farmer and buyer communication and creating clarity in a rapidly changing market. Staff collect observations from both wholesale buyers and diversified farmers. “The input from buyers and farmers has been so insightful, and we’re incredibly grateful to those who are taking the time to share their observations,” said Alex Fouliard of MFT, who co-leads the market report project with Nicolas Lindholm at MOFGA. The compiled observations are solely for informational purposes, and the reports are most helpful for small, diversified farms selling to the local wholesale marketplace, such as stores that are committed to purchasing local foods. Over the last few months, key takeaways have focused on supply and demand, along with overall impressions from farmers. In September, the report found demand at direct-to-consumer outlets seems to have taken a dip. MFT has also been involved with the Beginning Farmer Resource Network in collecting data on the impact of Covid-19 on farm businesses and learn more about what resources farmers need to navigate the pandemic. Results from the survey are being used to inform support efforts for farmers during this time.

Farmers -- sign up to receive the Maine Local Market Reports at mainefarmlandtrust.org/maine-local-market-report/ 97 Main Street, Belfast, ME 207.338.6575 mainefarmlandtrust.org

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FARM VIABILITY

FARMLAND ACCESS Embden farm transfers to the next generation of farmers

Farmer Business Planning Programs Our farmer business planning programs are looking a bit different this year. This winter, MFT will be offering two programs:

MFT worked with the Tremblay family to protect their farm in Embden by placing an agricultural conservation easement on the property, ensuring that the 79 acres will never be developed for non-agricultural use. The property, known locally as the Dickey Farm, has been in the Tremblay family for120 years. The Tremblays purchased the farm in 1900, and cultivated a diversified farm with a small herd of milking cows, supporting a family of nine through the 1940s. The property was operated as a dairy through the late 1950s, growing hay for feed, field and sweet corn. In addition, the family always had large vegetable gardens, a productive strawberry patch, and a small apple orchard.

The Business of Farming: This year-long business

planning program is for experienced farmers who want to analyze their current business model and use the information for decision making. Drawing on a panel of business experts from around the state, as well as other growers, we’ll uncover the story your financial records are telling you, and develop your ability to make strategic business decisions that move you in the direction of your goals. Registration is open until December 14. Please note: Farming for Wholesale 101 has become the Business of Farming and is open to farmers interested in all types of markets.

Farming for Wholesale: This intensive, two-year program is for experienced farmers who currently serve wholesale

accounts and are ready to scale up significantly. Farming for Wholesale is a highly-selective, competitive application program.

Applications are due November 30. Please note: Farming for Wholesale was previously Farming for Wholesale 201.

To apply, register, or learn more, visit mainefarmlandtrust.org/workshops/

Farm Fresh Rewards welcomes more stores Through the Farm Fresh Rewards program, MFT partners with local retailers to offer “nutrition incentives,” or bonus dollars to shoppers who purchase locally-produced foods with federal SNAP/EBT benefits.

Participating customers can spend these bonus dollars on Maine-grown fruits and vegetables at any participating store in the Farm Fresh Rewards network, which is currently comprised of 19 outlets across the state. As of August 2020, over $475,000 worth of incentives have been redeemed for local produce since the program started in 2016. There was a notable increase in participation this summer, with a record amount of incentives redeemed in August. Programs like Farm Fresh Rewards that strengthen access to fresh, local fruits and vegetables are critical during these challenging times of COVID-19, and would not be possible without the continued commitment of local retailers and farms to feeding their communities.

At the closing, the Tremblay family passed their family pitchfork on to the new farm owners as a way to carry on some tradition from family to family. The Tremblay farm is one of the 11 farm links facilitated in 2020, and the 233rd link since FarmLink began in 2001. Other recent links this year have been made in Milbridge, Nobleboro, Belmont and Wales. For more information on FarmLink, you can visit mainefarmlink.org or reach out to Sue Lanpher, info@mainefarmlink.org, to learn more.

6th Annual Farmland Access & Transfer Conference Cultivating Resilience climate change and the future of farming and food in Maine

At MFT’s 2020 Annual Meeting, we’ll hear from community members who are working at the intersection of farming, food and climate change -- and are finding hope.

+ Brief board business, including the re-election of board members.

Join us! RSVP at mainefarmlandtrust.org/annual-meeting-2020

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Protecting the land with an easement not only ensured that the property won’t be developed, but also helped Passing the pitchfork from one farm family to another. make the farm more accessible for the next generation of farmers. In September, Emily Eckhardt and Dillon Robinson purchased the farm with plans to continue the legacy of the former farm family. Emily and Dillon had been searching for land for some time before coming across this property on Maine FarmLink, MFT’s online matchmaking program designed to help farmland seekers find available farmland. “We had sort of given up when I called Glenn Tremblay [one of Edna’s sons] about this place. We had given up on finding the ‘forever farm,’” said Emily. This all changed with their first visit to the farm in Embden. When they arrived, “we both felt like it was a place where we could picture ourselves living.” Likewise, Glenn Tremblay said that finding the couple felt like “a match made in heaven!” Emily, who is chief of staff at Maine Grains, hopes to operate a small creamery to make ice cream sandwiches, using cream from her herd and cookies made with Maine Grains flour. The couple hopes to eventually grow vegetables and raise chickens and pigs, but they want to take their time to get settled into their new property. Dillon also works full-time as a timber framer, and he and Emily have a 2-month old baby, Woody.

97 Main Street, Belfast, ME 207.338.6575 mainefarmlandtrust.org

Over two hundred farmers, landowners and farm advocates across New England (and beyond) came together to learn, collaborate and explore solutions to the challenges of farmland access and transfer at the 6th Annual Farmland Access & Transfer Conference, hosted by MFT and Land for Good.

This year’s conference highlighted diverse voices and perspectives on farmland access through a land justice plenary and workshops where speakers shared individual stories and experiences. The live sessions were complemented by pre-recorded sessions teaching the mechanics of writing a lease, financing and structuring land deals and planning for succession. The virtual format also enabled speakers to join from Massachusetts, Vermont and Connecticut as well as Maine, and attendees from Illinois, Texas, Colorado, Washington, Kentucky and New York. Big thank you to all of our generous sponsors for making this year’s conference possible!

97 Main Street, Belfast, ME 207.338.6575 mainefarmlandtrust.org

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