Staff Writer
On Sunday, July 22, more than 95 farms throughout Maine – six in Aroostook County – will open to the public as part of Open Farm Day.
Rain or shine, visitors can watch farm activities and education demonstrations, pet animals, pick produce, tour a barn or go on a hayride.
Many farms will have farm-raised products for sale, displays to see, and samples to taste. In Aroostook County, participating farms will include:
• Circle B Farms, 287 East Presque Isle Road in Caribou, is located on Route 205, 1.5 miles south of Route 161 in Caribou on the east side of the Aroostook River. Look for the sign. Circle B Farms opened the first “You Pick Highbush Blueberries Orchard” in Aroostook County. They have eight varieties that are yielding the highest quality blueberries possible. Educational tours will be available to the public. Restroom facilities are available, soda machine, water on tap, picnic tables, and plenty of room to take in the view. Garlic is sold by the head or bunch, and by the braid when available. For more information, visit http://www.circlebfarmsinc.com, or call Sam Blackstone. Open Farm Day hours: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
• Southern Aroostook Agricultural Museum, 1678 U.S. Highway 1 in Littleton, is located on the left, eight miles north of Houlton on Route 1 next to Porter’s Service Station. The Agricultural Museum features items found on Maine farms dating back to the 1800s. Part of the museum depicts a farmhouse furnished with typical items found in early Maine homes. Another area is built as a potato house with displays of a potato bin, truck body, seed cutters, graders and a wall display of a variety of potato bags. Vintage tractors, trucks and farm equipment are on display inside a new barn. Admission is by donation, and the facility is handicap accessible. For more information, contact Barry Campbell. Open Farm Day hours: 1-4 p.m.
• OxBow Herbs & Heirlooms, 1261 Oxbow Road in Oxbow. From Route 11, take the Oxbow Road (west of Route 11). Travel 6.1 miles and you will see the farm with greenhouse on the right side of the road. This greenhouse and nursery is a diversified farm with one acre of nursery trees, perennials and an 800-square-foot greenhouse. There is work being done on the farm with Ramial wood chips to improve soil structure and fertility. There will be information provided about the research results and about SARE grants. For more information, contact Ann Currier. Open Farm Day hours: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Stewart Farm’s, 424 Houlton Road in Presque Isle (5 miles south of Presque Isle on U.S. Route 1). Stewart Farms is a working family farm that has been in business for over 40 years. They grow potatoes and vegetables, and are proud to be one the biggest pumpkin growers in Aroostook County. Stewart Farms plans to provide wagon ride tours of the fields to show people how crops grow and are harvested. Talks are available on their crop rotation plan and conservation practices. The facility is handicap accessible. Restroom facilities are available, and the farm is capable of handling bus or group tours. For more information, contact Daniel Stewart. Open Farm Day hours: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
• Spring Break Maple & Honey, 3315 U.S. Route 2 in Smyrna Mills. (Take Exit 286 off I-95 and go to Smyrna Mills. At stop sign, take right onto U.S. Route 2, east. Go across railroad up hill. Located at 3315 on left. Look for Spring Break sign). Spring Break Maple & Honey will feature a sugarhouse tour and exhibits, and beekeeping exhibits with an observation hive. Learn and see how bees work inside the hive. See a queen bee lay eggs and see honeycomb made by bees. The facility is handicap accessible. Restroom facilities are available, and the farm is capable of handling bus or group tours. For more information, log onto www.mainemapleandhoney.com, or contact Kevin and Kristi Brannen. Open Farm Day hours: 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Knot-II-Bragg Farm, located on the New Dunntown Road in Wade. (Come to the town of Washburn on Route 164, turn down at the library, go about 30 car lengths. Turn onto Church Street across from the Lidstone Methodist Church. The Knot-II-Bragg Farm is a little over 3 miles from that point on the right). A small, diversified family farm, Knot-II-Bragg Farm features organic wild crafted gardens, pasture, woods, ponds/stream. The farm is devoted to self-sufficiency. Dairy, pork, fish, chicken and horse. Home to a “Traditional Northern Maine Herbal Apothecary.” Herbal remedies made and sold. Traditional old-time skills practiced. Stickwood furniture, soap, twig wreaths are farm specialties. Tours include history and herb walks at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Farm Store will be open. For more information, contact Natalia Bragg. Open Farm Day hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
