Contributed Photo
NATURE’S CIRCLE — Workers plant and harvest more than 308 acres of certified USDA organic produce at Nature’s Circle Farm. The crops are shipped from fields in Aroostook County to local retailers, wholesalers and chain stores including Whole Foods and Hannaford.
By Elna Seabrooks
Staff Writer
HOULTON — Local farmer Dick York apparently has not felt the bite of a sluggish economy as he rides the crest of a wave of interest in organic food. And, this year he is devoting an acre of his land to Friends of Aroostook to cultivate organic produce for distribution through local food pantries and nutrition programs.
Dale Flewelling, program director of the non-profit program, said: “We are about assisting low-income, working families and the elderly with produce. The staff of Friends of Aroostook will tend the crops at Nature’s Circle and it is not open to the public. Other plots are more open to public.” Flewelling said he is acutely aware of the need to abide by all USDA provisions so that York retains his status as a certified organic grower.
York is also known to many as the general sales manager of York’s of Houlton. He co-owns the farm with his daughter Meg York Scott. “Dale approached me with an idea that Friends of Aroostook could benefit from a small plot of organic garden space. And, he knew I was involved in organic farming. So, he asked me if we would be willing to help Friends of Aroostook with a small organic plot,” said York.
Sharing the land
The new partnership resulted in turning over one acre of York’s land to the program. “Dale indicated he would like to plant some winter and summer squash as well as some other produce,” explained York. Flewelling elaborated on the plan: “I use the term vine vegetables — summer squash, winter squash, zucchini, cucumbers and possibly carrots. This is our first year. Nature’s Circle is preparing the soil and we have to be very respectful of their property because they are a certified organic grower. So, we are going to purchase organic seed and they will add the nutrients.” 
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Elna Seabrooks
NEW PARTNERSHIP — Dale Flewelling, left, and Dick York discuss York’s support of Friends of Aroostook. One acre of Nature’s Circle, a certified USDA organic farm, with fields in Houlton, Ludlow and New Limerick, will be cultivated to grow produce for distribution to low-income and elderly residents in Aroostook County.
York said he and Scott, as organic farmers, have a philosophy to build the soil and to feed the soil to a point where they know it will grow healthy plants as opposed to the more conventional idea of planting seeds and then feeding the plant. “We feed the soil first. We do that with a variety of methods including cover crops and crop rotations,” said York. “There won’t be any chemical pesticides. But as organic growers there are a whole regimen of organic compounds that are all natural we can use to fight pests if we need to. We know the squash bug is a perennial enemy and there is an organic compound that’s natural.”
Growth in demand
York said with 308 acres under cultivation, Nature’s Circle is probably one of largest organic farms in the Northeast with fields in Houlton, Ludlow and New Limerick. “We sell directly to the Whole Foods chain and Hannaford. They are two of our better customers. Potatoes are our biggest crops with an equal number of wheat and oats as rotational crops. And, we sell root crops — mostly beets, turnips and rutabagas, parsnips and carrots and some squash.”
“We have seen growth in the demand for our products. We started in 1996 with two acres and now we’re at 308 acres which is a reflection of the demand,” said York. “We don’t feel comfortable planting huge acres of crops when we have no place to sell them. So we have a pretty good idea when we plant crops of where we will be able to sell them.” 
Contributed Photo
ORGANIC FARMER — Dick York is co-owner of Nature’s Circle with his daughter, Meg York Scott. They have one of the largest USDA certified organic farms in the northeast.
According to research by the Organic Trade Association, the organic food industry has an estimated growth rate averaging 18 percent a year. York is apparently benefiting from society’s desire for organic produce and products.
Farm fresh and locally grown
York and his daughter expressed a strong sentiment about locally grown foods. Scott said: “I think this is an excellent opportunity to bring good healthy food, especially organic food to folks in Aroostook County who would probably otherwise not ever get organic and reap the benefits from organic because of its expense. I have a very strong feeling about organic because I don’t think people realize how harmful pesticides and commercial fertilizers are.”
As for the appeal to work with Friends Of Aroostook, York emphasized his belief in the significance of locally grown food. “[The appeal is] huge because it goes strictly with my philosophy of informing people that they can get produce grown right in their town. And, I think that’s important for people in Illinois and California and Florida as well as northern Maine. By the way, in Maine we can grow almost any crop — set aside citrus crops — because of our long days. If they look around, people can find food that is grown locally, in this case organic, and fresh. What more can you want.”
