Farm celebrates 20 years of harvesting education
By Dick Graves
Special to The Star-Herald
The school farm was officially established in the spring of 1991 and is now in its 20th year of operation.
An aerial shot of the 38-acre “School Farm” taken in June 2009
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The first seeds of what would become the MSAD 1 school farm were planted by Superintendent Gehrig Johnson when he began a mini-orchard of 12 trees behind his home on the top of east State Street (so-called Hardy Hill). He wondered if it was possible to grow apple trees in that top-of-the-hill area and would they survive the windier and slightly colder locale. The trees did, in fact, survive and five years later, in 1991, the same kinds of trees were planted across the street on school-owned farm land.
Foundation work being done on the original greenhouse located at the Presque Isle Regional Career and Technical Center.
Survival now proven, it was decided by Johnson that those same kind of apple trees be planted across the street on what was land donated by Lois Conant for such school-farming purposes. That land, 38 acres, had been farmed by Mrs. Conant and her husband, Frank, for many years. Ten years before her death at 99 in January 2000, the land was granted to MSAD 1 to be used by the school to teach farming technology to students who had the interest and inclination. In 1991, 200 apple trees were planted. They did well making way for other crops — potatoes, beans and peas — to be planted in small plots. In those early years, the farm survived with one small tractor and relied heavily on assistance from area equipment dealers who lent the appropriate farming implements to get the farm started. As the farm grew in size and stature, more and more vocational students enrolled in the agricultural-science department at the Presque Isle Regional Career and Technical Center, as it became more involved in the new farm facilities.
Tomato plants (first planting).
In 1993, a 350-foot well was drilled along with the construction of a 120 foot by 30 foot greenhouse by vocational classes. Shortly thereafter, the farm students began to plant strawberries, corn, pumpkins, squash as well as blueberry and raspberry plants. In 1998, the farm store was constructed. The farm served as a living laboratory to support classroom activities for agriculture-science students. In 2003, the building trades students from the Vocational Tech Center assisted Buck Construction in the design and fabrication of an apple-cider processing building. It is the only one of its kind in the state of Maine and, in 2010, supported 2,200 apple trees on 13 acres of land. The farm, too, raises bees and produces a fair amount of honey which is processed on premises. Gene McCluskey was orchard supervisor from 2006 to 2009.
Harvesting the first crop of potatoes.
Today, the school farm also supports, along with the apple orchard, 5 acres of strawberries, 4 acres of pumpkins, 5 acres of squash, 1.5 acres of raspberries, 3 acres of mixed garden crops, 1 acre of corn maze and 2 acres of sweet corn. Produce from the farm is made available not only at its farm store, but roadside stands, local grocery stores, non-profit organizations and restaurants. MSAD 1’s school lunch programs, as well as other schools throughout Aroostook County, use the fruits, vegetables and cider grown on the farm. The revenue generated by the sale of its products is invested back into the farm program.
Today, Aaron Buzza serves as farm manager. Buzza succeeded Ray Chelewski in 2003, who had served as farm manager from the beginning in 1991.
Ray Chelewski, right, instructor with student Marshall White, selling produce from the first “store” in the Zippel parking lot.
First truck, which was also used as the “store.” Scott Bernard is driving the truck, while Aaron Buzza, who is now the farm manager, is riding in the passenger seat.
Farm Manager Aaron Buzza as a senior picking scallions during the summer of 1992.
Eighty-two members of the Presque Isle High School agricultural science and natural resources classes and Future Farmers of America club members harvested and loaded vegetables to ship to Portland shelters and soup kitchens. The project supervisor was teacher Ray Chelewski. Two students sealed the bags, while classmates helped load. (News Photo by Janice Clark) as printed in the Bangor Daily News 9/14/1991.
Paige Deveau and student cutting insulation for the cider building construction.
MSAD 1 Board Members and Administrators toured the School Farm following the Sept. 7, 2011 board meeting.
The PIRCTC Building Trades students help construct the Farm Store.
The Apple Cider Facility was completed in 2005.
The Farm Store was completed in 1998.
Many families bring their children to help pick apples in the fall.
