by Angie Wotton
Special to the Houlton Pioneer Times
LaForest Gardiner farmed potatoes in Stacyville from 1939 to the mid-1980s. As he was nearing the end of farming, he asked his youngest daughter Jane if she would like him to set aside some farmland in case she wanted to return home one day. She remembers telling him ‘no’ since she couldn’t imagine she would ever return and live on the farm again. Today, sitting with Jane and her husband Mike Ricci in their kitchen on that same land, looking out on fields of raspberry and blueberry strips and vegetables just breaking through the soil, she told me how thankful she was that her dad didn’t stop farming before she realized what a treasure her family’s land was and is.
Even though Mike and Jane built their house soon after her dad’s retirement, they didn’t permanently settle back on the land until their own retirement in 2008 when they began clearing fields grown up to woods and marking out plots of land to raise a “few” vegetables, enough to have an on-farm vegetable stand.
They began farming what is known as Gardiner Farms in 2010 with the few vegetables idea expanded to production in seven one-acre blocks with three of those acres seeded in cover crops and green manures in rotation years and four acres in diversified vegetable crops.
Mike is in charge of calculating the amount of seed and what to plant and Jane works on marketing their products. Both work at planting, weeding, harvesting and a host of other farm-related activities. A recently constructed high-tunnel stands next to the fields as well and was erected as part of the Natural Resources Conservation Services program. On the day I visited the Ricci’s the high tunnel had peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, peas, spinach and cucumbers growing, giving them a jump-start on providing earlier produce for their local markets.
Both Mike and Jane take obvious pride in the produce grown and have worked hard to build the soil for what they believe translates to more nutritious produce. They have concentrated on the biology of the soil and have lessened their reliance on petroleum-based fertilizers, instead adding natural amendments to build up their soils. In three years, they have witnessed an improvement in crop health and yields.
They also acknowledge a very steep learning curve but have learned much just by getting their hands dirty. One further addition to their farm plan included becoming a licensed maple syrup maker for small production this year, utilizing the sugar maple trees on the land as well.
Jane said that when she thought of moving back home, she envisioned growing and providing diverse and nutritious produce from the land not only for her family but for the community as well. She noted that people in their small community have been exceptionally supportive of Gardiner Farms. The farm has also allowed her four older siblings to come back and visit and reconnect with the community while tending the farmstand or helping out at the market.
While Mike has fulfilled his lifelong dream of having a farm, Jane smiles and looks out her window and says simply, “It’s nice to be home again.” Gardiner Farms will begin selling fresh produce by the end of June each Friday at the Irving parking lot in Sherman, daily on-farm, and select vegetables at Ellis Family Market in Patten.
Angie Wotton loves her work as district manager for the Southern Aroostook Soil and Water Conservation District. She also raises pastured pork and vegetables with her husband on their small West Berry Farm in Hammond. She can be reached 532-9407 or via e-mail at angela.wotton@me.nacdnet.net.
