Food / Agriculture

 

Food and Agriculture in Lincoln County, Maine 

Lincoln County is proud to many have farms and local retail outlets promoting Maine products, and to also be home to many support organizations for residents in need of food. Find resources on food access, farmer's markets, information on farm businesses development, and more!


Find Maine Food! Farms & Farmer's Market

There are four farmer's markets within the bounds of Lincoln County, and a few more accessbile to many border towns. Follow the links to find more information on the market nearest you. To view all farmer's markets in Maine, click here

Bath

Summer and winter location changes

Boothbay 

Seasonal location changes

Damariscotta

Summer and winter location changes 

Somerville

Farmers' Market At Pumpkin Vine Family Farm
217 Hewett Rd  *Summer and fall only

 Wiscasset 

Summer' and winter location changes 

There are many farms located in Lincoln County. See the interactive map below for a snapshot!

Don't see your farm listed? Contact us at info@lcrpg.org! 

Connect with Maine Farms and Agriculture:

Maine Maple Sunday

March 22, 2020

Maine Maple Sunday® is a long standing tradition where Maine’s Maple producers open their doors to their sweet operations for a day of educational demonstrations, Sugarbush tours, fun family activities and samplings of syrup and other great maple products.

Maine Farm Days
August 26 - 27, 2020

Maine Farm Days gives the public and farmers the opportunity to visit a working farm, see the operation of new equipment and technology, and provide an atmosphere for everyone to walk through, observe, and educate themselves about the different areas of agriculture. Each farm has a differnt event and approach, so check with your local spot! 

Maine Agri-Tourism Map

This map will help you plan new experiences while having fun around agriculture in Maine. Follow the link and begin to search!


In need of food? Food Security Resources

To view the numerous food pantries in Lincoln County, please visit HERE

A list below will lead you to Facebook pages, or associated webpages of the numerous food pantry and summer meal locations in Lincoln County.

Boothbay Region Food Pantry, please visit HERE

Ecumencial Food Pantry (serving Damariscotta, Nobleboro, and Newcastle), please visit HERE

Jefferson Area Community Food Pantry, visit HERE

St. Phillip’s Church (located in Wiscasset), please visit HERE

Lincoln County Summer Meals provides over 13,000 free and healthy meals to children 0-18 during the summer months. Please visit their Facebook page HERE.

Please visit the USDA’s Summer Meal Site Finder HERE to find where the ten closest locations to you are for accessing summer meals.

Please visit Maine Harvest Bucks website HERE for those wanting more information on using EBT and SNAP dollars to receive healthy, local food at farmer’s markets, farm stands, and CSA programs.

Please visit the Spectrum Generations USDA Commodities Supplemental Food Program website HERE whose goal is to focus on disabled and older adults health, wellness, and nutrition.

 Please visit the Midcoast Hunger Prevention Program’s website HERE whose mission is to help provide healthy food for those who are hungry.


 Farming! Information and resources

What size farms do we have?



The chart to the right shows the percentage of farms in Lincoln County by amount of reported sales. For example, 48 farm operations reported $1,000 to 2,499 in sales, making up 16% of all farm operations. 

 


 


What are we selling? 

The charts below shows what is being grown in Lincoln County. Aquaculture overwhelms sales of most other crops, with vegetables and horticulture a distant second and third. 

Poultry dominates animal being raised in Lincoln County, more than four times th sales of cattle. 


 



 



 


 

 

 




 

 

How are the farmers faring?



The charts above begin to paint a picture of farm businesses in Lincoln County. Farm income was almost $3 million dollars, however per operation it only equates to just over $9 thousand of net cash income. This puts the majority of farmers, 66%, as operating at a loss. 

Did you know? 13% of Lincoln County farms do not have internet access. And this number will increase if not considering dial-up or other slow connections. Click HERE to learn about our work bringing broadband to Lincoln County. 

Farm Business Resources - Technical assistance, funding opprtunities, networking, and more!

Farmer Resources

  • - Maine Beginning Farmer's Resource Network is the go to place for all the needs of a new farmer.
  • - Cooperative Extension has resource ranging from soil testing to gleaning. Find upcoming workshops and events here, and a list of services here.
  • - Maine Farmland Trust consults those who want to pursue a career in farming. Find thier services here
  • - The Farm Service Agenda (FSA) From the U.S. Department of Agriculture has loans for land and equiptment. Learn more and if you qualify here
  • - The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association has many technical services and apprenticeship opportunties. Find more information here.
  • - What list would be complete without the resources from the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry?! Follow the link here for information on thier support programs for farmers, and find fact sheets on resources specifically for Lincoln County here

Tools and Learning Opprtunities

Statewide:

Check out the Maine Food Atlas!

The Maine Food Atlas is an online platform to get your farm, food business, education hub, food access point, or other enterpirse "on the map!" The site was designed by the Maine Network of Community Food Councils to map the Maine food system. Food businesses create a profile including any information, photos and links they want to share. 
Find stellar examples this this work below:

Alan Day Community Garden
Roberts Farm
Pat Verrill (Harvest Maine Produce)
Cold Spring Ranch

2017 USDA Agriculture Census

- According to the USDA, Lincoln County, is home to 309 farms and 6,497 acres of total cropland.
- Check out the 2017 Ag Census for Maine, by County!! Click HERE

Local to Lincoln County!:

- Medomak Valley High School Heirloom Seed Project

- The oldest school based seed saving program in the United States, this project preserves over 800 varieties and is expanding each year.  These seeds have traveled to 37 states, and are also on display at living history museums such as Thomas Jefferson’s home at Monticello and George Washington’s Home at Mount Vernon. Read more about the project HERE.

Order through their online catalog or become a 'seed-saver' yourself! Support the program by offering open land for pollinating plants, sharing this information with others, and visiting the greenhouses. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
   


 

297 Bath Road
Wiscasset, Maine 04578
T: (207) 882-4271 • F: (207) 882-5188
info@lcrpc.org