EDUCATIONAL FARM TOURS PROGRAM
The Educational Farm Tours Program was created to increase students’ access to local agriculture and agricultural education through tours, hands on activities and educational lessons. The hope is that these experiences will help foster a greater understanding of our food and fiber system as well as its importance in Hancock County.
Reimbursement is available once for each class/youth group per school calendar year as grant funds allow. Reimbursement is meant to cover the tour fee the farm charges the school/youth group.
The following farms participate in the Educational Farm Tours Program that is sponsored by the Hancock County Soil & Water Conservation District. Each farm is unique in what it has to offer a visiting school or children’s group. Please contact the individual farms directly for more information. If you would like your farm to be a part of the Educational Farm Tours Program, please contact the Hancock County SWCD office at 207-667-8663.
Meet your Farmers…
Carding Brook Farm
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Suggested age: All Tour Length: 2hr/less or by arrangment Fee: $100 |
Jennifer Schroth & Jon Ellsworth
4 Carlton Drive Brooklin, ME (207) 359-2326 cardingbrookfarm@gmail.com Carding Brook Farm is a diversified farm with market gardens, draft horse logging, sheep, maple syrup, chickens, geese and turkeys. Tours include maple sugaring, gardening and logging demonstrations by arrangement. Programs are offered year round, excepting July-August. |
Darthia Farm
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Suggested age: K-1+ (5-12yrs) Tour Length: 2hrs/less Fee: $100 |
Bill & Cindy Thayer & Ivelisse Rivera
51 Darthia Farm Rd, Gouldsboro, ME (207) 963-7771 william.farmerbilly.thayer@gmail.com Darthia Farm includes horse drawn wagon rides, cider making and market gardening in their tours. Programs are offered primarily in the fall but also in spring. |
Smith Family Farm
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Suggested age: All Tour Length: 2hrs/less Fee: $100 |
Maggie & Lucian Smith
317 Crooked Rd, Bar Harbor, ME (207) 288-4848 mdidairy@gmail.com Smith Family Farm is a diversified dairy with vegetables, layer hens, pigs and hay production. Milking demonstrations are included in their general farm tour. Programs are offered year round. |
Tranquility Acres
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Suggested age: All Tour Length: 2hrs/less Fee: None |
Susan & Patrick Landry
328 State State Rt. 46, Bucksport, ME (207) 469-3837 tranquilityacres@myfairpoint.net Tranquility Acres is a beef farm with Belted Galloway beef cattle, chickens and pigs. Tours include calving in the spring and visiting the pasture in summer. Programs are offered in the spring and summer. |
Great Pond Mountain Conservation Trust
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Suggested age: Any Tour Length: By arrangement Fee: None |
Cheri Domina, Executive Director
Orland, ME (207) 469-6929 info@greatpondtrust.org Great Pond Mountain Conservation Trust is a conservation group that works to conserve the “land water and wildlife habitat of northwestern Hancock County.” Tours of the Wildlands property feature conservation, forestry and wildlife education and possibly camping by arrangement. Programs are offered year round. |
Happytown Farm
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Suggested age: All Tour Length: 2hrs/less Fee: $50 |
Paul & Karen Volkhausen
1138 Happytown Rd, Orland, ME (207) 667-9212 happytownfarm@escrap.com Happytown farm is a certified organic farm with vegetables, sheep and maple syrup. Maple sugaring and visiting with the lambs can be included in the tour by season. Programs are offered in the spring-summer. |
Mandala Farm
| Suggested age: All
Tour Length: Vary by need. 1-3hrs. Fee: None |
Genion Bertin and Sara Faull
46 Young’s Farm Rd, Gouldsboro, ME (207) 963-2984 info@mandalafarm.com Mandala farm is a diversified organic horse powered farm with mixed vegetables, dairy cows, sheep, goats, poultry and pigs. Maple sugaring, planting and harvesting can be included in the tour by season. Programs are offered year round. |
Seal Cove Farm
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Suggested age: All Tour Length: 1hr/less Fee: None |
Barbara Brooks
202 Partridge Cove Rd, Lamoine, ME (207) 667-7127 sales@mainegoatcheese.com Seal Cove Farm is a dairy farm producing its artisan goat cheeses on site. Tours include visiting the goats milking parlor and compost facilities. Programs will be geared to students and teachers interests. They are offered year round, excepting January-February. |
Horsepower Farm
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Suggested age: All Tour Length: 1hr Fee: $100 *Please call for more information/to arrange a tour. |
Donna, Andy & Paul Birdsall
90 Horsepower Farm Rd, Penobscot, ME (207) 374-5273* horsepowerfarm@peoplepc.com Horsepower farm is a diversified organic horse powered farm. Tours include field preparation demonstrations; winter sleigh rides visiting the lambs in spring and fall harvesting. Programs are offered year round. |
King Hill Farm
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Suggested age: All Tour Length: 1hr/less Fee: None |
Amanda Proventure & Paul Schultz
29 Fairy Kingdom Rd, Penobscot, ME (207) 326-9701 kinghillfarm@gmail.com King Hill Farm is a diversified vegetable farm with cows, pigs and chickens. The general tour may include workshops and activities by arrangement. Programs are offered year round. |
Peaked Mountain Farm & Native Pollinator Sanctuary
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