Chuck Licata, 10-70 acres, nursery plants, orchard +

My goal is to become a long-term steward of a Maine farm where productive agriculture and responsible land management work together. Over the past several years I have been steadily building practical experience in small-scale food production, perennial fruit production, and land stewardship on my current property in western Maine. My experience includes maintaining fruit trees, berry plantings, vegetable gardens, raising chickens and pigs, using movable chicken tractors, orchard pruning, composting, and improving soil fertility under challenging growing conditions. More recently I have focused on learning perennial plant propagation, nursery production techniques, and the cultivation of herbs, berries, and other perennial crops suitable for Maine. While my current property is limited by shallow, rocky soils, it has provided an excellent opportunity to gain hands-on experience while refining my long-term vision. I am looking for a property where I can establish perennial crops, orchards, nursery plants, herbs, and specialty agricultural products while continually improving the health of the soil and preserving the character of the land. I believe in building a farm thoughtfully over many years, allowing each new enterprise to support the next rather than expanding too quickly. While I hope the farm will eventually provide meaningful supplemental income, my primary objective is not to maximize short-term profit. Instead, I want to create a healthy, resilient farm that will become more productive over time through careful stewardship and responsible management. I believe healthy soil is the foundation of a successful farm. Practices that improve soil structure, organic matter, water-holding capacity, biodiversity, and wildlife habitat are investments that benefit both the land and future generations. I would rather make decisions that strengthen the farm over decades than pursue rapid growth at the expense of its long-term health. My hope is to become a responsible caretaker of a property that remains productive, beautiful, and well managed for many years to come. I see farming as a lifelong commitment to continual learning, thoughtful stewardship, and leaving the land in better condition than I found it. Outside of farming, I have worked for over twenty years in healthcare, which has reinforced the importance of careful observation, planning, consistency, and continual learning.

I am intentionally pursuing a gradual, financially sustainable transition into farming as a supplemental income. My goal is to build the farm carefully over many years, allowing experience, stewardship, and sound management to guide its growth.