Farm ID 3743, 23 acres, Alfred

The farm property is on Fort Ridge Road, Alfred, Maine. The part we lease and would be sub-leasing is 23 acres and consists of 3 separate fields partitioned by rock walls. The entire road was originally the Hall homestead in the early 1800s. It has been partitioned off over the decades and now the site of the original farmhouse consists of several apartments and the main 13 acre pasture field and the 5 acre pasture field further back. The fields are gently and consistently sloping. About 2 acres where more recent and frequent management has occurred is very fertile and would support veggie rows, perennial fruit, a nursery, flowers, etc. The rest has been hayed for 15 years with not much fertility added so is low in organic matter. Rotational grazing is beginning to improve pastures, but amendments would be needed to make it anything more than pasture. In the 20th century the property has been first a sheep farm, then a cow dairy up until the upheaval of the 80s. Since then the fields have been certified organic hay fields providing hay for a local organic grass-fed raw milk dairy. In 2023 we moved on site and started Shake the Tree Farm. Our vision is to create a thriving and diverse farm ecosystem of symbiotic relationship between different farm enterprises. We started with a rabbitry (free organic fertilizer) where we raise Silver Fox meat-type rabbits for restaurant and direct-to-consumer sales. A small flock of Katahdin hair-sheep are rotationally grazed to improve pasture and for eventual lamb sales. 500 bed feet of raspberries and strawberries have been planted in the first 2 years for retail and wholesale as well as some perennial herbs for our personal use. We are also installing a sylvopasture system based on Chestnuts, Hazelnuts, Locust, and Willow with several other food or fodder producing trees. The first 40 trees went in this fall. Hundreds more will be planted next year. Wide parallel rows will allow for long-term pasture management and potentially ally-cropping if desired. Our system is inspired by Mark Shepherd's Restoration Agriculture book and many permaculture readings and experiences. We hold work-parties with friends and neighbors 3-4 times per year and collaboration with neighbors and community is at the heart of our vision. We hope to find a farmer who would like to participate in this vision or start/bring their own enterprise which would complement what is already going on here. Some ideas we've had for the future, but could happen sooner with more hands on deck include: ducks, trout aquaculture ponds, cows, pigs, a permaculture plant nursery, expanded fruit production, storage veggie crops for personal use, friends and neighbors. We are also open to other ideas.