Open Farm & Studio Day !!!

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Brochure and Event Map

Open Farm & Studio Bike Tour:

Merrymeeting Trailblazers and Maine Kennebec Estuary Land Trust are hosting the Explore Merrymeeting Bay Bike Tour, visiting the farms, and exploring the scenes of Open Farm Day. The ride will include up to five farms and studios covering 25 miles total. The ride will leave from Mailly Waterfront Park at 10 am. We'll start along the shores of Merrymeeting bay to Richmond's waterfront park, visiting two farms along the way. There is a turn-back option at the second farm for a 12-mile ride. We'll then continue to one of Bowdoin's newest farms and finish by visiting a diversified livestock farm. Or you can create your own ride and explore the farms and studios at your own pace. Join us to explore the Bay and learn about Merrymeeting Trail!

     12 mile route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/40248692 

     25 mile route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/40210791

 

Our 2023 Open Farm & Studio Day Participants: 

1. STONECIPHER FARM          1186 River Road     www.stonecipherfarm.com

Stonecipher Farm is a small organic mixed vegetable and fruit farm. We will be highlighting the "no-till" principles we employ, as well as the biodiverse planting we practice, for best plant health and to benefit native bugs, birds, and amphibians. Tours from 12:00 - 3:30 PM. We are located across the street from Mortimer LaPointe Woodworking. Also, our farm store is open 7 days a week from 9 am – 6 pm.

2. CAMPO di FIORI                  212 Fisher Road      www.mainegardendesign.com

Campo di Fiori is a specialty nursery growing hardy wildflowers, ornamental grasses, and select cultivars. In creating the plant palette particular attention has been given to plants that are hardy, robust-growing, and low- maintenance while embodying a more natural or wild aesthetic. The majority of these plants have a long season of interest, and for that reason are particularly useful in keeping our gardens attractive from spring into winter. As both gardener and nature lover, Andrew’s goal is to inspire and encourage imagination in the art of garden creating with respect to the dynamic beauty and emotion of nature.

9am-3pm.  Explore Andrew’s naturalistic gardens and nursery.  Lynn Sternfels will be there with her beautiful jewelry and hand painted silk scarves.

3. DANDELION SPRING FARM               961 Ridge Road       www.dandelionspringfarm.com 

Dandelion Spring Farm is a certified organic mixed vegetable & herb farm has been in production in the midcoast for 18 years. Beth Schiller joined the Bowdoinham community in 2018 when she purchased 85 acres of land, with beautiful ridges and soil of statewide agricultural importance. After purchasing the property, she sold an easement to Maine Farmland Trust, to forever protect the land. Tender salad greens and aromatic herbs are the baseline of Dandelion Spring, but they also have squash, fairytale, and other roots and greens. Their products can be found at the farmers’ markets in Rockland and Portland, and at many natural food stores and restaurants along Maine’s coast.

10 am – 3 pm Come enjoy (local food), beer, art, and live music. For more information visit their website.

4. APPLE CREEK FARM            538 Millay Road      www.applecreekfarm.me

Apple Creek Farm was established in 1985 by the Galle family. Now run by the second generation, Jake Galle and Abby Sadauckas, the farm is certified organic and produces grass-fed meats and eggs. Originally wooded, the farm now includes numerous pastures and wooded trails. The farmers raise chickens, cows, goats and sheep and the farm produces eggs, meats, and sheepskins.

The farm will be open from 10 am - 2 pm. Join farmer-led tours at 11 am, 12 noon or 1 pm.  Come and meet the animals, enjoy activities for children or shop in the farm store. Please dress for walking over uneven ground, bring a cooler and leave dogs at home.

5. MAILLY WATERFRONT PARK: BBQ & CONCERTS

Come enjoy a fitting close to the day by the beautiful Cathance River enjoying BBQ prepared by the Food Pantry and Music provided by ShinDig and Peter Gallway. Music starts at 3 pm with ShinDig followed by Peter Gallway at 6 pm. BBQ starts at 4 pm. Menu: BBQ Chicken, biscuits, baked beans, coleslaw, potato salad, and desert. Cost: Donation

6. THE BOWDOINHAM FOOD PANTRY                  9 Main Street          www.bowdoinhamfoodpantry.org 

Our mission at The Bowdoinham Food Pantry is to provide healthy and sustaining food, personal care products, and other needed household items to the people of Bowdoinham and Bowdoin in a compassionate, respectful manner. Our vision is everyone in our community has the information, resources, and sustenance they need to be food secure. Mutual aid is paramount to our philosophy. We invite all to enjoy the Pantry's Little Free Garden this year during Open Farm Day - the gardens were planned, constructed, planted, and tended by members of our community!

10 am – 3pm We will be highlighting our raised beds that were built utilizing hügelkultur and giving tour of the Pantry. Our silent auction will run all day.

7. Starrock Designs            https://www.bowdoinhamartisans.com/lynn-sternfels

Lynn Sternfels from Starrock Designs will be at Campo di Fiori nursery from 9 am – 3pm with her beautiful one-of-a-kind botanically printed silk scarves.  

8. CATHANCE RIVER GALLERY               18 Main Street        www.cathancerivergallery.com

Offering paintings, collages and assemblies, wood carvings, wood burl art, handmade guitars, and artistic furniture.  In addition, there will be on-going demonstrations of encaustic art and woodworking. The gallery is a cooperative of five Bowdoinham artists (Jane Page Conway, Mark Donovan, Howard Solomon, Wayne Sanford, and Bill Stanton) and three Brunswick artists (Robert Bryan, Bill Robizek, and Dan Warren), plus guest artists from time to time. Welcoming visitors from 10 am – 4pm.

9. BLUE BELL FARM                    767 Carding Machine Road    www.bluebellfarmmaine.com

David Asmussen & Meredith Eilers joined the Bowdoinham farming community in 2013. Dave hails from upstate New York and first put a shovel in the soil in fourth grade when he dug up the back yard to plant radishes. He met his partner Meredith when she was working at the college organic farm. After adventures far and wide through several states, homesteads and farmland, they were excited to put down roots in Bowdoinham where they grow diverse vegetables, herbs and berries. Dave is a graduate of MOFGA's Journey-person program and is proud to be farming on land with an agricultural conservation easement through the Maine Farmland Trust. You can find their produce at the Bowdoinham Farmers Market, and local restaurants.

Tour the hoop houses and perennial fruit plantings from 9 am – Noon.

10. BOWDOINHAM GUILD OF ARTISANS        www.bowdoinhamartisans.com

The Bowdoinham Guild of Artisans is a group of fine artists working to bring their creative visions to life, while sharing an appreciation for their local community. The Guild strives to make high quality, well-made artistic goods accessible on a community level. The Guild of Artisans works to nurture artists by creating a supportive network and providing access to exhibitions and educational opportunities. 

11. MORPHEE CREATIONS           18 Ridge Road         http://www.morpheecreations.com

Situated in the heart of Bowdoinham Village, Morphee Creations operates out of a 200-year-old home surrounded by a cottage flower and vegetable garden. Manon Whittlesey is a designer, artist, and mentor at Spindleworks Offsite, in Hallowell. You have seen her work around Bowdoinham in the form of logos (MSDA75, Bowdoinham Community School, Town of Bowdoinham, The Three Robbers) the library mural, holiday posters, and more. Looking forward to welcoming you from 10 am – 3 pm.

12. Winding Rose Studio                  Dandelion Spring Farm, 961 Ridge Road                https://www.facebook.com/WindingRoseStudio  

Artist Wendy Rose will be at Dandelion Spring Farm offering quilts, balsam sachets, tote bags, and other handcrafted fiber products.

13. MERRYMEETING ARTS CENTER       9 Main Street, Cathance Place                www.merrymeetingartscenter.org

Since opening in September 2007, Merrymeeting Arts Center (MAC) has been an active member of the Bowdoinham community.  Inspired and guided by the eclectic spirit of Bryce Muir, MAC encourages art, education and community celebrating the cultural heritage and natural environment of Merrymeeting Bay. Bryce viewed “the arts” in the broadest sense and “artists” as all those who make art in any genre.  Our gallery and studio offer opportunities for our community and beyond to express themselves as teachers, makers, and supporters of the arts.

14. ARTS STUDIO    6 Main Street

Merrymeeting Arts Center will host artists from Bowdoinham Guild of Artisans in our Gallery as well as holding a drop-in Beeswax Wrap Workshop in the Studio!  Make a set of three wraps (S, M, L) for a suggested donation of $5.  It's quick, easy, and worth a visit to the studio and gallery to add your support to the arts in Bowdoinham! The Gallery will be open 11 am - 4 pm.

15. WATERSONG MUSIC        9 Main Street, Cathance Place

Earl Bigelow created Watersong Music for the sharing and teaching of all the facets of music. Recording, performance and teaching music has become Earl’s happy occupation, and in his studio he is able to do all three. Come check out Earl’s music studio and see where the music happens from 10 am – 2 pm.

16. ENTERPRISE FARM           819 White Road       www.facebook.com/Enterprise-Farm-Greenhouse-Farm-Stand

Jesse Harriman started Enterprise Farm in 1972 with roots in poultry farming, eventually, as the industry changed, he shifted to vegetable and flower farming.  The farm now aims to provide customers with great plants so that they may become successful "farmers" themselves.  A wide selection of annual and perennial flowers and healthy vegetable plants are available as well as a wealth of gardening knowledge.  In addition, the farm starts hundreds of thousands of plants for truck farmers around Maine.   Recently, the farm has begun to sell fresh, locally grown vegetables to our customers! Welcoming customers and visitors 9 am -4 pm.

17. HARVEST TIDE ORGANICS                Two locations: (Farm) 304 Pork Point Road & (New Washpack Facility) 107 Pork Point Road             www.harvesttideorganics.com

Please come join us on the farm for a look at our farm operations.  Visit the farm at 304 Pork Point (park at the blue shipping container) for tours and explanations of our high tunnel production and our flower U-pick.  Visit us at 107 Pork Point for a look at our new washpack facility.  Tours start on the hour and half hour from 10 am until 1:30 pm. 

18. JUST PLAYING WITH GLASS             Merrymeeting Hall, 27 Main Street

Just Playing With Glass is a fused glass and found glass creative outlet.  Creating beautiful items for every day and special occasion use.   As a continuous learner Amy is always learning and experimenting with materials and techniques hence the name "Just Playing With Glass."  She will be demonstrating upcycling glass projects from found glass, such as luminaries, bird feeders, planters, dishes, windchimes, etc.  As well as using a mini kiln making pendants, fidget stones and blessing stones at Merrymeeting Hall from 10 am – 3 pm.

19. MERRYMEETING STAINED GLASS                   Merrymeeting Hall, 27 Main Street

Meg Zellinger is a stained glass artist, who creates two-and 3 dimensional pieces, both abstract and representational, occasionally collaborating with a wood sculptures with 3 dimensional pieces. On Open Farm and Studio Day, she will be demonstrating techniques of working with stained glass while working on a current project at Merrymeeting Hall from 10 am – 3 pm. While she will not have items for sale, photographs of her work available for review.

20. MERRYMEETING MITTENS              52 Center Point Road, Six River Farm                    www.bowdoinhamartisans.com

Joanie Mitchell creates felted wool mittens from gently used 100% wool sweaters. The technique includes felting the sweaters first then cutting out the mitten pattern and sewing them together by machine. She uses cashmere for the lining when available or fleece. Various sizes are available to accommodate individual hands. Joanie finds joy in giving new purpose to the life of a wool sweater. “Wool Sweaters for Happy Hands” is her motto. Visit her at Six River Farm from 9 am – Noon.

21. SIX RIVER FARM                                52 Center Point Road            www.sixriverfarm.com

Six River Farm is a certified organic vegetable farm located on the shores of Merrymeeting Bay in Bowdoinham. Started in 2007, it is owned and operated by Nate Drummond and Gabrielle Gosselin. We, along with our excellent employees, grow twenty-four acres of produce on a total of forty acres of farmland, a combination of owned and leased land.  We grow a wide range of vegetables as well as herbs, berries, and cut flowers. Through season extension techniques, including the use of heated and unheated greenhouses, we are able to grow vegetables all year round.  We offer our produce for sale year-round at our farm stand in Bowdoinham, at farmers markets in Brunswick, and at local grocery stores. 

9 am – 12 pm Pick up a map at our farm stand for a self-guided walk along our home fields. (Please no dogs allowed if touring our farm, thank you.) Please, park by our farm stand.

22. LAPOPINTE ANTIQUES & RESTORATION        1191 River Road     www.mortimerlapoint.com

9 am – 5 pm Tours of workshop and restored historic Chamberlain carriage house. Antiques and hand-built furniture for sale.

23. PEARY’S GARDEN             218 Maine Street

Peary’s Garden is in its sixth season as a community growing space and is proud to host 16 members for the 2023 season. Peary’s was started by Brian Smith and Lily Montgomery in 2017, following the Death of Peary Merriman, who was a resident of Bowdoinham Estates and the first person to actually use the space as a garden.  The idea of a community garden was enthusiastically supported at the BCDI “Community Conversations” gathering in 2017. After the “Community Conversations” meeting in 2017, the garden was formally established by a committee of Brian, Lily, and Ian Jerolmack of Stonesipher Farm. 

Members of the garden receive compost, water access, tools, seeds, tilling and garden advice as part of their membership. Brian has built a beautiful wood fired pizza oven at the garden, using his old granite survey monuments. The oven and the delicious pizza has been the focal point of several community, neighborhood, and garden functions. Residents are welcome to talk with Lily or Brian about using the pizza oven and site for their own functions. We encourage our entire community to come enjoy this beautiful space we have created together.

Please come by between 12-3pm and tour the garden - we look forward to seeing you there!

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