Maine Farmland Trust

Words by

Maine Farmland Trust

Photography by Jenny Nelson

Helping New Farmers with an Old Problem: Finding A Farm to Call Home

Maine Farmland Trust is a member-powered statewide organization that protects farmland, supports farmers, and advances the future for farming. MFT’s goal is not just to protect Maine farmland, but to revitalize Maine’s rural landscapes by keeping agricultural lands working and helping farmers, and their communities, thrive. Since its founding in 1999, the Trust has helped to protect over 57,000 acres of farmland and provided critical services to over 550 farm families.

Who do they help? Caitlin Frame and Andy Smith are young dairy farmers who spent several years working on other farms and establishing their yogurt and milk business while looking for a place of their own. “For young famers,” Smith said, “access to land is one of the predominant barriers. MFT’s easement program significantly reduced the cost of the farm and brought the cost into a more accessible range for us.” The couple now has 280 acres in Monmouth they’ve proudly named “The Milkhouse Farm & Dairy” and are adding new products to their dairy offerings. Stop by and say hello on Open Farm Day next July.