Farms, everyone in Maine lived on one at one time.
Grew up knowing hard work. The ups and downs of depending on the weather when you can not. Not flush with cash, but having everything you need. Food, wood to heat with, home made mittens gram in the rear apartment lovingly pearl one, knit two to create just for you. To keep your hands warm when waiting for the bus on the end of the very long driveway. Or playing during recess, after school when the chores were finished.
As the farmers in Maine up and down roads in small towns disappeared, or became merged with larger operations, the little small three acre fields lost their appeal, utility.
Bigger, better, automated planters, cultivators and hoes, harvesters rolled in.
Turning around that machinery when it just got settled in to the field and hydraulics lowered not an easy production in small spaces. The stop, turn, reset dog and pony makes the efficiency meter tank, bend, snap.
So those little Maine fields either are attractive to yesteryear two row antique farmers with Super M’s and John Deere B’s put put putting around them. Because no high in the sky over head expenses looming. The same field ideal to fence, lead in some critters, short or tall and all with four legs. A shared love for clover, grasses.
So profits being high not the carrot with this hobby, small scale Maine farmer.
More after the lifestyle of being surrounded by the farm outdoor experience. Often one of the couple holds down a “real job” for benefits like insurance, for stability. To help with the cash flow tide in and out of the local bank account to run the Maine household. Keep things together fiscally sound.
The high powered, agri-business whiz with two phones going all the time needs to be able to sail, cruise, plant, manage, harvest fast. Hits the ground running, hustling and time is money like the UPS guy or gal behind the wheel of the brown truck with gold lettering. Finger on the pulse of the market, latest scientific varieties that don’t break down in storage for those long, out of state market hauls.
The number of smaller hobby farms in Maine is on the increase. And the little fields, land acreages serve this purpose, fit like a glove.
Because the field is too small for the bigger Maine farmer.
But just right for the little guy that can work the fertile soil. Dig in the dirt and produce food locally grown for the tables around his zip code. No matter which area of the sixteen counties in Maine he finds himself lucky to be in.
I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com
