Peaches Have Arrived

August 23, 2016

The peaches have arrived at the farm in good condition. Despite the hot dry weather that created our unexpected opportunity to get them, their size is close to the usual large/extra large.

You may pick up pre-ordered boxes of about 23 lbs or simply buy smaller quantities (up to a limit of  1/2 peck).

Peaches will be available under this plan until sold out

Whatever your strategy, I anticipate great satisfaction and great eating.

We’ll open early tomorrow (Wednesday, August 24) and stay open an hour longer, making our hours, TOMORROW ONLY, 9-5:30. After that we’ll return to our regular hours.

Updated Pages and Crops and Schedule

August 18, 2016

The farmstand is now open for the season: the tent is up, the coolers are filling, and hours are increasing proportionately to crop variety and quantity.

Click here to check updated information on our Available Now page and here to visit our Hours and Farmers Markets page.

BREAKING NEWS: PEACHES REPORT (PARTIALLY) UNTRUE

I have tonight updated the peaches page to reflect the just-concluded phone call confirming that we WILL be able to offer peaches from the same Connecticut orchard again this season. See our Peaches page for information and procedure.

Thanks for your support, and I look forward to seeing you at the farm soon.

Changes in Schedule: A Brief Hiatus

June 23, 2016

We have entered a short transition period between vegetable seedlings and the beginning of summer produce. We will therefore be closed for about 10 days while the crops continue to mature and we can reopen the farmstand.

Please check our page Hours and Farmers Markets for further information,

And please check for new updates about June 27 or 28 .

Farmer Games

February 17, 2016

The Portland Farmers Market invites you to have good fun for a good cause.

As regular Market shoppers know, the Portland Farmers Market Association has placed great emphasis on increasing access to the great local food available there. We have made several changes to how we do things with this goal in mind, and are still planning.

One of the most important changes has been to participate in the SNAP program, allowing Snap recipients to conveniently access the high quality local foods available in abundance at the market. Unfortunately, maintaining this valuable program entails substantial costs to the market. If you believe in this program, and want to see it continue, we ask your help.

This Sunday the Market is holding a fun fair/fundraiser at the site of the Saturday Winter Market, 84 Cove Street in Portland. ”Goofy fun” is the agenda for the afternoon; the main attraction will feature four local celebrities battling 4 farmers in tests of strength and dexterity: see poster here. The frivolity will reign from 1-4 PM, Sunday, February 21.

Please come join us and help support our SNAP initiative and other programs.

For more information, you can check the Facebook page here.

Pages Updated

January 26, 2016

We have updated several pages:

Crops lists the wide variety of crops we intend to grow in 2016.

Our CSA page now has a brief history of the CSA movement, a description of our CSA model, and a Membership Application to print and mail to us; if subscriptions are paid before February 29, 2016, you will receive an extra 5% bonus discount in calculating your purchase.

Help Wanted lists our needs for the 2016 season and explains how to obtain more information.

Our Partners has been expanded and updated; please check the list of local businesses that support us, and return the favor by patronizing them. If you own a business and would like to work together this coming season, please contact us to discuss your needs and the possibilities.

 

Pages Updated : September 20, 2015

September 20, 2015

PLEASE NOTE:

Our 2015 season is ending sooner than we had anticipated. Please see “Hours and Farmers’ Markets” and “Available Now for more information.

If you  have a Senior Farm Share with us, you MUST use your remaining balance by Sunday, September 30. Any unused funds will have to be returned to the Farm Share program office, which would be too bad.

Thanks to everyone for your support this year. We appreciate working with and for you and look forward to next season. Watch this space for occasional news items and updates through the winter.

We wish you a safe and pleasurable fall and winter until we see you again in the spring.

Thanks again.

Mark and Crew

 

Peaches Are Here!

August 27, 2015

The peaches arrived at the farm this evening after my quick round-trip to CT. They are in great condition: just picked at the perfect stage to ripen fully to sweet and juicy, yet firm enough to travel without damage. :)!

I also bought along some Paulared and Ginger Gold apples; they, too, are sizable beauties just bursting with the juicy tang of fall.

And I brought one more treat. No, not Bartlett pears, which aren’t ready yet this year. (Think peach postponement.) This one you’ll just have to try.

We’ll open at 9 AM on Friday, August 28 for peaches and all the other great produce we pick every day. Thereafter, we’ll open at our usual time of 10 AM.

See you soon!

Pages Updated

May 7, 2015

I have this week updated our “Available Now” and “Hours and Farmers’ Markets” pages.

Please check back regularly as this information will probably change weekly for a while. Or call the farm recorded update line — 207-583-4698 — for an abbreviated version of the same information.

Finally, a small number of Senior Farm Shares are still available.

You Are Invited

May 3, 2015

YOU ARE INVITED TO ATTEND:

Mark will explain how to prune fruit trees at the Harrison Village Library on Monday, May 11 at 6:00 PM.

Before starting Maple Springs Farm and focusing on vegetables, Mark ran a small commercial orchard, growing apples, pears, plums and peaches.

This talk and conversation, which will last about an hour, will explain the basic principles of pruning that apply to all types of fruit trees, and will also explain how each fruit species also has its own particular needs and preferred pruning style. The evening will also discuss how to adjust your pruning to suit your own plans for the trees.

At the end of the evening you will have a much better idea how to help your fruit trees be the best they can be.

PORTLAND FARMERS’ MARKET SEASON BEGINS

APRIL 28, 2015

Maple Springs Farm will begin our Portland Farmers’ Market season this Saturday, May 2.

We’ll have a nice variety of cool weather seedlings such as lettuces, cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli, scallions and more.

And we’ll have the first tastes of fresh spring produce: salad greens such as arugula, mustard, tatsoi and baby chard.

Look for our black pickup truck in our usual spot: see you soon!