WEEKEND READING | Maine Farmers and COVID | PORTLAND, MAINE FOOD MAGAZINE

Penny Jordan of Jordan’s Farm - Jessica Webb Photography

Penny Jordan - Jordan’s Farm

How has your business been affected by COVID?

“We normally don't open until the Wednesday after mother's day. We saw there was a need to set up a local and safe environment for people to shop. We also saw that farmers needed an outlet especially those that rely on the restaurants. It has changed the timing of our operation, but from a growing season perspective, we are continuing on the same strategy as we always have. When it comes to our growing season we are concerned about access to labor as they come from Puerto Rico. and they usually arrive mid-may.”

What would you like our readers of Harvest to know about you?

“I fear for the farmers and producers that want to be growing food and want to know that there is a market there. I am, personally, hopeful that people don't lose sight of what occurred, that Maine farmers pushed healthy food through the food system. There are people that are a paycheck away from being food insecure. There are children out there who don't have consistent access to healthy food. We have seniors who are homebound and need access to neighbors to help them with food. I hope people don't lose sight of what has been going on in our society and community every single day. It is just now that the light is being shined on it and in the end we need to all come together to solve those problems and we have worked on solving them before. Recognition and supporting local farms is what helps make us a more resilient state. ”

Evan Putnam of Pine Ridge Acres - Jessica Webb Photography

Evan Putnam - Pine Ridge Acres

Meet Evan Putnam of Pine Ridge Acres in Cumberland. They are a family run grass fed, grass finish beef operation. Their farm is all-natural, (think no hormones or antibiotics) and only use grass products that are grown on the farm. They also produce pork, poultry, and have a large flock of laying hens.

How has your business been affected by COVID?

“From a business standpoint it's been incredible. We’ve increased our sales from 600-700%. We’ve been able to meet so many more of our neighbors and community members through the farm store. This is because there is a need to shop at smaller stores to limit their contact with other folks and plus, for a while there, the stores didn’t have essentials like your meats, cheeses, and dairy, and we had them.

There has been an outpouring of kind words and people pointing others in our direction, which has been hugely beneficial for business. It is unfortunate it’s under these circumstances, but we are excited to be able to offer what we have to more folks.”

What would you like our readers of Harvest to know about Pine Ridge Acres?

“As a consumer there are so many other ways to go about getting groceries. Years ago everyone wanted to know where their food came from so that there was that peace of mind and now it seems to be coming back to what it was originally. I believe that this bad situation has fast tracked that.

We want to reach out to people and say we’ve been here and we will continue to be here and we’re going to continue to bring the best product that we can to consumers. Our ears are open to what people need and want. We're open to ideas and we’re willing to diversify.”

Allison Lakin of Lakin Gorges Cheese - Jessica Webb Photography

Allison Lakin - Lakin Gorges Cheese

Meet Allison Lakin of Lakin Gorges Cheese and East Forty Farm in Waldoboro. Allison started Lakin Gorges Cheese in 2011 and runs East Forty Farm with her husband. They raise cows, whey fed pigs, and ducks for meat.

When COVID hit Maine Allison started a Google sheet of farmers and fisherman so that people could connect with their local food producers. That list is now hosted on the University of Maine Cooperative Extension website and is helping to generate business

for Maine farmers and fisherman. Her efforts have inspired other states, like Maryland, and countries, like Ireland and the UK, to create databases like this to connect their people with local farmers and fishermen.

How has your business been affected by COVID?

“The week before March 17th I saw that my numbers were already off. I thought it would be a miracle if things don’t start changing rapidly in Maine. I needed to start shifting the promotion of the business, and in fact the week of March 17th I only had 2 wholesale orders...that is not enough to run my business on.

I thought, what can I do with the skills that I have? I was having conversations with the other famers and other cheese makers who were all saying ‘Oh God none of us are making any sales’ so I decided to put together a shared Google sheet. Here farmers and fishermen could enter in their contact information, if they did delivery/pickup, online sales, and the types of products they carry. I also added a section for farmers to list if they had space to host another farmer that has products to sell. It was also a way to connect farmers to help one another if someone got sick. They would be able to tell us and we could pitch in to help. Within 24 hours of having launched the list around 80 people had signed on, and I only knew 10 of them. I started blasting the list out and wrote a press release sending it to all the major Maine news sources. From that Maine Cooperative Extension reached out to me and asked to take on the management of the list. The first weekend it had 2,500 views then spiking to 11,000 views.

Now the second part, My husband and I realized that if either of us got sick we would have no income. We immediately went to shutting our farm store door and having people place orders before they get here. Every single day on both Lakins Gorge Cheese and East Forty Farm’s Facebook pages I write the date, everything that we have available, and tell people how to place an order. In the summer time we offer prepared foods and we realized that as things were progressing that we needed to be doing that now. People will order our ravioli and also buy our pork and cheese.”

What would you like the readers of Harvest to know about Lakin Gorges Cheese?

“This is the time when we can all make changes that will be long lasting and hopefully improve the systems that are in place now. I would like there to be a better food economy on the other side of this. I would like people that are starting to make changes in their buying habits to realize that it doesn’t really take that much effort to support your local producers directly or to have conversations with your small local grocers or co-ops encouraging them to buy your favorite producers food. I guess it comes down to this is the time to make the food revolution happen. All of us that are making noise are saying please help us keep our doors open now, but you’ll still need us later. If the farmers, fishermen, and producers aren’t there when the stores and restaurants open again the products are just not going to be there. The other thing is that… you don’t have to eat mangos. Explore the produce that are in season and local. There are people behind these packages, start up a conversation with the person that is growing your romanesco and ask them how they cook it or ask your lobstermen how they eat their lobster. I want people to talk to people.”

Stacy Brenner of Broadturn Farm - Jessica Webb Photography

Stacy Brenner - Broadturn Farm

Meet Stacy Brenner of Broadturn Farm in Scarborough. They are a cut flower and organic vegetable farm offering a full range of florist services to clients for weddings and special events. They also provide restaurants and small stores with their farm products and run a summer day camp.

How has your business been affected by COVID?

“Our business life has changed dramatically pretty fast. Farm camp, flower design...everything is falling off the table right now. The bottom fell out of the business overnight. We are watching as the accounts for the early summer months get canceled or postponed. We are never going to be able to make up that kind of income, we are laying people off. We are changing our crop mix and just trying to find direct to consumer outlets where we can to sell bunches of flowers.

We are healthy and feel confident we'll make it through even as we anticipate that we’ll have a challenging season. But we feel hopeful that next year will be better. It’s comforting that I didn't mess our business up myself, this is a global issue we’re all experiencing.”

What would you like our readers of Harvest to know about Broadturn Farm?

“We are still here! We are going to do the best we can to make it through this season. We send our love and wishes for good health to the community “

Bang Island Mussels - Jessica Webb Photography

Matt Moretti of Bang Island Mussels - Jessica Webb Photography

Matt Moretti - Bang Island Mussels

Meet Matt Moretti of Bang Island Mussels in Portland. Him and his father have run their sea farm since 2010 growing mussels, kelp, and scallops.

How has your business been affected by COVID?

“Three weeks ago we were at the start of our busy season and ramping up for a crazy busy summer. We were also right in the middle of an aggressive expansion of the farm. We were hiring more staff and outfitting a new (to us) boat. Things were looking really great. Then, over the course of 2 or 3 days, restaurants closed all over the country and 95% of our business evaporated. Global pandemic was not something we planned for. We never could have imagined that all of the restaurants in the country could shut down.”

“We have a farm, we are growing living organisms that cannot be neglected, no matter what is happening in the human world. Like it or not, we can’t work from home. That is the farm life, and we love it, but it makes things a bit complicated right now. Fortunately, our 10 person crew is amazing and we were proactive from the beginning. We made tough choices to keep people safe and keep the company alive. At the moment, anyone in the company who wants a job, has one and is getting paid. It is really hard on the finances but Dad and I feel strongly about providing for our crew that provides for us.”

What would you like the readers of Harvest to know about Bang Island Mussels?

“We are still here. We are still working to provide food for our local community and any other community that wants it. Mussels, kelp, scallops; all seafood is very good for you. I am doing anything that I can to stay healthy these days and eating as much seafood as I can is a big part of that. ”

Jess WebbApril 17, 2020Comment