Walkers make their way between farms along Hanson Ridge Road. Photo: Lee Burnett
By Tiffani Bourque
Of all the words walkers probably heard while walking from farm to farm on Sunday, one likely came as a surprise: Peace.
The Springvale Farm Walk connected seven local farms that opened their fields, gardens and growing spaces to the community. Co-hosted by Three Rivers Land Trust, the walk followed marked trails and paths connecting McDougal Orchards, Twin Maples Farm, Sky Island Homestead, Blueberry Bend, Rivard Farm, Noon Sheep Farm and the Sanford Community Garden.
There were apples and blueberries, garlic and lavender, sheep, flowers and vegetables. But talking to the people who tend these places, another theme emerged. Again and again, farmers described what their land offered in words that had little to do with what they grew: peace, tranquility, joy and community.
At Twin Maples Farm, Carl Davis said he grew up in the same house where he farms today. His father loved gardening, and Davis grew up joining him. For the past 25 years, he has continued that relationship with the land, with garlic now serving as his primary crop. His hope is simple: that the farm keeps going and the land continues to be farmed.
When asked to describe his farm, Davis didn’t need many words.
“Peace,” he said, adding that we could all use some peace right now.
Visitors check out the garlic at Twin Maples Farm. Photo: Lee Burnett
The same sentiment surfaced at Rivard Farm, where Michelle Jones’ family has farmed for roughly a century. Blueberries and raspberries are the primary crops, while Jones has also begun expanding the flowers she grows. She loves seeing familiar faces return year after year and watching visitors settle at the picnic tables to enjoy the surroundings. She described her farm as peaceful.
That feeling appeared again at the Sanford Community Garden. Master gardener Lora Gurwala is among the volunteers who keep the program growing. Residents can apply for their own raised bed, while other beds grow food donated to MaineHealth to help address local food insecurity. The garden, operating since 2019, has also recently become ADA accessible, with beds designed to be more easily reached by gardeners using wheelchairs.
Gurwala described the space as tranquil.
While peace seemed to connect the farms, each stop told a different story.
At McDougal Orchards, eighth-generation co-owner Polly McAdam runs the farm alongside her brother Matt. Apples are woven deeply into the farm’s identity, but when asked what makes her most proud, McAdam pointed to the customers who return, sometimes several times a season, and become friends over the years.
History is also deeply rooted at Blueberry Bend, a farm Joe Sevigny said his father Lionel started in 1981. More than four decades later, Sevigny is proud of its longevity and the way a local farm can bring people together while connecting them to fresh food grown close to home.
At Noon Sheep Farm, Jean Noon and her son Aaron shared another story shaped by decades on the land. The farm has operated since 1974, beginning with cattle before Jean and her husband Bill fell in love with raising sheep. Jean spoke warmly about the local farming community and the importance of giving people the opportunity to see where their food comes from.
Sky Island Homestead showed how agriculture, education and conservation can meet in one place. Carolyn Reece has operated the homestead since 2019 and is especially proud of the wildlife habitats they have created and youth activities they offer in conjunction with 4-H.
And perhaps that word—community—was just as present throughout the day as peace.
Eight-year-old Zoe Dochtermann, spending the summer here from Germany, has returned to the Farm Walk year after year. She especially looks forward to the flowers and garlic scape pesto served at Twin Maples Farm. Her parents, Joe Dochtermann and Michaela Pahl, said the walk helps families understand where food comes from and how much work goes into producing it. For Joe, there is value in showing his daughter exactly where something she eats comes from rather than simply finding it on a grocery store shelf.
For Springvale resident Alyson Rachkoskie, Sunday offered the chance to discover places that had been close to home all along.
“This was the first Farm Walk I’ve attended,” Rachkoskie said. “I’d visited McDougal’s previously, but none of the other locations.”
She was struck by how eager the farmers and volunteers were to share what they knew.
“The volunteers, farmers and staff were enthusiastic to share their knowledge and passion,” she said. “I enjoyed learning about the farms and gardens and getting to meet wonderful people in my community. I’m certainly looking forward to next year’s walk.”
By the end of the day, it was easy to understand that enthusiasm—and why the idea of peace kept finding its way into conversations. Farms offer places where, for a little while, people can simply slow down.
The post Finding Peace Along the Springvale Farm Walk appeared first on Sanford Springvale News.
