Spruce Mill Farm’s 2015 Review

Suddenly, it’s 2016! If you look at our blog, it would appear that 2015 didn’t exist…please don’t judge us by that. We failed at keeping up with the blog but we succeeded on so many other levels! 2015 was our second full season in production on the farm and our first full season with our commercial kitchen. That being said, we were ‘busy’.

To sum up the past year in a blog post wouldn’t do it justice, I know I would leave something important out. It was a year of tremendous growth; on the farm, as adults and in business. Here are some of the feats we accomplished in the past year:

We cleared, destumped and seeded with cover crop 3 additional acres for new growing space.

Became bee keepers.

Raised 10 heritage bred pigs.

Hired and trained our first seasonal apprentice.

Participated in “Open Farm Day” and had over 100 guests check out our farm and growing practices.

We grew over 1,000 lbs of onions which we started from seed (they were also the most beautiful onions around).

Supplied 16 weeks of produce, artisan bread, eggs and grass fed beef to over 30 families who participated in our Community Supported Agriculture Shares.

Harvested, washed and packed our vegetables and fresh baked artisan breads and pastries every Saturday for the Dover Cove Farmers Market from May through the end of October.

Provided produce and artisan bread to one local restaurant.

Made prepared food for over a dozen off site events and fed up to 150 people with ingredients we sourced from our farm and other local farms.

Hosted The Mallet Brothers Band at our farm and had about 150 people attend.

We raised and slaughtered 75 broilers.

We increased our laying flock to 60 laying hens.

Vended our prepared food and artisan breads at Maine Fare and The Bread Fair.

…I think that’s all but again, I’m probably missing something.

And, I did manage to get some really great photos with our “real camera” when my hands weren’t covered in dirt or dough. Thanks to our local community for supporting what we do– we look forward to doing more of it in 2016!

The Farm