Aldermere News
Two midcoast nonprofits are teaming up to preserve a historic dairy farm in Rockport — and build new affordable housing on site.
The rooftop solar system generates enough electricity to power Aldermere Farm, Erickson Fields Preserve, and the Topsham office.
“Teen Ag Crew… gives teens the opportunity to make a positive impact on their community, develop their resumes, and expand their social circles beyond the walls of their schools.” ~ Aaron Englander
Maine Coast Heritage Trust has received a new gift of $250K from the Richard King Mellon Foundation; Aaron Englander has been named Associate Director of Stewardship of two Rockport preserves; and a newly completed cattle barn will be open to visitors
“It was an easy connection to make,” said Rick Rector, board member of CACFP, in a news release. “We had a van we weren’t using any longer and MCHT had a need. Erickson Field is a strong supporter of ours with their fresh produce, so it was a great fit that benefits both of us.”
Visitors are encouraged to don their most festive (or ugliest) holiday sweaters and have their photos taken with a Belted Galloway calf.
The Bay View Collection is excited to announce four new partnerships with local charitable organizations for an opportunity to give back and show thanks as part of the company’s annual “Great Rates for a Great Cause” giving campaigns available at each of their four boutique hotels in Camden and Rockport.
The 3.7 mile trail race begins and ends atop Beech Hill. Runners will start downhill, make a right onto Coastal Mountains Land Trust’s extension trail that connects to Erickson Field’s Preserve.
Maine Coast Heritage Trust, a statewide land conservation organization, said Oct. 12 that it will receive a $500,000 gift toward the campaign for Aldermere Farm and Erickson Fields, two landmark preserves that have had a profound multi-generational impact in the Midcoast by providing food, farming, education, and public demonstration of the agricultural way of life.
“We are excited to host this event to celebrate the end of the growing season and to showcase the amazing local farmers in our community,” said Aaron Englander, director of Aldermere Farm and host of the event, in a news release. “We hope community members and farmers alike will come out and enjoy an afternoon of fun and festivities.”
September through early November, the Teen Ag Crew typically harvest 60+% of their food bank garden’s annual yield at Erickson Fields. At Aldermere Farm, the fall calves are being born.
The walk will focus on mushrooms, but Gentalen will also share his knowledge of birds, tracking, and the animal and plant life of Erickson Fields.
Attendees will learn about the Teen Agricultural Crew, a social entrepreneurial internship where a crew of teens ages 14-18 raise vegetables naturally for the local food system, including food pantries and public schools. Under the guidance of MCHT staff and with the help of many volunteers, the Teen Ag Crew harvests approximately 20,000 pounds annually.
Six community organizations serving residents in Knox County are seeking volunteers for projects to increase access to nutritious food for active and healthy lives.
A new Midcoast Farmers Union site at the former Coastal Blueberry Services facility at 61 Common Road is now open to farmers to set up pop-up retail markets and to use the space for storage and/or other functions.
The Pride Walk will feature LGBTQ+ and allied youth creative pieces in a series of display cases along a wooded 1.4-mile loop trail at Erickson Fields Preserve. The trail runs along MCHT’s Teen Ag Crew food bank farm and Community Gardens at 164 West Street in Rockport.
Knox County Food Council will host a virtual presentation about MaineHealth’s Community Health Implementation Plan and its initiatives at Pen Bay Medical Center (PBMC) in Rockport and Waldo County General Hospital (WCGH) in Belfast to improve the health of Midcoast residents by making nutritious food more accessible.
The Annual Rockport Garden Club Plant Sale will be held at Aldermere Farm, 70 Russell Avenue, on June 3, from 8 a.m. to noon. All are welcome.
This July, Maine Coast Heritage Trust (MCHT) invites youth ages 10 to 18 to get up close and personal with the Belted Galloway calves at Aldermere Farm, a historic saltwater farm preserve located at 20 Russell Avenue in Rockport.
Attendees will learn about the Teen Agricultural Crew, a social entrepreneurial internship where a crew of teens ages 14-18 raise vegetables naturally for the local food system, including food pantries and public schools. Under the guidance of MCHT staff and with the help of many volunteers, the Teen Ag Crew harvests over 20,000 pounds annually.