The beauty of Beau Chemin Farm
by MacKenzie Rawcliffe
In a gently sloping field of light green and yellow grass, stands the grey Beau Chemin farmhouse in Waldoboro. Surrounded by a simple rock wall the house overlooks the 150 acre lot of Wayne and JoAnn Myers. In its 1.3 mile stretch it contains organic vegetable gardens, pastureland for several endangered livestock breeds, a pond and two public hiking trails.
The Myers used their savings to buy the land in 1998 and have been enjoying the farming lifestyle ever since. They are representative of a new type of farmers in Maine. They do not depend on the land for a living, but as a way to supplement their income and more importantly enhance their quality of life. While the Myers are closer to retirement age, JoAnn says they get many young couples visiting their farm who would like to learn more about farming. She says they are interested in learning about the health benefits and quality of life that farming could bring their family.
At Beau Chemin Farm they grow only organic vegetables and flowers, many of which are also rare heirloom varieties. They believe in the importance of growing organically for the health of the soil, their neighbors and themselves, says JoAnn. They have also made a commitment to raising rare and endangered breeds of sheep, chickens and cows. They believe strongly in the importance of protecting rare breeds to help preserve biodiversity in livestock. For example, they have a small herd of Leicester Longwool sheep, whose shiny white wool and hardy disposition made them a favorite with colonial farmers like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. This historic breed is no longer farmed commercially and is in danger of disappearing. The Myers are helping to preserve them.
For many years Wayne and JoAnn lived in rural communities, working together to organize and run rural health care education programs. They both grew up on farms, in Missouri and Connecticut respectively, and owning their own farm has long been a dream for the couple. They bought the land at the right time, according to JoAnn, because as developers have moved into the area, land prices have increased so they never could have afforded to buy their farm now. At first JoAnn admits that they didn’t really know what they were doing but they got a lot of help and advice from MOFGA (Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association), the Umaine Cooperative Extension as well as the state farm mentoring program.
Compared to industrial farms their operation is quite small, but they are nearing their goal of being a sustainable and profitable farm. That is one thing JoAnn says is hard for many first time farmers, realizing how long it is going to take before they start making money, if ever. Especially for farmers interested in low impact farming who go to the extra expense of doing things like not using pesticides or creating tree barriers along waterways. These are things that many foreign government pay their farmers to do, but not in the U.S because it does not help maximize profits, says JoAnn.
The Myers make money by selling their livestock, running a farm stand and selling naturally dyed wool. They don’t sell their vegetables at organic prices because they believe in making good food accessible to all. They have been able to improve their business with the help of several organizations and business strategies. As a registered visitor farm with MOFGA they are always open to educate the public and they participate in Open Farm day through the Get Real Get Maine campaign. They have a professional website designed by their son in law with a link to the visitmaine site that has also made a noticeable difference. However, JoAnn thinks the biggest things that bring people in to their farm stand is a new sign out on the main road and simple word of mouth.
The Myers may not be a raking in money but they believe that by working the land they are helping to save green space, keeping money in the community and maintaining the rural nature of the area. It is a satisfying and sustainable way of life that the Myers hope will catch on with youth in Maine as they seek to create a good life, not just a rich one.