Keiran Roopchand milks a dairy goat at Pumpkin Vine Family Farm, Somerville. (Photo courtesy Kelly Payson-Roopchand)
Imagine a world without dairy: no butter on one’s biscuit, no cheese on pasta, no yogurt in a smoothie, no ice cream in one’s cone. Join the farms in the Midcoast Cheese Trail to celebrate Dairy Month on Sunday, June 9. All participating farms will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will have baby animals to visit, cheese recipes to collect, and farmstead products to sample and purchase, including cheese, yogurt, caramel sauce, soap, and farm-raised meat. See the complete list below.
Several farms are also offering demonstrations and hands-on activities:
Appleton Creamery is celebrating its 25th anniversary Silver Jubilee with a whole day of activities: hands-on milking demonstrations at noon and 1 p.m. and a mozzarella stretch at 2 p.m. Try the creamery’s taste test to see if you can you taste the difference between cow and goat milk.
Brazen Baking will be offering its unique line of all-Maine grain sourdough breads and crackers and Stone Fox Creamery will bring ice cream if the weather cooperates.
Pumpkin Vine Family Farm in Somerville is offering a day of dairy magic for kids and adults alike: discover its goats’ superpowers and have some fun learning how they work their magic. Conjure some milk at 11:30 a.m., then use your super sleuthing in a taste test at 12:30 p.m. Practice your alchemy from 1-2 p.m. as cream is transformed into butter, then make magic milk potions from 2-3 p.m., parental assistance requested. Every visitor receives a superhero badge.
Springdale Farm will be opening its self-guided pasture walk for the season The grass is finally green and growing, which means the milk is flowing – there’s never been a better time to visit your local dairy farms! Visit all the creameries and have your name entered into a free drawing for a unique cheese-related gift.
Participating venues
Appleton Creamery – goats!
780 Gurneytown Road, Appleton
Contact: Caitlin Hunter 785-4431
Copper Tail Farm – goats and piglets
293 Genthner Road, Waldoboro
Contact: Christelle McKee 541-729-5769
Fuzzy Udder Farm – goats and lambs
35 Townhouse Road, Whitefield
Contact: Jessie Dowling 549-3817
Lakins Gorges Cheese at East Forty Farm – calves and piglets
2361 Friendship Road, Waldoboro
Contact: Allison Lakin 230-4318
Pumpkin Vine Family Farm — goats
217 Hewett Road, Somerville
Contact: Kelly Payson-Roopchand 549-3096
Springdale Farm — calves
165 Birches Road, Waldo
Contact: Carrie Whitcomb 342-5135
