Alex Beaudet, of Pemaquid Falls Farm, surveys the crops. (Photo courtesy Pemaquid Falls Farm)
If you have driven out the Pemaquid peninsula in the past several years, you probably have noticed the sweet yellow farmhouse and busy fields across from Bristol Area Library.
This small farm is aptly named Pemaquid Falls Farm, sitting at the mouth of the Pemaquid River. I am always taken by the lush flower gardens along the roadside and have enjoyed watching this farm grow and evolve over the years.
We stopped in last week for a visit with Alex Beaudet, owner and farmer, as he prepares for this year’s season.
While Alex has lived in Bristol for some time, he didn’t start the farm until 2019. He moved to no-till operations in 2020 (inspired by Firth Farm’s methods in Scarborough) and has been growing steadily since then. While things are just getting going this season, as you drive by later in the summer, you can see the flocks of chickens pecking around, the hedges of flowers that are pollinator friendly, and a variety of produce growing in the fields.
While they are currently getting seedlings going and fields ready, the busy season is right around the corner! Upcoming changes on the farm could include a second greenhouse, the potential for increased growing space, and a walk-in fridge for storage.
Pemaquid Falls Farm has a farm store open seasonally where you can get their goods as well as other treats. Here, they sell their own seedlings, vegetables, fruit, flowers, and eggs. They also bring in other local products including bread and baked goods, meat, cheese, honey, preserves and more.
Alex has a robust Members Choice CSA option for his customers to shop at the farm stand, and the signups just went live last week! They do tend to sell out, so grab yours while you can. Supporting farms early in the season through CSAs is incredibly important as they invest in getting the season going, before they are able to sell the goods.
One of the reasons we appreciate this particular CSA program, is that Pemaquid Falls makes sure to offer flexibility to those who may need a little extra help and can offer sliding-scale options. You can help these efforts by donating on the website to the CSA cost-share program.
The signup for Pemaquid Falls Farm Member’s Choice CSA can be found at pemaquidfallsfarm.com. There is also a newsletter signup so you can stay informed on the farm’s happenings all summer.
Whether you live on the peninsula or will be heading that way for a trip to the beach this summer, make sure to add a stop at Pemaquid Falls Farm to your travels!
