Four Farms - No. 2

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The second farm we visited was the Smith Family Farm in Bar Harbour, Maine.  The farm is run by a lady called Maggie - far too young to have upset Bob Dylan in the mid 60s.

We first met Maggie at the weekly Farmers' Market at North East Harbour.  She was selling raw milk, cheese and yogurt.  I bought a pot of lemon yogurt and had only my finger to try it - it was good.

I shook Maggie's hand.  It was a dairy farmer's hand - a little incongruous on a petite wee lady.  I recognise the feel of a dairy farmer's hand from my uncles.  Sorry Maggie - big fat fingers, chapped and cracked.

Maggie milks about 10 beautiful Jersey dairy cows.  Is there anything more gentle and flat out gorgeous than a Jersey cow?  I don't think so. She milks all year round - which I guess she needs to do to keep producing her milk, yogurt and cheese.  Hard yakka!

The other part of the Maggie's farm that I found most interesting was her cell grazing.  I helped her (not much) move the cattle.  We talked about how we each manage the pastures and the right amount to eat down the pasture before moving them on.

Maggie has almost nothing in the way of permanent fencing - similar it seems to most of the US.  It certainly makes the cell grazing easier.  Her electric fencing is very light.  Perhaps it helps to have gentle Jerseys. 

Her pastures looked great - a wide variety of species and lots of clover (white and red).

Again a privilege to see someone else's farm.
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