We say it all the time: Our members make our work possible. MFT members are people who recognize the importance of protecting farmland and helping farmers thrive. They care about the resiliency of Maine’s rural economy, and the sustainability of our environment. They are farmers, future-farmers, business owners, eaters, conservationists, advocates, policymakers, artists, community-builders, foodies, and people who love Maine. They are people like YOU.“I grew up in Biddeford but would never have imagined that I would be standing here now, ready to open an ice cream shop. We are getting our milk and cream from Harris Farm and trying to source as much as we can from local farms and farmers... As farms are dwindling across the country and the dairy industry is struggling here in Maine, it feels good to find ways to support our community and local farmers. We joined Maine Farmland Trust because we believe the work they do is vital to preserving the environment for us and for future generations.”
---Jonathan Denton + Jacqui DeFranca || Sweetcream Dairy || Biddeford, Maine“We support Maine Farmland Trust because, as longtime home gardeners, we believe in the countless health benefits of good local products and the deep value of preserving and restoring farmland in our state. We love the way the Trust is making it possible for a new generation of farmers to get started and sustain farms throughout Maine.”
---Gary and Rosie Bensen: Newcastle“We bought our 100 acres in Arundel in the 1970’s and raised our family on the land here. Now, we have three-generations living here and working on this land. I have seen this area, and Southern Maine in general, change a lot over the years. When we moved here, there were 24 commercial farms, then at the lowest point, there were only 4. All of the land I hayed for folks in the past has gone to subdivisions. The best land here has been developed.” – Stacey Wentworth
“Watching the demise of farmland, especially in Southern Maine and the prime, fertile land in the Saco River basin has been really hard. As the New School principal, I see our graduates want to farm and yet are daunted with the prospect of finding land. MFT’s work to not only preserve the land but also make it possible for young farmers to get on it is one of the main reasons we have supported MFT for all these years.” – Marilyn Wentworth
--Stacey + Marilyn Wentworth (pictured with grandchildren) || Neverdun Farm || Arundel, MaineIf you believe in this work, we hope you’ll consider joining our community of members who actively support the future of farming in Maine. We can’t do it without you, pitch in!
