Morris Farm in Wiscasset has been a mainstay of the community for generations—and we need your help to purchase the farm, support the next farmer as they build their business, and permanently protect this treasured agricultural and community resource for generations to come.
Just a mile from downtown Wiscasset, Morris Farm has a history that spans generations. Since 1995, the property has been under a 30-year restrictive covenant preventing non-agricultural development, operated by the Morris Farm Trust. In that time, the farm has been a mainstay in the community, welcoming farm workers and volunteers of all ages, celebrating agriculture through a summer farm camp for kids; educational programs and events for all ages; garden plots for local growers; pasture for cattle grazing and hay production; and a "share shed" where people facing food insecurity access free, nutritious, and locally grown and produced food.
This community and agricultural resource is at risk. The restrictive covenant expires in 2025, the Morris Farm Trust is no longer able to operate the property, and the farm will almost certainly be lost to development if sold on the open market. Maine Farmland Trust plans to purchase the property, then match a farmer with it and provide farm viability support during a lease period of up to 3 years. At that time, Maine Farmland Trust will permanently protect the farm from development with an agricultural easement and sell it to the farmer.
This project provides an opportunity for Maine Farmland Trust to build on a new, more accessible model that supports farmers on the property before protecting and selling it to the farmer. This slower approach allows farmers the opportunity to develop their business, get to know the land they will purchase and how they would like the easement structured, and access capital with documentation of an established business in hand. Most importantly, it has potential to provide access to farmers who wouldn’t otherwise be able to farm on the property.
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