It’s your first time visiting Wolfe’s Neck Farm. On your drive in, you’ve stopped at the Little River bridge to admire the view of Casco Bay outside of your car window. Perhaps you’ve stopped to greet the cows grazing lazily in the pasture. You park your car on the side of Burnett Road, take in a deep breath of the fresh salty air, and… Now what?
You’d be surprised how many times enthusiastic new visitors ask us: So, what is there to do here?
To help those who might be coming to the farm for their very first time, we’ve created a sample itinerary that allows you to have meaningful interactions with food, farming, and nature and fully experience this special place in just a day trip. We hope it will be the first visit of many!
9am – 10am: Visit the animals. The first thing you’ll likely hear at Wolfe’s Neck Farm are the “baaaaa” of our sheep. Who could ask for a better welcome? Head on into the brand new big red Wishcamper Livestock Education Barn to see our flock of sheep and goats up close.
Next, walk over to the dairy barn to pay a quick visit to our cows and calves. If they are in the barn they are typically found munching on hay between grazing, or getting ready to be milked. Insider Tip! The cows come in from pasture to be milked at 5:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. each day – it’s quite a sight to watch them cross the road into the barn.
Keep an eye out for our hens grazing, too – our mobile henhouse can be seen out on Brocklebank field beyond the campground office. Want a closer look? A few chickens wander around a coop in the Education gardens on the Little River Farmstead.
10am – 12pm: Bike around and get acquainted. From the Little River Farmstead, turn left and head up the road to our campground office. Here you’ll find L.L. Bean bicycles for rent, ready to take you out on an adventure around the farm. Bike the dirt roads around the farmstead and campground, or for a longer ride, head back out to Wolfe Neck Road or Lower Flying Point Road for scenic views of our neighborhood.
12pm – 1pm: Enjoy lunch at the Farm Café. By now, you are sure to have worked up an appetite. Return your bike at the campground office and pop over to the Farm Café next door for a delicious burger, salad, or pizza with toppings that come straight from our vegetable production plot. Don’t forget the ice cream!
1pm – 2pm: Walk off your lunch on the nature trails. Walk back up Burnett Road to the Little River Farmstead, and head down the road to the left of the buildings. Here you’ll find the trailhead for beautiful paths that meander through lush woodlands, along the marsh, and past our outdoor classrooms. Stop by Heron’s Hideaway to see if you can get a glimpse of the birds wading in the marsh!
2pm – 3pm: Cool off by the shoreline. Take a walk up to West Bay, through the campground, and follow the path towards Hayload Point. This lovely little trail leads you right down to the rocky shore, with a bench that’s perfect for some reading, reflecting…or an afternoon nap! West Bay also boasts a staircase to the shoreline, and at high tide you can take a kayak out for a paddle. Kayak rentals available at the campground store.
3pm – 4pm: Learn about our vegetable production. Walk backup to the road, and follow the loop back around to our Teen Ag vegetable field. Walk along the mulch paths and admire the many different organic fruits and vegetables that our crew members have been growing all summer long for our Farm Stand, CSA, and local food pantries. Like what you see? Check out the Farm Stand on our Little River Farmstead to see what’s for sale and in season!
4pm – 5pm: Attend an afternoon milking. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, come watch our dairy herd in action! Witness 30+ cows go through the organic milking process in our unique dairy parlor. Meet some of our dairy apprentices and learn more about the Organic Dairy Farmer Training Program. Online pre-registration recommended.
5pm – 7pm: Get out on the water at sunset. Paddling around Casco Bay is an unforgettable experience. Circle around Googins Island, a protected osprey habitat, and you may be lucky enough to see the resident osprey couple catch fish for their young. Paddle out along the peninsula, or “neck”, and take in beautifully colored rocky ledges framed by forest of oak and pine, and you may glimpse the area’s resident harbor seals or a majestic bald eagle. Kayak and canoes are available to rent at our campground office.
Before you go: Don’t forget to stop in at the Farm Stand! Pick up fresh harvested produce, eggs, jam, or pasture raised beef, chicken, and lamb to take home with you. Your purchase supports our many educational programs happening on the farm.
Looking for more scheduled programming? Be sure to visit the Family Programs page on our website for a detailed list of upcoming events and activities happening on the farm. Examples include Farmer for the Morning, Taste the Farm, and Farm Explorers
Don’t want to leave? We don’t blame you! Check in at our campground office to rent a campsite for the night, and do it all over again tomorrow!
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