On a recent trip home from Belgrade, we made it a point to stop at Winterberry Farmstand. The historic, certified organic farm is run by owner Mary Perry and her children. Inside, the cozy farmstand is filled with homegrown veggies and flowers, sweet and savory baked goods, fresh eggs and jarred condiments of all kinds. Perry was there to say hello, and invited us to explore the farm if we liked (she accepts donations to walk the property).
While CP#2 made his selections, MP decided to take Perry up on her offer to roam the grounds. The bucolic property is akin to the farm in the storybook film, Babe. The lush fields are teeming with flowers, geese and chickens roam freely, and oxen graze in the pasture. This protected, Forever Farm is clearly well-loved by its caretakers, as evidenced by a carefully written list of chores posted on a blackboard inside the barn.
When MP finished roaming, she found Perry and her 13-year old daughter Sage outside making a batch of tomato relish. The warm scent of fresh herbs and heirloom tomatoes filled the air. “Do you have that available inside the shop?” MP asked. Perry nodded and reported that the relish is one the farm’s most popular items.
Back inside the store, CP#2 had selected a bag of chocolate chip cookies. MP chose a jar of relish and one of Perry’s homemade chicken pot pies from the freezer. This was an exercise in restraint, as she could have easily purchased so much more!
If you’re in Belgrade this fall, be sure to stop by the farm for pumpkins or visit on October 14 for cider pressing day and a potluck dinner (BYO apples). For more farm events, visit here.
Winterberry Farmstand
Route 27
Belgrade, Maine
PS: Winterberry Farm and more visiting farms in Maine are highlighted throughout “The Maine Play Book: A Four-Season Guide to Family Fun and Adventure.” Be sure to pick up your copy for family-friendly road trips throughout the state!