Get your goat during Maine’s Open Farm Day

Sat, 07/26/2014 - 7:15am

This Sunday, July 27, farms up and down the Midcoast will leave their gates open.

But instead of allowing the animals to get out, they will let people come in during the annual State of Maine Open Farm Day.

Farms throughout the state will open their barn doors and allow the public a glimpse at what goes on in the barnyard.

Several farms in Lincoln County will host Open Farm Days.

Morris Farm Trust on Gardiner Road in Wiscasset will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Lyric Meadow Organics Farm in Boothbay on Dover Road will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Farm-goers will get a glimpse of Morris Farm's goats, sheep, chickens and pigs as well as a look at what's growing in the fields and gardens. This year the Morris Farm Store will also be open.

Program Coordinator John Affleck wrote in an email that animal manager and Farm Camp Leader Olivia Barber will be on hand to show off some of the farm's animals and the Master Gardener Volunteers will give tours of the gardens.

Affleck also said the Margaret Ellis Community Gardeners will be on the farm to show off the property.

Lyric Meadow Farm is a certified organic farm that specializes in eggs, vegetables, and flowers. Farm owner and operator Mary Linda Rapelye will be on hand to show people around.

There are also alpacas, a horse, rabbits, ponies and a miniature pig which lives with the alpacas.

The alpacas are raised for their wool, which is sold in both raw roving and spun form. Activities will include pony rides, vegetable picking, meeting the animals, a pig-washing demonstration, and sipping lemonade under a big oak tree out front.

For more information about Morris Farm Trust, visit www.morrisfarm.org, or to find a list of other farms in the area that will be hosting an open farm day visit Get Real Maine's website.