History and Future

A Bit About Where We Came From... "It was as if the land was telling us what to do," said Eleanor Houston Smith. In 1947, Eleanor and her husband, Lawrence M.C. Smith, of Philadelphia, purchased what is now Wolfe's Neck Farm, named for Henry Wolfe, who was the first settler on the neck. This 626-acre saltwater farm was the perfect place for the Smiths to begin their natural farming operation, as proof of their belief in the useful preservation and protection of open spaces. The long-range planning of the farm began in 1949, when Eleanor Houston Smith became a member of the Cumberland County Soil Conservation District. Eleanor liked to say she had "been in the conservation world since 'conservation' was a dirty word." In 1953, the Smiths began their natural farming operation with 9 cows and a bull and by 1959 the herd neared forty cattle.  They farmed the land for years and worked to educate local farmers about how to best care for the land. ...and Where We're Going Wolfe's Neck Farm is committed to continuing the Smith's tradition of being good farmers and good stewards of the land.  Today, Wolfe's Neck Farm partners with area farmers to pasture beef cattle, and we are hoping to develop more relationships with farmers who want to work the land  at Wolfe's Neck Farm. The Farm is also following in the Smith's tradition of educating the public about agriculture.  We have created innovative educational programs  that focus on preserving the environment and sustainable agriculture. We offer summer camp programs, spring and fall school field trips, adult education, and family events. We are also proud to offer a variety of volunteer events and opportunities  throughout the year. More than 2,500 children, 600 families, and 200 adults participated in our Education programs at the Farm in the last year, learning about agriculture and the natural world. We continue to expand the variety and quality of our programs, and our enthusiasm for education grows by the day! Wolfe's Neck Farm also offers a myriad of activities and recreational opportunities to our community.  The Farm boasts over three miles of hiking trails, a river and bay to kayak and canoe  in, great birding, country roads for biking, and opportunities to clam and fish. Our most exciting way to explore the natural world is to camp along the shores of Casco Bay. Recompence Campground  has been welcoming camping families to our 130 spacious camsites and cottages on the shores of Casco Bay since 1962.  In 2010, they earned Yankee Magazine's "Best Coastal Camping" award.   We have a clear and exciting mission: To continue and improve Wolfe's Neck Farm's long tradition of sustainable agriculture, recreation and education while preserving its open space. And an even more exciting challenge: Wolfe's Neck Farm will be a leading demonstration farm and educational resource center for innovative and sustainable practices in agriculture and natural resources. Explore our website to learn how you can get involved, participate in activities on the Farm, learn and explore with our education programs, camp, learn about agriculture, and more! We hope you will join us as we work to preserve the past and cultivate the future.

 

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