Choice of:

• Guided Tour, Goat Feeding, Q&A, and Seasonal Snack for Two
• Guided Tour, Goat Feeding, Q&A, and Seasonal Snack for Four

About Orchard Ridge Farm

What services does your business offer and what makes your business stand out from the competition? Orchard Ridge Farm enjoys their close proximity to Portland, the largest city in Maine and arguably the foodie capital of New England. In fact, they are probably the closest of all the U-Pick apple orchards, just 15 minutes from the outskirts of Portland itself.The farm’s orchard offers: Asian pears, European pears, apples and blueberries. All of the farm grown items are protected using low spray, managed through Integrated Pest Management principles.

The Farmer’s Market is open year round and offers a fresh selection of locally sourced hot and cold food items. Featured on the menu are breakfast sandwiches, donuts and baked goods, NY style pizza and locally made sauces. You can also pick up a dozen fresh eggs or locally produced pork, pastured chicken, grassfed beef or grassfed pastured lamb or duck.

The farm features many different farm animals. Present on the farm are dozens of breeds of chickens who supply the eggs for their farm fresh products. Idaho Pasture Pigs are friendly and have zero odor. Additionally, the ducks, geese, chickens and turkeys are available for sale, so you can start your own backyard flock. The farm also has a protected reserve meadow and border area to support native pollinators, such as bumblebees, Osmia bees, and honeybees.

Overall, Orchard Ridge Farm is an amazing example of an opportunity to earn a living doing something useful for the community. Come experience the beauty of the farm while learning how the animals are cared for and your locally sourced food is produced. Come experience Orchard Ridge Farm!

What was the inspiration to start or run this business? Steven began farming professionally since 1992 and Amy grew up with farming in her family, but they never had the opportunity to own property and develop their vision of a locally integrated sustainable farm business. In 2010, Steven and Amy saw the opportunity to purchase some lovely farm land in Gorham, Maine. After 150 years in the care of another family, the heirs — no longer farming the land — were conflicted about what to do with the farm property. They wondered if they should sell to the highest bidding developer for house lots. Some insisted that they hold out for folks who would use the land for farming, which is exactly what happened.

Steven and Amy purchased this sleepy farm in 2011, with its old house, barn, shed, and acres of hay land. They set about plowing right away. In 2012, they planted their first 200 apple trees. Blueberries and pears followed. Now over twelve acres are planted to fruit trees and bushes. The Bibula family farms together, to offer you the local fruits of their labor with a clear conscience and a personal commitment to good stewardship of the land and of their customers.

What do you love most about your job? A vibrant vision is developing and unfolding on this beautiful piece of land that is our farm. We love sharing the fruits of our farm labor with the community. We feel well rewarded when we have meaningfully impacted the lives of others.

What is the best reaction you’ve ever gotten from a customer? We love when our customers connect with, and understand more about the realities of farming. We also love hearing “See you soon” and “We will be back.” One of the most personally satisfying reactions is the expression of wide-eyed amazement and pleasure when, for the first time, a customer samples a new apple or pear.

See also another deal from Orchard Ridge Farm.