COURTESY / MAINE COAST HERITAGE TRUST
Erickson Fields is a Rockport preserve of Maine Coast Heritage Trust.
September 27, 2022
Contractor shortages, increased costs push out fundraising goals for midcoast farms
COURTESY / MAINE COAST HERITAGE TRUST
Aldermere Farm is a land preserve in Rockport.
Maine Coast Heritage Trust earlier this year launched a $3 million fundraising campaign to support Aldermere Farm and Erickson Fields, two landmark land preserves in Rockport.
The organization had set a Dec. 31 deadline to meet its fundraising goal, which includes $2 million for Aldermere Farm, $500,000 for Erickson Fields and $500,000 for the endowment.
Although the organization has made headway toward the goal, it said this week it’s now working toward a target of Dec. 31, 2023.
The deadline was extended to accommodate delays in securing a contractor.
“We’re proud to report that we have almost hit the $2 million mark and are now nearly two-thirds of the way toward completion of this transformational campaign,” the trust’s planned giving officer, David Warren, said in a news release.
The land conservation organization will hold a fall celebration Oct. 15, when it will unveil progress and delays on the campaign.
The event — at Erickson Fields Preserve, 164 West St., Rockport — will showcase a productive four-acre vegetable garden that’s operated by a teenage crew and is on track to harvest and donate nearly 23,000 pounds of fresh produce to food pantries, share tables, free farm stands, and public-school lunches in the midcoast area.
The goal of the fundraising campaign is to provide critical new infrastructure and equipment at each of the preserves.
Aldermere Farm is undergoing a major renovation to accommodate the oldest continuously operated herd of Belted Galloway cows in the United States while improving accessibility to the public. Included are a dual-purpose barn and visitor center with an accessible vestibule, grain room, washroom, storage areas, office, and a balcony, providing a top-down view of the working barn below.
Erickson Fields is adding a new open-air barn to house equipment that will be used for programing, gardening, and food distribution as the farm continues to engage in education and food security for members of the Midcoast community.
The trust said that it had experienced early challenges in attracting bids and securing a building contractor for the project. However, demolition of the old barns at Aldermere is now complete. Earthwork for the new barn is finished, and new construction is about to begin.
Heidi Baker, general manager of Aldermere Farm and Erickson Fields preserves, said the new visitor’s center, trail upgrades and structures at Erickson Fields “are dramatic improvements for our visitors and staff.”
Event details
The free Aldermere & Erickson Fall Celebration will be held Oct.15 (rain date Oct. 16) from 1 to 4 p.m. at Erickson Fields Preserve, 164 West St. in Rockport.
Activities include meeting trust staff and getting campaign updates, checking out the new barn in progress at Erickson Fields, meeting crews and Belted Galloway cows, exploring a 4-acre garden, and harvesting carrots. There will also be hands-on demonstrations of how the produce is harvested, washed and packed for delivery; self-guided tours at Erickson Fields; and a “Story Walk."
For more information, click here or call 207-236-2739.
Aldermere Farm was established in 1800 and protected by the trust in 1999. It drew approximately 2,000 visitors in 2021 and comprises 136 acres including fields, woods and wetlands.
Erickson Field was established in the 1800s and has 164 acres, with approximately 4 acres in mixed vegetable production, 8 acres in hay land, approximately 20 acres in pasture, and 1.4 miles of trails. It donates annually over 25,000 pounds of fresh food for local pantries, schools, and businesses.
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