Latest News | Ending Hunger in Maine | Good Shepherd Food Bank

The Chipman family has been a Mainers Feeding Mainers partner for ten years and has donated over 10,000 lbs. of food. A variety of summer squash, green beans, tomatoes, broccoli, potatoes, apples, lettuce, onions, winter squash, green peppers, corn, and melons have made their way to the Food Bank’s distribution centers, Poland Community Food Pantry and 7th Day Adventist Food Pantry throughout all the years they’ve been supporting our network.

Chipman Farms fields of small plants with three large red greenhouses

Chipman Family Farm - woman farmer in green sweatshirt standing in front of crops

Farm partner: Sani E Felici Farm, Union, Maine

Bill and Holly Lombardi and their adorable friend, CoCo, of Sani E Felici Farm (“Healthy and Happy Farm” in Italian), are new Mainers Feeding Mainers partners. Last growing season, they distributed around 2,000 lbs. directly to Come Spring Food Pantry, Washington Food Bank, and Bread for the Journey – Warren Food Pantry. Produce includes beets, carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, onions, peppers, snow peas, string beans, summer squash, tomatoes, and zucchini.

Bill Lombardi and dog kneeling on ground at Sani E Felici Farm in Maine

Bill and Holly Lombardi at their farm, Sani E Felici Farm

Farm partner: Ripley Farm, Dover-Foxcroft, Maine

The Ripley family has been a Mainers Feeding Mainers partner for four years. They have distributed over 35,000 lbs. of food to Corinna UMC Food Pantry, Dover-Foxcroft Food Cupboard, Harmony Cares Food Pantry, UMC Ecumenical Food Cupboard-Milo, UUC Sangerville Food Pantry, and Mayo Regional Hospital. Produce includes lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage, summer squash, winter squash, potatoes, peppers, and carrots.

Ripley Farms sign - green with gold writing

Farmer at Ripley Farms in purple shirt standing in his field

Farm partner: Moodytown Gardens, Palmyra, Maine

When we dropped by for a visit, farmer Johanna Burdet was a busy bee harvesting onions and getting ready to open their farm stand for the day, but took some time to show us around.

2020 marked their third year as a Mainers Feeding Mainers program partner. The farm has distributed over 6,000 lbs. directly to the Apostolic Bible Church Food Pantry and the Palmyra Baptist Worship Center Soup Kitchen. Produce includes cucumbers, carrots, greens, onions, melons, summer squash, winter squash, and potatoes.

Yellow building with green sign that says Moodytown Gardens with drawing of plant

Farmer Johanna Burdet from Moodytown Gardens holding freshly harvested onions

Farm partner: Sweet Land Farm, Starks, Maine

We met with Jay Robinson who has been a Mainers Feeding Mainers partner from the beginning; totaling ten years with us. We were impressed by his very tall corn stalks.

Over the years he’s distributed over 60,621 lbs. of winter squash directly to Starks Food Pantry, People Who Care Food Cupboard, Care & Share Food Closet, and our Auburn distribution center.

Farmer Jay Robinson from Sweet Land Farm standing among cornstalks

Jay Robinson from Sweet Land Farms, standing among cornstalks

Farm partner: Thomas Vegetable Farm, Corinth, Maine

We met with Frank Thomas, as a first-year partner, Frank showed us around his impressive family-owned farm. We watched fresh produce be picked, cleaned, and boxed. This year, Thomas Farm will be sending rutabagas and winter squash to our Hampden distribution center to then be distributed to our northern partner network.

Boxes of red potatoes from Thomas Vegetable Farm

Frank Thomas, farmer, standing in his fields

Farm partner: The Lion’s Farm, Corinth, Maine

Our next farmer spotlight will have you ready for fall apples. Glenn and Cheryl Chalkley of The Lion’s Farm, LLC in Corinth, Maine, welcomed us to their farm on a beautiful day where they showed us around their apple and pear orchard.

As Mainers Feeding Mainers partners since 2015, they’ve distributed over 16,000 lbs. directly to Widows & Orphans, Safe Place Community and Samaritan Inc. Produce includes cucumbers, apples, pears, blueberries, winter squash, zucchini, sweet corn, and beets.

Lions Farm sign - honey, blueberries, raspberries, and zucchini, with orange flowers below

Glenn and Cheryl Chalkley of The Lion's Farm standing in their apple orchard

Farm to healthcare partner: King Hill Farm and Northern Light Blue Hill Hospital, a Community Health and Hunger Partner

King Hill Farm provides produce and recipes each week to Blue Hill Hospital for them to share with patients and has been a great partner to work with. Overall, the farm has distributed 15,000 lbs. of food directly to Tree of Life Food Pantry & Turn-Style Thrift Shop and Blue Hill Hospital.

Table with produce and flyers at healthcare facility

Table with produce and flyers at a healthcare facility

Farm partner: Twin Villages Foodbank Farm, Damariscotta, Maine

We visited Megan and Sara at Twin Villages Foodbank Farm at the beginning of the summer when they were preparing seedlings. Now, they’re busy harvesting and storing carrots, beets, Delicata squash, Sibley squash, butternuts, onions, and peppers!

They’ve been Mainers Feeding Mainers partners for four years. We’ve purchased more than 25,000 pounds of produce from them to distribute to our partner network. And donated over 25,000 lbs. directly to Jefferson Area Community Food Pantry, Newcastle Ecumenical Food Pantry, Waldoboro Food Pantry, St. Phillips Church Food Pantry, Boothbay Regional Food Pantry, and St. Denis & Full Gospel Food Pantry. Produce includes but is not limited to cabbage, summer and winter squash, greens, beets, corn, and onions.

Rows of green crops with a blue sky