News
We are pleased to welcome the support of Dandelion Spring Farm, our newest BCDI Business Member!
Dandelion Spring Farm is a MOFGA Certified Organic farm here in Bowdoinham. They offer a wide range of products, including vegetables, milk, eggs, beef, lamb, and pork. Their products can be found at the farmers’ markets in Rockland and Portland, and at many natural food stores and restaurants along Maine’s coast.
Learn more about Dandelion Spring Farm here!
Thank you for your support of our mission!
Bowdoinham is a town of great resilience, of neighbors helping neighbors, and of coming together through the best and the worst of times. BCDI's Board of Directors met (via ZOOM) this past weekend to discuss what BCDI can do to help address the current needs of our community. Through this discussion and the quick work of BCDI's volunteer Board members, a project was created with the goal of helping to shoulder some of the financial burdens our small businesses are facing during this challenging time.
With that, BCDI is inviting applications for our Community Response Grants due to the unprecedented disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. These cash grants of up to $1000 are intended for businesses, organizations, and individuals whose work supports BCDI’s core mission with a focus in providing access to food and/or other basic needs to the Bowdoinham community. The Community Response Grant application is available here. We've addressed some of the foreseen questions you may have here, but please don't hesitate to reach out should you have additional questions.
Applications for the first round of BCDI Community Response Grants are due April 8, 2020 with the intention to award and distribute funds for the first round of grants on or about April 15, 2020. While funds for the first round of grants are limited, BCDI endeavors to offer additional rounds of community response grants during the Covid-19 crisis.
Congratulations to Apple Creek Farm, the latest recipient in BCDI’s Neighbors Investing In Neighbors Loan/Investment Program! This loan, funded directly by individual BCDI members who serve as “investors”, was fulfilled in just four days — record time! To say our members our community-minded is truly an understatement! Jake and Abby of Apple Creek Farm will pay back this low-interest loan over the next 36 months, and will use the funds to support the growth of their farm, including infrastructure investments and the purchase of larger equipment.
Today, we signed the loan documents and disbursed the check and although we had to forgo the usual handshake, it was delightful to have Teensy the lamb on hand to serve as another witness! 🐑
BCDI Quarterly Newsletter
March, 2020 Edition
Sun, 03/01/2020 - 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Every town should have a bakery! Ever since The Town Landing closed, however, Bowdoinham has not had an on-going bakery presence. Many are talking about this need, and there are a lot of creative ideas that are floating around.
Bowdoinham’s Community Development Advisory Committee (CDAC) and the Bowdoinham Community Development Initiative (BCDI) are hosting a gathering of people who are interested in considering bakery possibilities. There is no pre-conceived idea of what might emerge from the discussion! We would like to have bakers, entrepreneurs, the Historical Society (Merrymeeting Hall/kitchen), and any interested party to join us on Sunday, March 1, 2020 from 3-5 at Merrymeeting Hall. The purpose of the meeting is to look at both short-term and long-term options.
There is no need to sign-up for the meeting, but it would help to know if you are planning to come. Please email Nicole Briand (nbriand@bowdoinham.com) or Wendy Rose (wendelynrose@gmail.com).
Let’s see what creative ideas and practical steps might emerge.
As part of BCDI's Farmland Inventory Project, there will be a free workshop for land seekers to be held on Sunday, March 8th at 3pm at Merrymeeting Hall (weather date is March 15th, same time and place). The workshop is designed to help land seekers consider the needs of their future farm, develop a land search plan, and understand the basics of a farmland lease. Land For Good's Maine Field Agent, Abby Sadauckas, will lead the workshop along with BCDI's farmland committee.
Maine Farmland Trust staff will also be in attendance to provide an overview of Maine Farm Link and how it can help farm seekers in their farmland search.
This event is FREE, though registration is required. Please email bcdi.maine@gmail.com if you plan to attend or visit bit.ly/landseeker to register for your free ticket. Please feel free to pass this information along to others in our community and beyond who may be interested in farming in Bowdoinham! Food from Turtle Rock Farm and other refreshments will be provided.
Hope to see you on the 8th!
Hello, and Happy New Year! BCDI is looking forward to a productive year ahead, as we begin the new year with new leadership on our stalwart Board of Directors. Mary Mayo has taken the reigns as Board Chair, Dave Mention is now in the Vice Chair role, and Rachel Murphy continues on as BCDI's Treasurer. We send gratitude to former Board Chair, Kathy Montejo (5 years of service), and David Engler (6 years of service) who moved off the Board at the end of 2019 - their service to the Organization has been invaluable! As we say goodbye to some, we greet others, as we heartily welcome Sam Berry, Graham Buck, and Shay Ruggles to the Board! No doubt, 2020 will be a year filled with lots of new energy and exciting projects for BCDI!
BCDI Quarterly Newsletter
December, 2019 Edition
Another Bowdoinham-based event you should be sure to attend in December is that of one of our partner organizations, Merrymeeting Food Council. MFC is organizing a Farm Labor Roundtable at Merrymeeting Hall on December 16th at 5pm. Join farmers and support organizations to discuss farm labor models, share resources, and build a local network. For more information and to RSVP to this free event please visit: FARM LABOR ROUNDTABLE
Congratulations to Harvest Tide Organics, the latest recipient of BCDI’s “Neighbors Investing In Neighbors” Loan/Investment Program! With this loan (our largest one to date!), Harvest Tide Organics will support the purchase of a 12’ refrigerated box truck, which should increase their carrying capacity by 400%. Pictured here is one of HTO’s owners, Bethany, with her loan check - cheerful despite a long wet day of harvesting and no electricity!
BCDI continues to follow-up on the "Action Items" generated from our 2017 Community Conversations. One of the final items attendees are hoping to see is the installation of "more benches/seating in the Village in public places". In an effort to shepherd this important idea along, BCDI has purchased two benches, custom-made by Bowdoinham contractor Mark Favreau, to be placed on the Village walking loop. The first bench has found a home under the maple tree near the sidewalk at Merrymeeting Hall. Today, the second bench was placed on the outskirts of the Village sidewalk, by the Fire Station on Center Street, with the idea that placing a bench here will increase the walkability of the Village loop. BCDI feels this aligns with the Town's mission to be an "Age-Friendly Bowdoinham", as well as to support all residents and visitors to push yourselves a bit further on your next walk knowing there is a nice place to sit and rest on the outskirts of the Village!
After a welcome and introduction to the new community center, Merrymeeting Hall attendees heard from Carrie Kinne, Executive Director of Kennebec Estuary Land Trust about the multitude of reasons for keeping Bowdoinham's working land in agriculture. Abby Sadauckas, Land For Good's Maine Field Agent presented on the practical steps that landowners can take as they consider making their land available for agriculture. This included examples of they types of farming enterprises, aspects of land use agreements and considerations for good communication for land owners and farmers. The evening concluded with a panel discussion moderated by Sean Hagan of Left Field Farm. The panelists, Tony Cox and Eric Ferguson of Harvest Tide Organics talked from their perspectives as landowner and farmer respectively. Both emphasized the need for good communication, shared values and understanding to make a relationship work.
If you missed the meeting and are interested in BCDI's Farmland Inventory project please email bcdi.maine@gmail.com for copies of the presentation slides and resources. If you own farmland in Bowdoinham and have not completed a farmland inventory please visit this link or contact BCDI Program Manager at bcdi.maine@gmail.com to get a paper copy sent to you.
As a community-driven organization that supports agricultural and other businesses, BCDI regularly receives inquiries about available land from new farmers or those looking to expand their farms. We also hear from landowners about their interest in having their land used by farmers. To assist making these connections, BCDI has been working on an inventory of current and potential farmland in Bowdoinham. These potential farmland areas could be leased to a farmer; areas as small as two-acres are of interest. Your property may have soil and land characteristics that are suitable for farming, grazing, or haying, and could help a farmer start or expand his/her business and produce food for our community.
To learn more, we invite you to attend a free workshop on September 25 from 5pm -7pm at Merrymeeting Hall where we will discuss with Bowdoinham landowners the benefits of making your land available to farmers, and address questions about setting lease expectations, goals, and structuring lease agreements with farmers.
Hearty snacks from Turtle Rock Farm and drinks provided!
PLEASE RSVP HERE: LANDOWNER MEETING RSVP
Join us in celebrating Bowdoinham’s 257th birthday, this Saturday, September 14, at Mailly Waterfront Park! BCDI board members will be there showing folks our soon-to-be first brick and mortar space at Cathance Landing (9 Main Street) complete with views to the Cathance River and the all the going-ons at the Waterfront! We welcome you to come see the new space, enjoy a cold drink, and chat with BCDI Board members about what we are up to. We would also love to hear if there is something that you would like to see us doing around town; YOU, after all, ARE BCDI. We’re all set up to take credit cards, so come renew your membership or become a member! We look forward to seeing you on this festive day in Bowdoinham!
BCDI QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER
SEPTEMBER, 2019 EDITION
As the sun set on another Bowdoinham Waterfront Concert Series, we at BCDI gazed out over the crowd with full hearts! Because of your support and engagement in our Community, we estimate that we fed you and your families over 400 tacos, 90 ears of corn, 2 large crockpots of beans, and over 120 cups of aquas frescas among other fresh and tasty delights (Atlee Reilly, BCDI Board member/chef and meal planner extraordinaire for the win!) — what an honor! Thank you to the farms who generously donated the ingredients for this meal: Blue Bell Farm, Good Dirt Garden, Harvest Tide Organics, Left Field Farm, Six River Farm, Stonecipher Farm, and Whatley Farm! It was so great to see many of you taking an evening to enjoy yourselves during this busy season! Thank you, too, to four very dedicated BCDI members, Pete Feeney, Seth Ruggles, Shay Ruggles, and Harriet Van Vleck, who helped out tremendously with preparation, serving, and clean-up to boot! We could not have done it without you! We welcomed several new BCDI members and had the joy of connecting with many old members (and renewing their memberships, too!)! The music of String Tide was fabulous and fitting for an idyllic August night on our dear Bowdoinham waterfront. We could not have asked for a better accompaniment! And thank you to Earl Bigelow of Watersong Music and the Town of Bowdoinham for coordinating these special summer nights; nights to support the good work of our local organizations while enjoying the music of the talented musicians in our area, to eat food together as a family-community, and to watch our children play together in a safe space, making the sweetest of childhood memories right before our eyes.