I’ve been presented with an exciting new opportunity–stumbled into it, really. Our core group of Somerset Beekeepers is made up of members who have been at it for 2 or more years now, and we are ready for some more advanced beekeeping topics–so I’ve been emailing various academics and beekeepers across the state trying to…
Category: About Us
Farming in Somerset County
Farming in Maine has a unique connection to the state’s history. Many of Maine’s first settlers were farmers whose fields, farmhouses and barns shaped Maine’s historic landscape. Today Maine is still considered a “family farm” state, with approximately 94% of it’s 8100 farms ranging between 1 to 500 acres in size. The state’s agricultural producers…
Bootstrap farmers
Well folks it looks like Runamuk will continue to bootstrap it’s way into business. 20 years ago we could have easily gotten a loan for our start-up venture, but the game has changed and investors today want to see that you can start a business with nothing before they’ll give you money. My business counselor…
The start of a new era
Things are moving forward at the future site of the Runamuk Acres diversified farm, in preparation for our new beginnings. After much deliberation and–at times–heated debate–Keith and I hired a team of local loggers to do some careful thinning of this un-kempt forest in preparation of our upcoming endeavors.
Designing a sustainable future with permaculture principles
When the idea of Runamuk first began to form in my mind, I envisioned a future for my family that revolved around living in harmony with the land. I imagined that we would cultivate, nurture and protect the land, and the land in turn would support and nurture our family for generations to come. I…
New soap ingredients have arrived!
From the sale of my first batch of soaps and salves and lip balms I managed to purchase more ingredients from a wholesale distributor I found online. Essential Wholesale specializes in ingredients for soaps and cosmetics, they offer organic as well as mainstream products, and they arrived yesterday by UPS in the midst of the…
Snow-Day!
What could be better than staying in the comfort and warmth of your house during one of Maine’s famous snow-storms? This is the view from the back door of the Runamuk homestead. From here you can see down over the hillside, and across to the neighbors’ through the snow and wind. The gardens of the…
Gift of a lifetime
On December 21, 2012–the day of the Winter Solstice, I received the gift of a lifetime. After the flurry of opening gifts had passed we bundled up and trekked across town (when I say “across town”–I mean that we crossed the bridge that spans the Kennebec River, and went from Anson into Madison), the two…
Boundary marking ritual
The day came at last when Keith and I could go out to the old Burns farm to mark out our 50 acres and we were bubbling with enthusiasm and excitement. We’ve been together since our senior year of high school, some fifteen years–married for nearly thirteen of them–and building this old farm up to…
A long road
I went out to “Ye Olde Burns Farm” on Sunday to get these photos to share with you. Even after five years in-town, it still feels like going home when I drive out there. The drive up the hillside always fills me with anticipation, all the trees seem to be reaching out their limbs to…