Chelsea, ME — There’s a new farm in Central Maine along Route 226 in Chelsea. They call themselves Olde Haven Farm. They have a little farm store open now but have grand plans of a big farm, and they are using crowdfunding to fuel the growth.

The number of farmers in America keeps declining and the farmers that are left are getting older. The average age for a farmer in the US is 58.3 (2012 Census statistics). That number has continually risen over the past 30 years. While it may seem like farming is trendy right now, the statistics show that the number of new farmers dropped 20% from 2007. It’s not clear what contributes most to the lack of younger farmers. Perhaps it’s the notion of hard work that scares people, or how difficult it seems to be to make a profit off a farm, or maybe it has more to do with the big farming corporations that exist today. But unless younger people get involved in farming, we risk losing farms all together.

Enter the Young family of Olde Haven Farm who have big dreams of farming. They are the kind of people you hear about and say “they did what!?!” They moved 2000 miles from a crowded suburb to a 90 acre parcel in Central Maine, where they knew nobody, to start a farm.  “What appealed to us was a simpler life and the values of small towns.  We loved Maine and its beauty and looked for property out here for several years before making the move.”  When they found the property they wanted, they put in an offer sight unseen (other than online).  Some may consider that crazy.  But according to them, they couldn’t be happier and have been working diligently ever since on turning the piece of land into a working farm.  They have built sheep paddocks and shelters, a new large chicken coop, and are working on the new barn.

You can only do so much with a limited amount of money so the Youngs are trying their hand at crowdfunding, trying to get people excited about a young family and their new farming adventures. According to Pamela Young, “What we are really doing is giving people an opportunity to be part of the excitement that surrounds such an adventure”. The Youngs are trying to get Olde Haven Farm $33,700 to go towards future paddocks for sheep and pigs, to complete the new barn, expanding their hayfield, and to set up a water system for the farm.

You can view their online campaign here: www.indiegogo.com

Press Contact:

Pamela Young
207-620-4014
pamela@oldehavenfarm.com