I will be interviewing Mary Perry, the owner of Winterberry Farm in Maine.  She wasn’t available to chat until this upcoming weekend, however I spent a summer on this farm and can provide some background information.

Winterberry Farm is an animal powered certified organic family-operated farm.  The farm consists of forty acres of open field, pastures and woodland.  There a wide variety of animals on the farm, to name a few there are several laying hens, a team of horses, oxen, ducks, and a bunny.  Mary started farming in 2001, producing certified organic food, to ensure the health of her children and the land they were being raised on.  Mary started off with a small stand selling some jarred goods and pies.  Since then she has expanded greatly by adding a farm store on her property.  Along with the store, she attends a few weekly markets, and offers a CSA program.

Below I have listed some questions I will be asking Mary.

  • What has the experience of owning and operating a farm taught you?
  • What are some ongoing challenges you experience every day with being a small-scale farm?
  • What types of seeds do you use, and do you save your seeds?
  • How do you decide what crops you will grow during the growing season?
  • How many acres do you grow on?
  • What are your hopes for the future of the farm?