Once Upon a Farm in Maine

Once Upon a Farm in Maine Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Once Upon a Farm in Maine, 289 E Schoodic Drive, Birch Harbor, ME.

New Years Eve hanging out with the herd and postponing shoveling. ❤️🐐
12/31/2019

New Years Eve hanging out with the herd and postponing shoveling. ❤️🐐

11/07/2019

They usually get their hay in the hay rack in the barn but since I was parked near the fence I thought I’d give them a quick snack. They ate a fair amount before the rain moved in and ruined it. 😕

10/13/2019

Dustin, Esther and guests having dinner on the water at dusk. Mazuri Waterfowl Maintenance which is a floating pellet feed.

10/05/2019

Dustin is settling right in here. After a night in the pond with Esther he’s a new man, lol. He’s not quite as white as he was though, haha. Being a bigger duck his entry and exit from the pond isn’t quite as clean and since it poured today it’s pretty muddy so naturally so is he. He seems to love it. Watched him follow Esther everywhere though he also took time to explore on his own today. He’s easy to spot in the yard and quite comical to watch. He’s a big gentle soul which is funny because Dustin Hoffman is known for playing emotionally vulnerable characters. At dusk he and Esther had dinner together and then she headed for the pond and he followed me around while I filled water buckets and bowls. Then he decided it was time to head in. He’s still learning where it’s easiest to enter and exit the pond but he was swimming with Esther when I headed in. They make a sweet couple. He’s smitten and she seems to enjoy the attention. Pics tomorrow when it’s not raining!

So I played matchmaker today. Came across a sad post about a male Pekin who lost his mate to a dog attack and was all al...
10/04/2019

So I played matchmaker today. Came across a sad post about a male Pekin who lost his mate to a dog attack and was all alone. I’ve been wanting Esther to have a friend that stays put here and doesn’t fly off after dinner. I have a hundred mallards that visit but not one stays overnight. Eat and run, no true love there. Poor Esther. So since Dusty needed a friend it seemed only logical to take him in so his owners transported him here this afternoon. Since all the flock is named after Hollywood classic actors and actresses it’s only right that Dusty assumed his full name, Dustin Hoffman. Esther Williams is three years older than Dustin so yes, shades of The Graduate, lol. Dustin followed the goats initially, and a few of the chickens were equally intriguing but then he finally got the courage to approach Esther...he spent the remainder of the afternoon following her everywhere, except into the pond! He slid down the banking but each time scurried back up. Once it started to get dark I intervened and tossed him in...gently. He immediately started to bath and dunk and swim like one happy duck should. After 15 minutes of joyful bathing he settled into swimming after Esther. She’s being stalked for sure. I’ll be curious to see them in the morning.
Welcome to the little farm Dustin!

Spent a full day clearing and mowing to get the fencing situation resolved here. With breaks here, there and everywhere ...
09/20/2019

Spent a full day clearing and mowing to get the fencing situation resolved here. With breaks here, there and everywhere combined with overgrowth it’s been shorted out for weeks If not months. Consequently the curious baby goats would stick their heads in to explore the other side. Then they grew bigger and managed to get their heads in but not out. Luckily every time I was here to rescue them. Freedom to roam became a treat as I prepared the yard and tried to avoid strangulations but today the newer fencing is up and charging and nobody is happy about that but me. Mind you they have even more space then they had so they should be ticked but any boundaries are annoying to the spoiled boys especially. Turned my back for literally 15 seconds and Buster chewed my fence tester in two. Grrrr. Fortunately I can repair it and have a backup if it doesn’t read. Just one last section of fencing to connect and this project will finally be complete. So far, Thumb, Tink and Ruby have been “bitten” by the charge And a few chickens by the sound of it. Buster and Charlie have been down this road and know better then to even test it. Once everyone knows this fence is a meanie, I can breath easier. Unfortunately tonight the skunks will get surprised and stink up the place I’m sure.
Lord, hoofs on the deck means they are outside the fence!
Back in and secure now. Took quite a shock myself adjusting the gate. This fence seems significantly stronger! Never a dull moment here!

09/19/2019

Two chicks hatched 🐣n the farm this year. The first, a teeny tiny bantam got separated from mom one cold day and couldn’t recover. The other is a hearty standard that’s growing like a w**d with no help from me. It’s true what they say about Cochins. They are often broody and make great moms. Anna has been a very attentive and protective mother hen. The chick looks to be a wellsummer but who knows. Clean legs and big so I’m guessing a Rooster, lol. Time will tell. The gang is loving the warm sunshine.

Gorgeous fall day. Took a nap in the sun with the goats. Then a few photos.
09/19/2019

Gorgeous fall day. Took a nap in the sun with the goats. Then a few photos.

The herd ❤️
07/19/2019

The herd ❤️

07/19/2019

The goats are loving the new back staircase, lol.

I love the rhythm of this little farm. The roosters signaling the sunrise, the goats bleating for breakfast, the seagull...
06/07/2019

I love the rhythm of this little farm. The roosters signaling the sunrise, the goats bleating for breakfast, the seagulls and ducks swooping in for the inevitable scraps they will steal from the chickens. Now Esther the duck not only gets her duck waterfowl food, but every duck in the neighborhood does too. Soon the wild baby ducklings will arrive, I hope so anyway. Momma ducks are nesting now and hopefully they’ll guide them under the fence somehow. They’ll be safer in it than outside of it. Last year no babies survived. Better luck this year. The goats are great at intimidating the fox and the mink that paid a visit never returned so A+ marks for predator control goaties! The critters spend the day foraging, playing, napping, dust bathing chickens, sun bathing goats and Esther alternating between swimming and sunning. Each has their own routine. As the sun begins to set the calls for dinner begin. The goats get to forage outside the fence while the chickens have dinner. I love that they all head to bed right after that. Roosting location is a serious business in the chicken’s world, lol. the last one in is the smallest, a little buff puffball silkie Bantam named Phyllis Diller, lol. Figures. Then it’s time to get the goats to bed which is easy with grain addicts. They would stay up and out all night if they had their druthers, lol. It’s sheer chaos at goat feeding time so I sneak out quickly. Phew. Coop locked up. Goat house locked up. Esther prefers the pond in fair weather so she and her wild boyfriends have dinner and head to the pond. She’ll camp out tonight. The bugs are out in droves but so are the peepers. This year I think I had more peepers than the pond across the street which is saying something! Another week or two and the fireflies will start to light the night. Just as I head in the small skunk that moved into a den that leads into the ledge pops his/her head out. So begins foraging for dinner. I leave a few dirty eggs I don’t feel like washing so it’s bound to get it’s protein, lol. Some nights it gets startled and that all too familiar scent becomes noticeable. Some nights no surprises. I settle in for dinner and TCM with Elton Pepper. Georgie decides whether to watch or head out to hunt depending on the weather. So goes the daily rhythm of Once Upon a Farm. Of course I left out the mucking, cleaning water buckets and other assorted unpleasant tasks which are all part of story. There’s never a dull moment here at this little farm by the sea.

Address

289 E Schoodic Drive
Birch Harbor, ME
04613

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Once Upon a Farm in Maine posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share