By Renee Worthing 

Staff Writer 

As more people become more environmentally aware and health conscious, many are turning to organic foods and locally grown produce.

Wildroot Farm in Kennebunk offers an alternative to grocery store produce. The organic, horse-powered produce farm recently began its second growing season.

“I think people are really taking an interest in organic foods,” Wildroot Farm Co-Owner Bethanny Peters said. “They want to know how their food is grown and where it came from.”

Organic farms do not use chemical pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides or other chemicals when growing produce. Instead, the farmers use compost and cover crops which improve the health of the soil. Crops are rotated to prevent the soil from being sapped of its nutrients.

While the soil warms from the spring sunshine, an onsite greenhouse serves as a nursery for seedlings which will become robust tomato plants, ground-covering zucchini plants and other vegetable-bearing plants.

“We grow a variety of things so we don’t stress the land,” Peters said.

She said tomatoes, lettuce, green beans, cucumbers and zucchini are in abundance in summer months while the fall harvest offers squash and root-produce like onions and potatoes.

Peters, originally from Alabama, said she became interested in organic agriculture when she served as an apprentice at a farm in Alfred. It was there that she met Rachel Seemar, who shares a passion for organic agriculture.

Peters and Rachel Seemar leased the 65-acre Wildroot Farm and began growing organically. While about half of the land is open field for pasture, hay and vegetable cultivation, the remaining is forested land. Peters said most of the farm is protected by the Kennebunk Land Trust, which preserves the land while still allowing for agriculture.

Wildroot Farm, certified by the Maine Organic Growers and Farmers Association is also a community supported agricultural (CSA) farm, allows members to work the farm themselves. CSA members purchase either a full or partial share of the coming season’s produce prior to the growing season. The money from the shares enables Peters and Seemar to buy seeds, supplies and equipment for the following years crops.

Peters said while most CSA members simply enjoy the harvest, other members work at the farm, exchanging labor for food.

“Some people just enjoy getting their hands in the soil,” Peters said.

She said working members work one five-hour shift each week during the 20-week season in exchange for a full share.

After the produce is harvested and washed it is divided for distribution to CSA members. Each member receives a list of produce available in the share for that week.

Peters said the harvested produce is picked up at the farm or at the farmer’s market drop-off in Portsmouth.

“It’s a great way for people to eat locally and seasonally,” Peters said.

In addition to the working CSA members, Wildroot Farm offers apprenticeship opportunities through the Maine Organic Growers and Farmers Association.

Apprentices assist in the day-to-day operation of the farm, including learning how to harness the three draft horses as well as how to drive them, Peters said. Apprentices also learn how to rotate the animals through the pastures to prevent the pastures from becoming overused.

Fresh, organic eggs laid by about 60 free-range Araucana and Leghorn hens are for sale to the public. Peters said the hens, fed organic grain, not only provide fresh eggs, they eat insects that are harmful to the vegetable crops.

She said Wildroot Farm might venture into the goat milk business to supplement the farm’s income during the winter. 

“It would just be experimental to start,” she said. 

She said crop shares are still available and applications can be downloaded from the Web site at www.wildrootfarm.com or call 985-9826.