Photo: J&R

Photo: J&R

Photo: CS

Photo: J&R

You don’t have to be a sports enthusiast or “woodsy” to enjoy the magnificent scenery, fresh air and unspoiled countryside of northern Maine. Just curling up in one of our cozy rooms with a great book, a cup of hot tea and glancing out the windows every now and then at the rolling fields and mountains is guaranteed to bring serenity to your soul. Or you can take a leisurely one hour stroll and never leave the fields and forests of Mountain Glory Farm.

Springtime: Flyfishing, moosewatching, observing the bird migrations, watching the snow melt? Within a 15 mile radius there are 29 lakes, ponds and streams with trout, land-locked salmon, togue and other species. For fly tying materials, you can visit Theriault’s Fly Shop just down the road. Two miles from the farm house is the new ultralite airport, Mainely Sport Planes. North 46.00.478 West 068.26.700 Telephone: 207-528-2104. Enjoy a 3 day “Moose Safari” package at the Farm which includes a 5 hour tour with Dale Stevens of Mainely Photos. Springtime moose sightings usually number 10 to 30!” Resident partridge, grouse, pheasants, eagles, hawks, wild turkeys, killdeer, ravens and countless other birds on the farm add to the Spring migrations. All the apple trees ringing the farm burst into bloom, and Mr. Willigar, a local dairy farmer, prepares our fields for growing alfalfa, barley and clover for his cows. May also ushers in the return of the Maine State Insect, the infamous Black Fly. These charmless creatures are held at bay with good bug spray and netting gear, both of which are available in town.

Summer: Spending time in Baxter State Park is a privilege many Mainers cherish. Mile high Mt. Katahdin, the Park’s crowning jewel, overlooks 204,000 acres of unspoiled wilderness and is the start of the Appalachian Trail. The Park has 200 miles of magnificent hiking trails. Kayak, raft, canoe and boat rentals are all available nearby. If you are really adventurous, try white water rafting on the famous Allagash River or the East Branch River. No visit to Patten would be complete without a stop at the unique Lumbermens Museum, dedicated to the history of the Great North Woods logging boom. Or if you’re curious about what a real farming community is like, go for a long walk down our road which will take you past neighboring farms that produce an amazing array of crops and animals, including corn, potatoes, high-bush blueberries, raspberries, apples, all sorts of silage, piglets, dairy & beef cows, goats, horses, percherons, pheasants, geese, roosters, chickens, the list goes on and on. The Town of Patten’s annual Pioneer Days Festival in August celebrates the exploration and first settling of the Great North Woods. Many other summer festivals, ATV trails, mountain climbing, swimming and golf round out what is available within a few miles of the farm.

Autumn: This is undoubtedly the most beautiful season in Maine.The foliage season spans most of September and October and is indescribable at its height, a photographer’s dream. Hiking is at its best in the Fall. Our fields are harvested for the last time. All the apples on the farm are ready for picking by anyone who would like them. Food for thought: Read about our project to identify heirloom apples on the farm and restore our 100 year old orchards. Eventually, our “Master Plan” is to convert Mountain Glory Farm to organic farming with the help of an aspiring farmer from MOFGA, the Maine Organic Farmers & Growers Association. Or shop nearby for pumpkins, fresh cider and antiques. As the hunting season begins flocks of birds fly south.

Winter: Frost crystals begin to form in November. (The first snow falls on the farm usually in late October.) The Maine Snowmobile Association and the local snowmobile clubs gear up to enjoy another winter wonderland. Over 2000 miles of groomed trails are prepared and await our guests. A small, beautiful Rockabema Club trail, the “Happy Corner Loop”, passes right through Mountain Glory Farm as does a brand new ITS Connector Trail that joins ITS 81 with ITS 85! If you enjoy “sledding” (Maine lingo for snowmobiling), once you park your car at the farm, you can travel all over Maine by snowmobile. Or if crosscountry skiing and snowshoeing are more to your liking, you can traverse the farm, use the many nearby trails and the Baxter Park trail. Birch Point at Pleasant Lake rents ice fishing equipment and heated icehouses. In February, the annual CanAm Dog Sled Races are held at Fort Kent, 1 ½ hours to our north. Then again, curling up and just watching the sunlight on the snow, reading a great book in peace and quiet and enjoying the magnificent sunsets, these are not bad ways to spend a few days. Who knows, you may live a bit longer...

Photo: J&R

Photo: J&R