Salt Marsh Farm

The Salt Marsh Farm sits on the ancestral land of the Wabanaki people, who tended this place for thousands of years. We honor that deep history by caring for the land with respect and intention. The story of this place has many chapters – from brickmaking and early colonial farming in the 1800s to its purchase by the Chewonki Foundation in the 1960s – each chapter shaping the fields and forests we steward today. Since 1989, Salt Marsh Farm has thrived as a diversified operation where vegetables and livestock are raised side by side, evolving continually to support student learning and community well-being.

In a world often driven by instant gratification, farming teaches the value of patience, care, and connection. Students’ experiences shift with the seasons: fall brings harvesting and tool cleaning, while spring offers seedlings, lambs, and the smell of fresh earth. Each cabin spends two weeks rising with the sun for morning chores – turning compost to nourish the soil, feeding animals, or gathering eggs destined for the breakfast table. Whether it’s the smallest soil microbe or our friendly barn cat, every creature plays a part in the rhythms of farm life and the lessons it offers.

Our work on the farm balances staple crops like carrots and tomatoes with heritage-breed pigs and plants from around the world that carry rich histories and stories. Students take part in seed saving and natural dye workshops, learning how farming connects creativity, culture, and ecology. These experiences foster curiosity, skill, and a sense of stewardship that extends far beyond the fields.

At Maine Coast Semester, food grown on the farm carries stories and meaning. There is pride and a sense of accomplishment in cooking and eating vegetables harvested by students’ own hands. A shared meal might feature kimchi made from napa cabbage and gochu peppers they planted. Around the table, conversations unfold about growing, fermenting, culture, and care, reminding us that food connects people across time, and place.

Sustainable farming is a cornerstone of life at Maine Coast Semester and a vital expression of Chewonki’s mission to cultivate thriving communities. Many students leave Salt Marsh Farm inspired to be connected to their food system, and carry these lessons into their homes, neighborhoods, and the wider world.