ROCKPORT, Maine — It may not be the Cow Palace in San Francisco, but at Aldermere Farm in Rockport, the new barn for their famous cows is a bit palatial.
The new barn stretches well over 100 feet long, with large pens that let air and light in, while the high roof keeps the weather out. It’s a far cry from the series of small barns and outdoor pens the farm used for decades.
“This really opens it up, streamlines the efficiency of the operation so you can spend more time doing education and the community outreach program,” said Aaron Englander, the farm's assistant director of stewardship.
What makes this farm special—and a tourist attraction—is the residents. Aldermere is home to more than 40 Belted Galloway cattle, the distinctive animals that are black with a white stripe around their middle, which leads to some calling them “Oreo cookie cows."
The farm’s founder began the herd in the 1950s, bringing the first animals over from the Scottish Highlands because he believed their double layer of hair and other features would let the animals adapt well to Maine’s climate. The animals thrived, the herd grew, and Englander said about 90% of the “Belties” in the U.S. trace their genetics to Aldermere.
About 25 years ago, the farmland and the herd were given to the Maine Coast Heritage Trust (MCHT), Maine’s largest land conservation group. MCHT accepted the dual mission of protecting the oceanfront farmland from development and promoting the health and growth of the farm itself. Doing that has made Aldermere a tourist attraction; thousands visit each year.
However, Englander said there’s a lot more to the farm’s mission: “It's about supporting local farming, engaging youth in the community, and providing food for the community. “
The farm works to promote sustainable use of the soil and grazing land and other practices, he said. The farm also provides meat to area food pantries. That, said Englander, takes some pressure off other local farms that may not be able to afford to donate meat.
The farm has programs throughout the year that bring in young people from local towns who work with the animals and learn about good farming and the environment. They are about to begin hands-on training with this year’s crop of spring calves. A dozen calves were born over the last two months, including nine females.
That, said Englander, is a big deal.
“We are a breeding facility, so to have nine girls out of 12 is great. “
That helps grow the herd larger, getting closer to the goal of 50 animals. They have nine 2-year old cows that are now pregnant and will give birth in the fall.
All of that work—growing the farm and bringing in the public—is getting a big boost this year as Aldermere has completed the new barn and visitors center, the major piece of a $4.4 million dollar capital improvement program funded by donations and grants. The funding is also providing endowment for the farm and improvements at MCHT’s other Rockport agricultural venture, Erickson Field Farm. That farm is just a few miles away from Aldermere and was created after local residents urged MCHT to buy and protect a large field near Rockport schools that was about to go on the market. Now, Erickson Field is used to grow 4 acres of vegetables for food pantries, provide some growing opportunities for school children, and pasture Belties in the summer in a highly visible spot.
Visibility, however, will be at the max on May 4, when Aldemere Farm welcomes visitors for its annual Calf Unveiling Day. The 12 new calves will all be on display, along with the mothers. Englander said the new barn should make the event more pleasant than ever. Visitors even have a brand-new spot to take pictures in a balcony overlooking the cattle pen—the "perfect selfie spot,” we were told.