We would like to introduce you to Maple
Lane Farms, located in Charleston, ME, which is in
Penobscot County, about 25 miles north of Bangor. We know that many
of you have never heard about us. Maple Lane Farms
is a fourth-generation family farm and has been at the same
location since 1935 when Stanley Higgins bought the farm.
Stan sold the farm to my dad, Charles "Shine,"
and Margaret Higgins in 1941. Together, they ran the farm as a
potato, dairy, and hay operation. I, Barry, joined my dad
in the '60's, and we were primarily a dairy farm. In the early
'70's, we built a farm store at the location and sold
meat and natural milk from the farm, as well as ran a wholesale
truck.
Because a change of inspection regulations, we
decided to close the farm store in 1988, but we did continue to do
custom meat cutting of domestic and game animals at the farm store
site. We also continued to sell and process sides and quarters of
beef and pork raised on our own farm.
In the early '90's, we started a small-scale
commercial hay and silage business. In 1995, our son BJ graduated
from high school, and after a short stint in college, he decided to
join our farm operation. He continues today, becoming
the fourth generation. At that time, we were growing our
hay and dairy business, and also doing a custom meat business, and
started a small herd of natural beef, so that we could supply our
customers with beef raised on our farm.
In 1999, Mary and I purchased the farm from my
dad, and we dissolved the partnership of Charles C. Higgins &
Son and continued on as Maple Lane Farms. My dad
continued to serve as our consultant and mentor until his death in
November of 2006. My mother Margaret lives across the
street and continues to support our farm operation.
Since 1999, we have grown our hay and silage
business, added a large line of trucks and equipment, and is
now one of the largest hay dealers in the Northeastern United
States. We deal mostly in the small square bales of hay,
primarily for horses, goats, and sheep. We also handle a small
number of round bales and raise extra corn and hayledge.
We supply our own forage and several other dairy and livestock
producers' forage.
In 2005, we constructed a brand new
slaughter/processing facility on our farm, one mile east of
Charleston Village on Route 11A. We have incorporated years of
experience with state-of-the-art refrigeration; precise cutting,
wrapping, and vacuum packaging; and a friendly smile. We also
continue to increase the number of beef animals at the farm.
We currently have approximately 150 beef on feed at all
times. Our cattle are fed a complete nutritious diet, without
the use of stimulants or growth hormones. If you buy our beef or
pork, you will be guaranteed the meat is free of hormones or
antibiotics. All of our beef will be hung a minimum of 14 days
after slaughter before it is processed. This has been proven to
improve flavor and tenderness. We also produce most of our own
pork, again using natural feeds.
Our customer list continues to grow at a rapid
pace. We are told over and over again that our beef is the
"best we have ever had". We believe that because of the way we
raise our animals, along with the proper aging process and
packaging, that our quality cannot be surpassed by anyone in the
Northeastern United States.
We guarantee our products 100%.
If you would like to become a customer of
Maple Lane Farms, call us at 207-285-3591. We
pledge to serve you to the best of our ability. We do custom
slaughtering and processing domestic animals—cattle, pork, sheep,
lambs, goats, and domestic deer. Game animals include moose,
deer, and bear. We sell pork, lambs and sides, and quarters of
beef. We can also have loads of hay delivered to your farm.
Stop in and see us any time. We believe you will
be impressed with our cleanliness and sanitation. Call us for
custom prices and purchased prices. We accept cash, checks, and all
major credit cards.
