The Wrack

A Wisconsin company that formed while Laudholm Farms was in its heyday found a repeat customer in Maine.

New doors and other improvements for two historic utility buildings.

The pandemic pushes a tour program to adjust, and it's a good thing. 

A room of their own—updated.

A partial paving prevents pitfalls.

The young people are dressed in distinctive khaki pants and NCCC-labeled tee shirts are members of the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps. I recently sat with four of them at one of their newly constructed picnic tables.

Late last fall, the Welcome Booth went into hibernation, tucked away until the danger of snowplows was safely past. This morning, just a few days shy of Earth Day, the booth checked the forecast and made its commitment to Spring. Somehow our Facility Manager sensed the booth's confidence, so John, Frank, and Jim made their move. We're pleased to share this photodocumentary of the journey…

Worn down after many years, the farmhouse north face gets new siding and a fresh set of steps.

In my last post, I focused on the conversion part of our C-Change. Here I focus on our equally important conservation efforts.

Since we launched our ambitious energy initiative in early 2012, our yearly use of propane and heating oil has dropped 20 percent, from an average of 11,500 gallons before we started to 9,000 gallons today. At the same time, we have reduced electrical energy use from an annual average of 105,000 kilowatt-hours to 85,000 kilowatt-hours, a 22 percent reduction.

How did we achieve such dramatic cuts?

Last week I had the chance to rise 750 feet above the Wells Reserve at Laudholm in a 1933-vintage open-cockpit bi-plane piloted by Dave Trucksess of Seacoast Biplane Tours. Less than 5 minutes after our take-off from Sanford Airport, we were over the Webhannet River estuary and for the next 20 minutes I got an eyeful of glistening salt marsh, just-past-peak mixed-forest foliage, and Laudholm's many yellow farm buildings.

Ensconced in the front seat, windproof vest zipped up, aviator hat pulled down, a headset muffling the engine noise and carrying light commentary from my pilot, I gripped tight the camera and started to shoot.