The farm-to-table experience is a summer joy in Maine. Local restaurants featuring and relying on locally grown and raised fare offer fresh and delicious dining experiences. 

Local farms sell just harvested produce at farmers markets and through community supported agriculture shares.  And, of course, the best comes from one’s own garden.  

Recently, a new concept has cropped up. Farms are raising their foods, cooking extraordinary meals and serving guests right there on the farm. Some have called this “farm field to farm table.” These dinners offer a unique experience with the foods and locally-produced beverages (wines, beers, teas, coffees, ciders) to complement the meals.  

Here are choices in our area — plan ahead because tickets sell out quickly:

Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture and the Environment, the Historic Mallet Barn

184 Burnett Road, Freeport, 854-4469

• Sunday, Aug. 19, 5-8 p.m., Family Farm Feast with the Farm Café; $35 adults; $15 kids.

• Sunday, Sept. 23, 3-6 p.m., Farm to Easel Art Auction with Frontier Café, Gather, Homage, & Mount Desert Island Ice Cream; $60/person; tickets on sale July 24 for members and July 26 for the public.

• Sunday, Oct. 14, 5-8 p.m., Harvest Dinner with the Harraseeket Inn; $110/person; tickets on sale Sept. 4 for members and Sept. 6 for the public.

Scatter Good Farm 

30 East Coxon Road, Brunswick, 847-4570

• Saturday, Aug. 18, 5-9 p.m., Farm-to-Table Dinner, four-course dinner created from their own organic produce and organic chicken; $65/person; tickets at scattergoodfarm.me.

Live Well Farm

1583 Harpswell Neck Road, Harpswell, 833-2331

• Tuesday, Aug. 14, 6:30 p.m., Farm-to-Table Wine Dinner; $90/person.

• Sunday, Sept. 9, 6:30 p.m., Farm-to-Table Wine Dinner; $85/person.

For tickets, contact patty@livewellfarmmaine.com.

Graze at Pineland Farms

15 Farm View Drive, New Gloucester, 761-6665

Beer and wine dinners served family style with many items from Pineland Farms.

• Thursday, Aug. 9, 6-9 p.m., featuring Banded Horn Brewing; $75/person.

• Thursday, Sept. 6, 6-9 p.m., featuring Sebago Brewing Co.; $75/person.

• Thursday, Oct. 4, 6-9 p.m., featuring Lone Pine Brewing and Eighteen Twenty Wines; $75/person.

For tickets, visit theblacktieco.com/graze.

Next Week: Specialty Foods in Freeport and Yarmouth

Sande Updegraph is a Coastal Journal contributor who writes about food and beverage news. She is a former wine store owner, caterer, and food and wine reviewer. She can be reached at:

SandeUpdegraph@gmail.com