The COA Peggy Rockefeller Farm (PRF) encompasses 125 acres of historic farmland with roughly two-thirds of the property covered in second-growth forest or wetland. Acadia National Park administers conservation easements on the entire property. The farm lies within the Northeast Creek Watershed, which is monitored closely by the US Geological Survey for nutrient loading.

David Rockefeller, Sr., made a generous gift of PRF to COA in January 2010, to be used in perpetuity for agriculture and conservation. The gift of the farms was accompanied by an endowment to help cover costs of management, maintenance and repairs.

PRF manages 45 acres of organic farmland, certified by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, and raises certified organic fruits, vegetables, broilers, turkeys, ducks, pasture and hay, as well as pasture-based beef, lamb and pork.

Farm operations

PRF focuses on the production of pastured and rotationally grazed livestock products. The farm raises grass-fed beef and pork as well as certified organic pastured poultry and lamb.  Currently, the farm has a mixed flock of Romney and Khatahdin sheep for dual purpose production. The farm is also home to a small mixed herd of Red Devon cattle, Gloucestershire Old Spot and heritage breed cross pigs and a flock of approximately 250 mixed breed laying hens.  Seasonally PRF raises MOFGA Certified Organic Poultry in the form of and additional 600 meat chickens (broilers) and turkeys for the Thanksgiving market. All poultry is slaughtered on site in PRF’s poultry processing facility.

In addition to livestock, PRF also cultivates a mixture of certified organic fruits, berries, vegetables in a small organic garden.  The half-acre garden plot grows a rotating mixture of long season vegetable crops for storage, as well as Sparkle strawberries and two rows of dwarf apple trees, representing over two dozen apple varieties.  Off in the field, our heritage apple orchard contains 25 unique Maine varieties on standard rootstock, including Addison Ancient, Orland Town Office and Captain Zero.  In the backyard of the 1920s farmhouse are a few peach trees and a raspberry patch.

Renewable energy

On the farm, COA has installed over 100 solar panels, generating electricity that is net metered back into the power grid, producing far more than the farm consumes, with the surplus credited toward COA’s overall electricity use.  All of these energy projects have involved student work from the planning stages to installation.

Student opportunities

COA students have the opportunity to design and participate in approved independent and group studies, work-study jobs, and final projects that utilize PRF as a base of operations.  Numerous courses use the farm as an extension of the classroom, such as Agroecology, COA’s Food Print and Wildlife Ecology.  PRF typically hires several full-time summer employee for the months of June through August.

Guided farm tours

Looking to explore the farm but need a more hands on experience? Hoping to bring a class or outside group to visit please fill out the following contact form.

Guided Farm Tour and Class Visit Request Form

On-farm projects, performances and coursework

Have an amazing idea for a research project or independent study you’d like to do at PRF? Do you think PRF might be the perfect spot for your art installation, performance or just have a project idea that involves PRF? Please fill out the following contact form so we can start collaborating.

On-Farm Projects Request Form