Waterville

Every Thursday from April to Thanksgiving, the Downtown Waterville Farmers’ Market fills the Riverwalk at Waterville’s Head of Falls. A bevy of vendors offer a wide range of locally grown and produced items, from artisanal cheeses to handmade wrought iron decor. If you can’t make the market, there are plenty of other producers that sell their products right off their farms! 

The farm stand at horse-and-oxen powered Winterberry Farm (Belgrade) is open daily and stocked with produce, preserves, baked goods, and other agricultural goodies. Balfour Farm (Pittsfield) has a petite-but-complete cheese shop; the off-the-grid Amish Charcuterie (Unity) offers a wide selection of meats that they don't sell elsewhere. Build yourself a picnic by visiting one, or all. 

Then head to Stone Tree Farm & Cidery (Unity) to find cider to wash it down with it. Looking for something more structured? Explore the region’s milling heritage with a tour of the Somerset Grist Mill in Skowhegan, also home to Maine Grains and its fantastic café, The Miller’s Table. Grab a pizza, or perhaps a loaf of bread -- then head next door to Crooked Face Creamery and find a cheese to go with it! To cap off your visit with a special meal, reserve a table at Meridians in Fairfield. Every dish is a celebration of the region’s bounty.