Pen & Cob Farm

In Katherine & Ato Swann’s words: “Five years ago, we sold our house in suburban New Jersey, we loaded our kids into an old camper, and we drove north. We weren’t sure where our final destination would be, but we knew that we wanted a different life.

The five of us lived in that camper for 3 months. And for the most part, we were happy. The kids (13, 8, and 2 years old) never once complained, even when we spent a week without water, septic, or electricity hookups. We hiked, swam in rivers, played board games, and cooked food on a fire.

In October of 2019, we moved onto our farm. Now, our family’s sole income comes from what we can harvest, produce, and sell. And that can be terrifying! No matter how confident you are in yourself and your business, there is always a little bit that lingers in the back of your mind - what if we fail? What if we have to leave? What then?

Now the camper is parked back in a field. Mostly ignored. But every once and a while, we glance over and seeing it gives us peace of mind. As far as we've come, we know that if we ever really needed to, our family could make do with what we had. And not just survive, but be happy. Because all we really need is each other and to believe that there are better days ahead.

We bring this spirit of adventure, gratitude and the pursuit of something better to everything at Pen & Cob. From the land we work to the ingredients we harvest and process for our enjoyment and yours.

Thank you for sharing this journey and sharing a taste of Downeast Maine with those who embody this spirit in your life!”

We highly recommend that you visit Pen & Cob’s website to check and see what stores near you are selling their delicious products! Additionally, the Swanns are incredibly active in the trade show/craft fair circuit, and you can find them sampling out their tasty jams and plenty more at many festivals and other spaces all around Maine and greater New England. Make sure to follow them on Facebook & Instagram to stay up to date on where they are now!