Rebuild the Herd at Misty Brook Farm

Rebuild the Herd at Misty Brook Farm!

Hi, our names are Shelley and Ben, part of the fantastic team at Misty Brook Farm. On behalf of all of us, Lowell, Becca, Jess, Josh, Katie, Dylan, Robin, Lin, Paul, Jackie, Dwayne and of course Alistair, Johnny and William, we are asking for your help. All money received will go towards buying cows to rebuild the herd and get back to serving the public their organic raw milk and cream!

The Need

Brendan and Katia, the owners and founders of Misty Brook Farm, need a new herd of clean cows to milk immediately for the farm to survive. Cows are the foundation of this amazing, diverse and beautiful family farm. Without them, everything is at stake.

The Challenge

After 9 years of delivering the highest quality raw milk to the state of Maine, Misty Brook Farm has no milk to sell. The farm has temporarily suspended sales of all products. On February 11, 2022, everything came to a screeching halt when the farm voluntarily tested their milk and got a test back showing PFAS or "forever chemicals" in the cows' milk. When the farm discovered that the milk did not meet the farm’s standards for purity and integrity, Brendan and Katia chose to pull their products off the shelves.

The good news: A farm nearby has agreed to sell their 42 Jersey milkers which would allow the farm to get milk back on the shelves at food co-ops around Maine.

Every dollar you donate will go directly towards purchasing organic cows to rebuild the herd and bring Misty Brook milk back to your homes.

The Farm

Six months ago, Ben and I made a life-changing decision to close our dairy and join Brendan and Katia at Misty Brook Farm. Simply put, it was a farm just like Misty Brook that inspired us to commit our lives to farming. We were surprised to find a farm that brings such depth of caring to the people, the animals, the land and the community. We have a vision that people can eat real, healthy food. Now more than ever, this farm needs your help.

Brendan and Katia Holmes are visionary farmers raising exceptional products for their family and yours. Delivering to 35 stores across Maine, Misty Brook has been growing steadily every year, and customers have been so grateful to have food of this quality. This type of farm needs to continue because their food quality offers healing and sustenance unparalleled to other farms.

Misty Brook Farm is the future of farming in New England. That might sound bold to say, but the farm is just so unique. They are a small farm milking 40 organic Jersey cows, bottling all of its milk and cream and raising the highest quality organic, grass-fed meat, grain, milk and eggs in Maine. Misty Brook has worked hard to earn its place in Maine's vibrant food and farming community!

What are PFAS chemicals, and how did they get into our milk?

PFAS are manmade chemicals used worldwide in consumer and industrial products since the 1950s. These chemicals resist grease, water, and oil. They are in non-stick cookware, water-repellent clothing and fire-retardant furniture. Simply put, they are everywhere, including landfills. When the Clean Water Act banned the dumping of so-called “treated” waste into rivers, many states began spreading treated municipal sludge from landfills and wastewater plants on farmland as an organic and nutrient-dense fertilizer. (Read more about a current bill in Maine that would ban the spreading of sludge on land here .) An increasing number of these farms are now discovering PFA contamination linked to this sludge.

In 2021, Misty Brook bought 35 bales of off-farm organic hay. Unbeknownst to everyone at the time, this purchased feed had high levels of PFAs. For two months, Misty Brook’s dairy herd ate this feed.

Misty Brook Farm is one of the early farms impacted in Maine as they started to test and discover the extent of the contamination more broadly. Brendan and Katia are committed to providing clean and safe food now more than ever. They have taken over 60 soil, feed, and products tests to rule out contamination. Each test costs $400-$500 and takes two to four weeks to come back.

We’re all in this together. As farmers, as consumers, and as Mainers, it's our collective responsibility to meet this challenge for the health of our farms, communities, and the future.

We can meet this challenge. Maine has a unique and interconnected local food system and a strong support network for farms; we will be grateful for any support you can give!

Be a part of Rebuilding Misty Brook Farm!

Donate today towards a new herd of cows so that this fantastic farm can continue doing what it does best: Feeding YOU!