PATAGONIA • May 31, 2022
Here on Dandelion Spring Farm, we’re part of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association and grow certified organic vegetables and herbs on unceded Wabanaki land. These 7 acres on the MidCoast were last consistently farmed in the 1940s as a family homestead. Today, we’re a team of 14 farmers. In a typical year, we sell half of our products at farmers markets and half directly to restaurants and natural food stores. We are outside every day under the sun and moon, through drought and excessive rain, dedicated to soil, community and nutritious food for all. But now, we’re facing a sinister threat to our livelihoods and the health of our citizens. In the 1980s, a farmer was permitted to spread sludge on the fields. This common practice across the state helped farmers create an affordable nutrient source to grow food for livestock. What they didn’t know is that the sludge, a by-product of Maine’s paper production industry, contained chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Sadly, PFAS have become commonly known as “forever chemicals.”