Rogers Farm Demonstration Garden
About |2024 Programs| Fun Run and Field Day|Directions |Donate
About the Demonstration Garden at Rogers Farm
Since 1994, the demonstration garden at Rogers Farm has been a showcase for creative theme gardens, unique plant varieties, innovative designs, and prolific vegetable gardens.
In 2024, over 610 youth and 247 adult learners participated in hands-on learning experiences fostering practical gardening skills and deepening connections to our natural world. Our programs totaled 81 hours of direct instruction. Additionally, our local team partnered with farmers and UMaine researchers to grow, gather and distribute 11,210 pounds of produce to 23 area food security organizations.
Volunteers are the core of our work. We are tremendously grateful for the 40 volunteers who reported serving 910 hours in 2024!
Rogers Farm is part of the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station at the state’s R1 public research university.
Photographers are welcome! We’d love for you to tag us @rogersfarmdemonstrationgarden.
Location & Hours
The gardens are located at 914 Bennoch Road in Old Town and are open to the public between dawn and dusk, 7 days a week. The demonstration garden is located on unceded territory of the Wabanaki people.
Mission/Vision/Values
Mission: To educate our visitors in sustainable horticultural practices and empower them through service learning opportunities which strengthen our local food system.
Vision: We envision a vibrant, inclusive center of learning that helps gardeners of every skill level connect to the natural world and make positive changes within their communities.
Values: We recognize that the land we occupy is unceded Wabanaki territory. Within this difficult context we strive to create a space that is as welcoming and supportive as possible. We are dedicated to promoting diversity, inclusion, equity, and accessibility.
Have you recently visited or volunteered at Rogers?
Please consider sharing your thoughts on ways we can make the gardens even more engaging and welcoming in this brief survey.
2024 Programs
Farm-to-Table Camp – July 29-August 2, 2024 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Youth ages 9-12 will be involved in all aspects of growing, harvesting and preparing food and
flowers from the demonstration garden at Rogers Farm. Our new farmers will sow seeds for our fall harvest, gather cut flowers and veggies and learn how to create culinary delights with trained chefs. Additionally, the group will help create a collaborative art installation at the farm, learn about a variety of food related topics from exciting guests and have the opportunity to give back to the community in a service project.
The $175 camp fee includes all materials, one special meal and tastings from our culinary activities. We ask that families provide morning and afternoon snacks as well as lunch on 4 of the days. Financial assistance is available upon request. For more information or a reasonable accommodation, please contact Kate Garland by calling 207.942.7396 or email katherine.garland@maine.edu.
Please fill out our wait list form for notifications regarding our 2025 program.
Field Trips & Group Tours
Schools, summer camps and other groups are encouraged to arrange a visit to Rogers Farm. We areable to accommodate larger groups and are happy to work with educators to meet specific learning objectives with age-appropriate activities.
If you wish to bring a group on your own, we highly recommend that you reach out at least two days in advance to make sure no other large groups will be in the demonstration garden at the same time. Contact katherine.garland@maine.edu for more information.
Open House – Tuesday evenings July-August 5:30-6:30pm
Visitors can enjoy a self-guided tour of the gardens; volunteers and staff will be available to answer questions and demonstrate tips and techniques; and there will be a little gift from the garden each week for folks to take home.
Field Day & Fun Run – September 7, 2024
Join us for our annual Field Day and the Harvest Fun Run on Saturday, Sept. 7, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Enjoy garden demos, taste tests, and art in the garden. Visitors can explore over 30 themed plots, including the new Color Trail and our well-established Native Plant Collection. Learn about soil testing, composting, pollinator-friendly gardening and wildlife management.
Kids up to 12 can take part in a ½ mile Harvest Fun Run through the farm fields. Register for the Fun Run online or with paper forms at the event.
The event will also feature the Great Veggie Race, where participants of all ages can create and decorate wheeled vegetable vehicles to test out on our race track. Whether you bring your own vegetable (under 3 lbs, please) or select one upon arrival, join us to see if you can have the fastest veggie in town. No registration needed for the Great Veggie Race.
The event is free and open to all. In case of inclement weather, please check this website for updates.
For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact Kate Garland, katherine.garland@maine.edu; 207.942.7396.
Directions
- 914 Bennoch Road, Old Town, Maine 04468
- Driving Directions
Rogers Farm Outdoor Classroom Fundraising Campaign
We rely on donors for the funding necessary for maintenance, updates and programs to teach the community the best that gardening offers us here in Maine. Any level of support is greatly appreciated!
Donate today! (select Penobscot county gift account)
See our wish list for specific supplies: myregistry.com/giftlist/rogersfarm.
We gratefully acknowledge the following supporters for making the season a success:
For more information on visiting, learning, or volunteering at the garden or to request an accommodation, please contact Kate Garland katherine.garland@maine.edu 207.942.7396.
In complying with the letter and spirit of applicable laws and pursuing its own goals of diversity, the University of Maine System does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, familial status, ancestry, age, disability physical or mental, genetic information, or veterans or military status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The University provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Director of Equal Opportunity, 5713 Chadbourne Hall, Room 412, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5713, 207.581.1226, TTY 711 (Maine Relay System).