Rogers Farm Demonstration Garden

About |2024 Programs| Fun Run and Field Day|Directions |Donate

About the Demonstration Garden at Rogers Farmrainbow over garden with painted fence

The demonstration garden at Rogers Farm is a showcase for creative theme gardens, unique plant varieties, innovative designs, and prolific vegetable gardens. Planned, planted, and maintained by Master Gardener Volunteers since 1994, the intent is to demonstrate proper gardening practices and inspire both the novice and seasoned gardener. 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.

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 Programsyouth group touring the garden

Field Trips & Group Tours

Schools, summer camps and other groups are encouraged to arrange a visit to Rogers Farm. We are able 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.

Farm-to-Table Camp – July 29-August 2, 2024 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

bags filled with flowers hanging on colorful hooks

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.

Camp registration opens at 7am on March 30, 2024. 

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.

Featured demonstrations include: late season planting in the Procrastinator’s Garden (8/1),
trellising and pruning tomatoes (8/8), dividing perennials (8/15), and irrigation (8/22).

Field Day & Fun Run – September 7, 2024colorful vegetables in a crate arranged in a rainbow

Demonstrations, tastings and art in the garden are all part of this celebration of the season. In addition to children’s activities and a 1K fun run for youth up to 12 years old, visitors can also lean about:

• gardening tools,
• pollinator-friendly gardening,
• soil testing and
• pest management.

This program is free and open to the public. Registration (opening in late August) is required for the fun run only. Paper registration forms will be available on the day of the event. In the event of inclement weather, check this website for updates.

For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact Kate Garland, katherine.garland@maine.edu; 207.942.7396.

Learn more about Rogers Farm

Directions


Rogers Farm Outdoor Classroom Fundraising Campaign

The gardens serve as an outdoor classroom for hundreds of area youth and UMaine students annually. Additionally, volunteers grow and donate thousands of pounds of produce to area food security agencies each year.
Your support will allow us to make investments in infrastructure, signage, garden supplies, and educational resources to continue our impactful work.

Donate today!  (select Penobscot county gift account)


We gratefully acknowledge the following supporters for making the season a success:

yellow foxglove flowers with plant label

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.

colorful collection of harvested dahlias