Mainebiz

V O L . X X X N O. X I I M AY 2 7 , 2 0 2 4 14 L O C A L LY G ROW N the couple like the idea of running their business close to home and spending less time running around to farmers' markets. Along with 19 of their peers, they recently completed a one-year pilot course run by Maine's Department of Agriculture to learn the marketing, risk management and public relations and hospitality skills to run an agri- tourism business. "e guy we are buying the orchard from, he's been doing u-pick for 40 years, and says that's really where you're making the money," Chmielewski says. "When people are coming to you, not only are they buying your product, they're also paying for an experience." e plan is to remove all of the bulbs and plant anew next autumn, possibly adding daffodils and hyacinths. While tulips will always be the star of the show, next year's numbers are uncertain amid a warning from a Dutch supplier about a shortage in that country this year due to a wet season. "I really want to do a winter, German-inspired market where we light up the entire market with Christmas lights," Chmielewski says. "We'll try to get through other things first." Midcoast cherry orchard In the midcoast town of Bremen where hundreds of flowering cherry trees are flush with pink blossoms, Kerry Payne Stailey is a self-taught cherry farmer with a background in international consulting and photography. She and her husband, Justin Stailey, both of whom are photographers, moved to Maine about seven years ago from Brooklyn, N.Y., where they lived down the road from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Charmed by its cherry trees, they set out to plant their own orchard on Maine's midcoast. "I fell in love with them and deter- mined that if they were happy with this climate, we would create our own, little Brooklyn Botanic Garden," says Stailey. ey built Blenheim Park as a 16-acre creative retreat and orchard on a lakefront property that dates back to 1924. "Blenheim" refers to the chest- nut and white coloring of the couple's Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dogs, 11-month-old Willie Nelson and his 13-year-old brother, Stubbs. e prop- erty was named for Stubbs and the late Dizzy Ginger, a female Cav who died of cancer two years ago; both are depicted on a postcard and logo by a Latvian graphic designer. Local. National. Global. Wherever you need us. At Dentons, we are here to help you grow, protect, operate and finance your organization. dentons.com © 2024 Dentons. Dentons is a global legal practice providing client services worldwide through its member firms and affiliates. Please see dentons.com for Legal Notices. Grow | Protect | Operate | Finance Zack Brandwein Counsel Kevan Lee Deckelmann Partner Ian Green Senior Managing Associate Chad Higgins Partner Katherine Drabecki Shareholder Kyle Smith Associate Hannah King Partner Andrew Helman Office Managing Partner Malina Dumas Senior Managing Associate » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E Jessi Chmielewski, in a field of 100,000 tulips she and her husband planted in an Acton orchard they are in the process of buying. P H O T O / J I M N E U G E R F O C U S

• Cover