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V O L . X X X I I N O. I X M AY 4 , 2 0 2 6 12 B U S I N E S S S U C C E S S I O N / T R A N S I T I O N F O C U S F ive years ago, Phil Norris and Deborah Wiggs were approaching their 70s and contemplating retire- ment from their farm operation in the Hancock County town of Blue Hill. e two started Clayfield Farm in 1992, turning 15 acres of their 160-acre woodlands into an organic farm; build- ing a house, farm structures and the soil; and growing vegetables and flowers. But decades later, it was time to think about options. "We saw the writing on the wall," says Norris. "We were both aging. We were still vital and we're still vital now, but we know we won't be forever." Seekers and owners Norris and Wiggs posted their farm on websites like Maine FarmLink and New England Farm Finder, which connect people seeking farmland with farmland owners or their representa- tives looking to sell, lease or work out other tenure arrangements, Inquiries poured in. With a goal to ensure that Clayfield stayed a work- ing farm, the couple started successive trial periods with couples who leased a portion of the land. e first two tri- als fell through. e third couple, Anna Drew and Nathaniel Bolter, started last September. Drew was recently raking mulch from a no-till field while Bolter prepared a hoophouse. Norris was repairing a fence, bashed in by deer, around another field the younger couple plan to cultivate. Clayfield Farm owners Phil Norris and Deborah Wiggs flank their tenants, Anna Drew and Nathaniel Bolter. The two parties are well into a one-year trial lease and things are looking good. P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y O F C L AY F I E L D FA R M We saw the writing on the wall. — Phil Norris Clayfield Farm By the numbers Between 2017 and 2022: Maine lost 564 farms — two farms per week on average. Maine lost 82,567 acres of farmland. The number of Maine farmers over age 65 increased by 18%. Farmers under age 44 ticked up by less than 2%. SOURCE: 2022 U.S. Census of Agriculture Cultivating farmers Succession planning can be complicated for exiting farmers and incoming owners B y L a u r i e S c h r e i b e r