Brunswick resident maps more than 100 Maine farm stands

A Brunswick resident has built a statewide map that puts more than 100 Maine farm stands in one place, giving motorists a faster way to spot roadside produce, eggs, honey, lavender and goat cheese without relying on word of mouth. Mike Connery’s Farmstands Guide started as a family habit on drives from Brunswick to Pineland Farms and grew into a practical tool for anyone looking for cheap, local food along the road.

Connery first imagined the project as a coffee-table book, but the idea changed as he kept noticing how many small stands lined the route. He built the website himself over a weekend and filled it by leaning on Facebook to collect locations and details from across the state. The result is a crowd-sourced map that now averages about 300 users a month, a sign that there is steady demand for a simple way to find fresh food close to home.

The map matters in Maine because many roadside stands operate under food sovereignty laws and often do not need the permits required of formal retail food operations. That makes them common, but difficult to track. Connery’s site helps close that gap by turning scattered tips into a searchable listing that residents and travelers can use in real time.

The project also reflects a broader shift that accelerated during the pandemic, when more consumers looked for alternatives to large supermarkets and more farmers needed new ways to reach customers. For Sagadahoc County, that means a Brunswick-made tool now has reach well beyond town lines, with the potential to steer more drive-by business toward small producers while making fresh food easier to find on the same roads people already use every day.