Olde Oak Farm Makes Dairy Goat Farming an Art

Briana McCormick

January 28, 2010

With more attention being brought to where and how our food comes to us, with films like “Food Inc.” and books such as “The Omnivore’s Dilemma”, it’s no big surprise that people are starting to take notice and care about what they eat.

With this new awareness comes more involvement with organically grown foods and shopping locally at community Co-Ops and farmer’s markets.

Scott Belanger, owner of Olde Oak Farm in Maxfield, Maine sells his dairy goat cheese at the Orono Farmer's Market.

Scott Belanger is the owner of Olde Oak Farm in Maxfield, Maine where he raises over 30 Nubian goats on 100 acres of secluded land. Belanger decided that after 18 years as a nurse practitioner, it was time to leave the fast paced world of medicine and go back to his roots.

“I’ve always had my hand in farming… My father was a large animal dairy farmer.”

So, in 2006, Belanger and his partner, Jennifer Maeverde, got their state dairy license and began to produce their artisan goat cheese and goat cheese products.

Olde Oak Farm has what they call a “cheese lab” right on their property. This is where they create their products, from goat cheese mozzarella, to goat milk yogurt.

Click here for photos of a day at the farm.

“I kind of like the artsiness of it,” says Belanger.

Not only does he enjoy the process of making his products, Belanger is also dedicated to teaching about organic benefits and the process that goes into everything his farm is about, from the biology of the cheese, to the health of his goats. The farm is always open to visitors who want to stop in and see a days work at a dairy goat farm.

Along with Scott’s work on the farm and taking care of the business aspect of it, he is a member of the Orono Farmer’s Market where he sells his goat cheese products year round.

The Orono Farmer’s Market runs the second and fourth Saturday of every month, December through April, and every Tuesday and Thursday the rest of the year.