Hermon hobby farm houses unique array of animals

Peacocks, swans, donkeys and a descendant of the famous race horse, Secretariat.

They can all be found living on one farm in Hermon.

Joy Hollowell takes us on a tour of Maple Crest Farm.

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"We purchased the farm 14 years ago and it was just the barn and the house," says Trisha Martin. Since then, she and her husband Gary have added ponds, a fountain, waterfalls, fruit and nut trees. and oh, just a few animals.

"We have two goats, 5 mini donkeys, a mule, two horses, 25 alpacas, about 25 sheep, 5 peacocks, 2 swans, I don't know how many chickens, three geese, bees, two dogs and a cat," says Trisha.

Pheasants too. The animals didn't actually start accumulating until a few years ago.

"In 2015 I was diagnosed with lymphoma," says Trisha. "And I went through chemo and radiation. I was jokingly talking to my husband and I said, I want a donkey."

She got in contact with a rescue group.

"There was one donkey that had been shaved and my hair was coming back and I said- that's the one I want right there."

Because donkeys don't like to be alone, the Martins took on four others. They live alongside a mule and two horses including one with lineage to Secretariat.

And then there are the alpacas.

"So this is socks," says Trisha as we enter the Alpaca area. A caramel colored alpaca curiously checks out our cameraman.

The martins already had 7 alpacas when they were contacted by another farm.

"Would you like to buy our alpaca?" recalls Trisha of the email they received. "18? No, we don't have the capacity for it. And probably about a month later, we got an email and the husband had been diagnosed with Glioblastoma. Will you take our 18 alpacas? We want them to go to a good home."

Martin begins to tear up, then smiles. "So we built the barn and took on 18 alpacas."

The martins also sell fresh honey from their hives and raspberry jam from their fruit bushes.

"This last year for the first time, we sent our fiber from the alpacas to the New England Alpaca Fiber Co-op," says Martin. "We also gave wool from our sheep to Bartlettyarns in Harmony."

And if you think this is a full-time job for the Martins, think again. Trisha is an ELA teacher at a middle school in Bangor and her husband is an orthopedic surgeon.

The 35 acres that make up Maple Crest Farm are their oasis, and Trisha is proud to show off each and every part of it.

Recently, the Martins started offering tours of the property.

"I've primarily done it by appointment because I feel like I can give a more personalized tour and I think people have a special experience when they can have a personalized tour," she says.

They don't charge for the tours, but do accept donations.

"It's a very special place for us and it's nice to be able to share it with others especially kids," says Martin.

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Maple Crest Farm is located on Union Street in Hermon just past the Glenburn town line.

To make an appointment for a tour, you can contact them through their website https://www.maplecrestfarm.me/

or Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Maplecrestfarm.me/

https://www.maplecrestfarm.me/

https://www.facebook.com/Maplecrestfarm.me/