BRIDGEWATER, Maine — Hidden Meadow Farm, a family-owned business, recently opened an old-fashioned country store in downtown Bridgewater.
The store, located on Main Street, provides customers with naturally grown produce and farm fresh lamb, beef and pork products. Their livestock are both grass-fed and raised on the family’s farm, which is located on the outskirts of Bridgewater.
Kevin Ehst runs this business with his wife and four children. Together, they manage both the country store and their farm. Hidden Meadow Farm also currently employees roughly five seasonal workers from the local community.
“Our family has been farming in Pennsylvania for over 200 years,” said Kevin Ehst. “I grew up farming, and now that my children are growing up, it’s great to be able to share this experience with them. We all enjoy the farm lifestyle and working together to support a family business.”
Hidden Meadow Farm started serving the community in 2011. They sell their vegetables to stores like Graves’ Shop ‘n Save in Presque-Isle, Paradis’ Shop ‘n Save in Houlton, and local restaurants.
The Ehst family sets up farm stands at the Presque Isle Public Market on Saturday mornings throughout the summer and early fall. They also maintain a farm stand inside the Riverside Public Market tent in Presque Isle. This stand is open on Fridays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closes at the beginning of October.
Their Bridgewater farm store, on the other hand, has a slightly different selection than the farmers’ markets. In addition to the farm-fresh food seen at their stands, the Ehst family store offers bulk foods, candies, soaps, flowers, old-fashioned sodas, and specialties like Lebanon bologna and Farmer’s cheese.
“We started renovating the original Ralph M. Milliken store last September,” adds Ehst. “We want it to be a warm and friendly place for people in the community to visit and shop.”
The Ralph M. Milliken store started in the early 1900s, and was featured in an iconic 1954 photograph taken by Berenice Abbott.
“Our goal is to bring back the old-fashioned country store, and with it, its sense of community,” said Kevin Ehst. “Lots of folks are looking for economical alternatives, and we offer plenty of fresh, healthy, good tasting foods. People in the town have gotten to know us, and we are glad to help anyone in the community with anything they need. It makes a big difference to people when they know there is a local connection to their food source.”
