Balfour Farm, our 100-acre organic farmstead and dairy creamery in Pittsfield, Maine, is best known for its award-winning organic cheeses and NON-GMO fed salami. But don’t you forget, we’re a working farm.
Certified Organic
Since 2006, we've learned how to work with the seasons, the land, and our animals to make real, organic food. It's taken a lot of trial and error and hard work — but to us, it's the right way to do things.
Oreo and Lacy get one last chow down before their mile-long walk to their daily milking.
Doug organizes his guiding wire, which will help direct the cows as they transition from pasture to driveway.
Doug and Oreo enjoy the foggy morning stroll before the hard work of milking begins.
Oreo and Lacy get one last chow down before their mile-long walk to their daily milking.
Doug organizes his guiding wire, which will help direct the cows as they transition from pasture to driveway.
Doug and Oreo enjoy the foggy morning stroll before the hard work of milking begins.
The land of our 100-acre farm is certified organic. As you drive by the farm this is the view you’ll take in. Every morning the fog rolls in and out, creating an idyllic farmstead scene.
We believe in honest food. That means pesticides, herbicides, food colorings, and additives have no place on our farm. The natural give-and-take relationship between the land and our animals is what makes our food products what they are. We're fortunate to be caretakers of the land and animals and proud to be certified organic.
We’ve proudly been certified organic since 2006. What began in upstate new york continues on our 100-acre farmstead in Pittsfield, Maine.
Mofga (Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association) is a driving force in making organic foods commonplace in Maine. They provide Education and Services for farmers like us. They certify us every year, ensuring that we live up to organic standards.
Maine is best know for delicious lobster and beautiful summers, to us it’s much more than that. Maine is a state made up of talented tradespeople who protect, share, and celebrate our way of life. “Maine Made,” an initiative from the department of economic & community development, champions maine-made products, Maine producers, and industries that shape and define this great state.
We’ve proudly been certified organic since 2006. What began in upstate new york continues on our 100-acre farmstead in Pittsfield, Maine.
Mofga (Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association) is a driving force in making organic foods commonplace in Maine. They provide Education and Services for farmers like us. They certify us every year, ensuring that we live up to organic standards.
Maine is best know for delicious lobster and beautiful summers, to us it’s much more than that. Maine is a state made up of talented tradespeople who protect, share, and celebrate our way of life. “Maine Made,” an initiative from the department of economic & community development, champions maine-made products, Maine producers, and industries that shape and define this great state.
every normande cow you see on the farm starts its life here on the farm. The cheese they make is organic, and that’s because of the land they graze and the care we give them daily. Here’s doug enjoying a moment with Beverly in front pasture.
Farm & Farmstead Creamery
To be farmstead is a decision we didn’t take lightly. To us, being farmstead means that all things cheese and salami start and end on the farm. It’s where the cows and pigs are raised. It’s where they live and eat. It’s where they build a bond with the us, the other animals, and the land they graze upon. The farm is a place we all call home.
The way we treat our animals is just like we treat our own family: with a tremendous amount of care and respect. We milk our small herd of Normande cows just once a day — because we understand it's hard work being milked.
ALLEY
Date of birth: 03/07/21
sire: Anvil (dad)
DAM: Foolish (Mom)
a daughter of foolish, she is a very quiet cow that always behaves.
Beverly
Date of birth: 04/13/18
sire: Ward (dad)
DAM: JOANIE (Mom)
named after a favorite market customer, she always needs to be the last cow to walk into the barn.
ELOISE
Date of birth: 11/21/17
sire: MONTGOMERY (dad)
DAM: NEWBIE (Mom)
eloise is the best milker on the farm and a daughter of newbie. She’s a very kind cow.
ROSE
Date of birth: 04/15/20
sire: ANVIL (dad)
DAM: FOOLISH (Mom)
Daughter of Foolish, Rose is always the leader to go out to pasture.
CLARE
Date of birth: 01/23/21
sire: ANVIL (dad)
DAM: Kerry (Mom)
She is a chow hound, going around cleaning up any left over feed before milking begins.
HILDA
Date of birth: 10/04/17
sire: Fantasy (dad)
DAM: joy (Mom)
She is one of our biggest cows and doesn’t like anyone taking her spot in the barn while milking. She will wait for them to move out.
RENEW
Date of birth: 09/24/19
sire: WARD (dad)
DAM: NEWBIE (Mom)
Everyones favorite cow! She always comes to meet visitors for a quick hello.
OREO
Date of birth: 05/04/18
sire: WARD (dad)
DAM: FLO (Mom)
When she was a calf we had a competition to name her. Our market customers landed on OReo. it felt fitting as she’s mostly black and white.
PENNEY
Date of birth: 06/24/21
sire: ANVIL (dad)
DAM: BEVERLY (Mom)
Named after a favorite market customer, just like her mother Beverly. She always tries to be first in for milking.
NEWBIE
Date of birth: 02/19/15
sire: JOOK (dad)
DAM: BELLE (Mom)
She’s a super milker and great mother Eloise and Renew.
ALLEY
Date of birth: 03/07/21
sire: Anvil (dad)
DAM: Foolish (Mom)
a daughter of foolish, she is a very quiet cow that always behaves.
Beverly
Date of birth: 04/13/18
sire: Ward (dad)
DAM: JOANIE (Mom)
named after a favorite market customer, she always needs to be the last cow to walk into the barn.
ELOISE
Date of birth: 11/21/17
sire: MONTGOMERY (dad)
DAM: NEWBIE (Mom)
eloise is the best milker on the farm and a daughter of newbie. She’s a very kind cow.
ROSE
Date of birth: 04/15/20
sire: ANVIL (dad)
DAM: FOOLISH (Mom)
Daughter of Foolish, Rose is always the leader to go out to pasture.
CLARE
Date of birth: 01/23/21
sire: ANVIL (dad)
DAM: Kerry (Mom)
She is a chow hound, going around cleaning up any left over feed before milking begins.
HILDA
Date of birth: 10/04/17
sire: Fantasy (dad)
DAM: joy (Mom)
She is one of our biggest cows and doesn’t like anyone taking her spot in the barn while milking. She will wait for them to move out.
RENEW
Date of birth: 09/24/19
sire: WARD (dad)
DAM: NEWBIE (Mom)
Everyones favorite cow! She always comes to meet visitors for a quick hello.
OREO
Date of birth: 05/04/18
sire: WARD (dad)
DAM: FLO (Mom)
When she was a calf we had a competition to name her. Our market customers landed on OReo. it felt fitting as she’s mostly black and white.
PENNEY
Date of birth: 06/24/21
sire: ANVIL (dad)
DAM: BEVERLY (Mom)
Named after a favorite market customer, just like her mother Beverly. She always tries to be first in for milking.
NEWBIE
Date of birth: 02/19/15
sire: JOOK (dad)
DAM: BELLE (Mom)
She’s a super milker and great mother Eloise and Renew.
Doug takes a breather while “the girls” are being milked. The hum of the pipeline system fills the milking parlor as the cows get to work. The system’s vacuum mimics the feel of being milked by hand.
Sustainably Made
Our products are handmade in small batches with sustainability top of mind. To cut our energy use, we harness the most sustainable source of power around: the sun. Our farm is off-the-grid, and 90% of our electricity is captured through 60 solar panels and stored in a bank of batteries. One hour per day while milking, we fire up our diesel generator we lovingly call "the West Pittsfield Power Plant." We worked with Maine Farmland Trust to make our farm a “Forever Farm,” designating it as farmland forever.
On the roof our of creamery and farm store you’ll find 60 solar panels, which create 90% of the power needed to run our whole farm operation.
The Farm Crew
Our small team works hard on the farm together 365 days a year. We wear all hats and help each other out. We love the connection we have to our land and animals at Balfour Farm — and sharing that connection with you.
Heather Donahue
Owner / Operator (Cheesemaker & Farmer)
Doug Donahue
Owner / Operator (FARMER & Mechanic)
Olivia Field
Lead Cheesemaker
Lauren Collins
Livestock Manager
Would You Like To Join The Team?
Shoot us an email at balfourfarm@gmail.com with the note about why you’d be a great fit to our small but mighty team.