Spear’s Vegetable Farm is a five generation family farm operation that provides fresh fruits and vegetables daily to consumers in mid-coast Maine.  We work very hard to make sure our customers get the best quality of fruits and vegetables possible for their family. We have been growing vegetables for the fresh market since the mid 1980’s, when the boys began selling sweet corn on a card table under the maple tree.

We are a diversified farm that practices sustainable agriculture.  Our 600 acre farm has over 135 acres under cultivation including many vegetables, flowers, sweet corn, winter squash and pumpkins.  All our tomato plants, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, eggplant and lettuces are started from seed each year in the middle of February and eventually transplanted outside or to one of our 15 hoop houses on the farm.

The dairy side of the operation has 120 milking cows with 95 replacement heifers.  We grow a good percentage of our feed for the cows and our goal is for our family farm, the backbone of our country's heritage, to thrive and survive for future generations”

Our History

Spear Farm began in 1933 when Wallace and Maude, their son Herbert and daughter Helen moved from Rockland to Nobleboro.  It was during the depression and they decided out of necessity, to move to the country to “live off the land”.  The farm started with one cow, one horse and a few chickens. As time progressed into the 1940’s a new barn was built that housed approximately 60 cows and a new hen house that held 2000 birds.

Herbert married Edna, a neighborhood gal, had four children and the family farm began to emerge.  In 1965 Herbert’s son, Bob, graduated from college and came back to join the farm operation. Soon after our farm became an official cooperation, Spear Farm’s Inc. and in 1969 a new 160’ x 60’ free stall barn was constructed for 120 cows along with a milking parlor.

In 1975 Herbert passed away and another son, Richard came back to join Robert on the farm.  Our herd increased to approximately 120 milking cows in the early 1980’s and at about that same time we started selling a few vegetables along with sweet corn.  Since that time our cow herd  remained about the same, but we have increased the vegetable production each year.

In 1992 Robert’s two sons, Terry and Jeff came back to become part of the operation.  Since that point in time we have gone from 1 acre of market vegetables to over 150 acres today.  We have two major retail stands and attend Farmer’s Markets three days per week to market some of our products.  We also have a large wholesale market for the remaining supply.

Today, between the dairy and vegetable operation, we farm over 600 acres.  It is truly a family operation that takes pride in producing quality products.  Our goal is for the family farm, the backbone of our country's heritage, to thrive and survive for future generations”.

Get to Know Us

Bob Spear

Ron Spear

Ron works away from the farming operation most of the time, however, is coerced to drive a tractor during planting season. He was instrumental in designing the newest farm stand, the “Big Red Barn” at the bottom of the hill on U. S. Rte 1 in Waldoboro.

Janet Spear

Janet wears many hats including marketing, ordering products and scheduling staff, but her primary focus is management of the daily operation of their two farm stands plus coordination of presence at farmers markets in Brunswick three times per week.

Dick Spear

Dick’s main concentration in the spring is planting acres and acres of sweet corn plus silage corn for the cows.  He is also responsible for starting our seedlings beginning in February for transplanting either to our hoop houses or to the field. He has it right down to a science as to when to plant specific varieties of sweet corn to have on the shelf the entire season.  “Sweet Corn is Our Specialty”.  Come winter time you will find Dick plowing and sanding both commercial and private driveways.

Terry Spear

Terry oversees and assists with planting fields of small vegetables, squash and pumpkins.Here he is inspecting tomatoes in one of their fifteen hoop houses.  Terry‘s other responsibility is managing our 120 cow dairy herd which is a 365 day chore.

Jeff Spear