DR Country Club Member of the Month: March 2024
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    • Mar 20
    • 4 min read

DR Country Club Member of the Month: March 2024

In theme with March's welcome to spring and the luck of the Irish, I recently had an opportunity to speak with Eric of Lally Luck Farm, who was looking to home some Muscovy Ducks (see below for more info on them!).  I had the privilege of learning all about their plant farm/nursery, and I knew I had to share about them as one of our featured Country Club Members! ~Morgan


Lally Luck Farm




Lally Luck Farm is a source nursery for native perennial food plants, along with some exotic ones (after they have made sure the plants will play nicely here in Maine).  They grow everything from seed, or from cuttings of plants they've grown on the farm, so they are certain the plants are hardy for the area, and won't have any hitchhikers from other states along for the ride. They offer some potted plant sales during the season, but their big focus is bare root plants, in the fall and early spring.

 

Some of their plant offerings include chocolate mint, red raspberry, elderberry, bee balm, and staghorn sumac - just to name a few! 

 

Located over on the Lebanon-side of North Berwick, the farm isn't open to the public in general, but they are happy to work with anyone who would like to set up a visit!  Local folks who order plants from them, or would like to, are welcomed to schedule time to pick up their purchase and chat planting!  





The farm was started in 2017, roughly a year after Eric and Nicole bought the property and started mapping, studying, and observing the processes that were already going on there. 

 

While they don't have educational backgrounds in agriculture, Eric had done work in logistics, landscaping, and system design, while Nicole brought her skills in project management, data tracking, and quality assurance to the table. Both sharp minds were ready to learn! 




Together they been able to discover what they love to grow, and also what their property wants to grow - always excited to add new plants to the repertoire.  At this point, Eric shared he has read as many botany and agronomy books as he can get his hands on, but the focus always comes back to what the plants and soils are trying to communicate in response to their practices, and how they can improve all three.


It was during the shutdowns that more people were getting interested in what was happening at Lally Luck, and going full time on the farm began to make sense for them!  Up until then it had been more of a hobby project (like many of us!), but Eric had been furloughed.  Seeing what could get done with a real focus on the plants and animals, their projects changed perspective about going back to work  off the farm.  Eric claims that it has been an adjustment, but "wonderful to share the things they love with their neighbors, and to share in the things they love as well".  

 

I so, so love this part of their story - the discovery of something so special coming from a time of adversity - especially when it is based in agriculture! 

 

Eric says he, "was the weird plant person, always requesting plants that folks weren't familiar with, or ones without as much representation as popular landscaping cultivars of their family, and thought it might work to be the weird plant guy for other weird plant people".  He then heard a speech from an entomologist named, Doug Tallamy, who said that there "needed to be millions more small nurseries to help us preserve diversity in our ecosystems and support our struggling wildlife" - it was then that Eric felt his calling!


 

Farm Products




Along with the plants they grow in the nursery, Lally Luck also offers a selection of artisanal teas and salves! Reach out to them for availability on hyper local hyssop or mint tea blends, along with mint tincture, or yarrow and clover salve!  Their products can be purchased from their online shop, here:

 



 

Watch them Grow!


Lally Luck's adventures can be found on their Youtube page, where they have been documenting their nursery! Listen in to learn about their native plants and the ducks on the farm! 


Youtube:




You can find out some fun and historical anecdotes like this, from Eric:


Do you have a favorite plant?

"I do, it's called New Jersey Tea. It's a small shrub that only grows about three feet tall, and puts out clusters of white flowers that are absolutely mobbed by pollinators during the summer. The leaves have many of the same compounds as the plant used for making black tea, just without the caffeine, so it actually played a role during the time of the American Revolution. It's just such an awesome plant, I have a tattoo of it from one of the first botanical surveys of the U.S., diagrams and all."



Read what others are saying about their farm:

 

"I have been so impressed with Eric and his landscaping skills and expertise. Highly recommend!"

 

"their product is all natural, they're amazing people; whom go above and beyond for anyone! just cool people"



 

Muscovy Ducks!


In addition to plants, Lally Luck is also offering mature breeding trios of Muscovy ducks for $75.  Muscovy are some of my (Morgan) personal long time favorite breeds - they are strong birds and full of personality, along with being super unique looking.  They will also look to find some good homes for the ducklings this year but can't be certain when exactly they'll arrive. Contact them for more details!




Want to learn more about Lally Luck Farm? Reach out to Eric:


Get in Touch:

 

 

Say Hello on Facebook:

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