Maine’s Pittston Farm: An Oasis in the Big Wilderness
Trust me: If you continue up Route 6/15 from Greenville 20 miles to Rockwood, and then another 20 miles on an unpaved road, you’re guaranteed to have an adventure at Pittston Farm (207/280-0000).
The South and North Branches of the Penobscot River wrap around Pittston Farm, which is truly an oasis in the wilderness. Once a working logging camp where teamsters were based, its two impressive barns and a three-story farmhouse remain relatively intact. Current owners Guy and Jenn Mills, along with their family, are investing in updating this National Historic Register-listed property, without losing its come-as-you-are hospitality. Although the frills are few, the welcome is warm, the price is right, and the experience is priceless. You’ll likely spot a moose or two on the way; drive defensively.
This unincorporated territory, officially called the Pittston Academy Grant, once was a major center for timber operations along the Penobscot River. Now the 100-acre riverside farm is known as the place to go by car, flying service, or snowmobile for meals fit for lumberjacks. Dress down (suspenders will fit right in). All-you-can-eat breakfasts are served beginning at 7am, lunch from a menu is available 11am-3pm, and the huge dinner buffet is served 5pm-7pm. It’s hearty home cooking, definitely meat-oriented, and you won’t eat alone. The homemade pies and cookies alone are worth the trip. Reservations are advisable. Credit cards are now accepted.
After eating, spend some time in the museum, blacksmith shop, and chapel (a former potato barn), stroll the grounds, and visit the horses, goats, and cattle. Canoe and kayak rentals are available, and there are plenty of hiking trails in the area.
Accommodations include 15 shared-bath rooms in the comfy main lodge, air-conditioned rooms with private baths in the carriage house, and four no-frills cabins with private baths. Main lodge rooms, with space for up to four people, are available for $85 per night; carriage house rooms, also with room for up to four, go for $100 per night; and cabins, which can sleep between four and eight people, go for $125 per night. Campsites also available for tents and RVs.
