Josh Pond sits near the northeast coast of Maine, a region where slow and honest farming traditions still ring true. Located in Whiting, our farm is home to over 150 acres of organic, wild blueberries, a herd of spirited Oberhasli goats, an orchard of certified-organic apples, an underground cave of aging cheeses, a field of June-bearing strawberries, and more, all of which share the land with the surrounding evergreen forests and farmers who care about the health of their soil.
The folks who cultivate the land of Josh Pond - a family of 5th generation farmers - honor the traditional while embracing the modern, crafting products in slow, thoughtful ways: cheese is hand-stirred just as berries are hand-harvested.
It is this very special convergence of natural abundance and thoughtful farming that allows Josh Pond to produce a set of exceptional products including blueberries, cheeses, vinegars, and jams & jellies.
OUR BLUEBERRIES
Josh Pond blueberries are Maine-indigenous, wild, low-bush berries that are exceptional in their taste and quality. They are nurtured and guided by farmers who have been hand harvesting these wild berries for generations. With their knowledge and expertise, Josh Pond provides authentic and flavorful organic, wild blueberries to individuals and families all around the country.
Late in May, the blueberry bud blossoms, attracting a diverse spread of native pollinators. Over the summer, the berries take in whatever the season presents: sun, rain, wind, etc. When August comes around, we wait to harvest until the our blueberries reach peak ripeness to allow for the best tasting and most nutritious berry.
Every day in harvest season, after the morning dew dries and the sun lowers from its peak, the berries are raked by hand in a gentle way to preserve its natural form. Never touched or washed, and after each berry is gently lifted off its bush, they are packed and frozen within 24 hours of leaving the field, ensuring high-quality flavor and peak nutrition. Soon after the fruit has been harvested, the fields turn crimson red and the plants enter a year of rest, for rejuvenation and growth until the next year’s harvest.
Josh Pond blueberries are certified organic through the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association and the USDA.
OUR GOATS & CHEESES
Josh Pond is home to a herd of beautiful and spirited Oberhasli goats. Our goats live a blessed life: sleeping in a timber-framed barn, eating organic grain and hay, and having acres of lush pastures to spend their days. Every goat has a name, a unique personality, and the Josh Pond herdsmen know each one of them dearly. Our mission is to care for our goats with an organic and holistic approach, keeping their individual health, safety, and livelihood at the forefront of our husbandry practices.
It began in 2014, when a couple of Oberhasli goats came to live at Josh Pond, and today (2023) we care for 25 milking does, and are raising 10 young does that will join our milking herd in the next few years. We became Maine's 4th certified-organic goat herd in 2018, providing Josh Pond's cheesemaker with organic goat milk to transform into our aged cheeses.
The cheeses of Josh Pond are handmade in small batches in the tradition of artisan farmstead cheesemaking. During the summer months, we create a variety of cheese with our organic goat's milk. These seasonal cheeses breathe of the diverse pasture our goats graze on, reflecting our Down East home. During the winter, we let our goats rest, and we make a variety of aged cheeses with the certified organic cow milk from our neighbors at Tide Mill Farm.
Josh Pond is a member of the American Cheese Society and the Maine Cheese Guild.
