Spreading the wealth: County farms see growth, with Libra's help

FORT FAIRFIELD, Maine — It’s a beautiful day in the heart of Aroostook County’s potato country. Blue skies span forever over acres of plowed and planted fields.

Hill after hill, the dark brown rows extend to the horizon, broken only by thin strips of woods dividing fields and, unexpectedly, a 2,250-head herd of cattle.

Welcome to the largest beef cattle feedlot in the Northeast.

About eight miles away, at the former Loring Air Force Base, workers turn over one of the products of those cows — windrow after windrow of manure that’s slowly turning into premium compost. Most of the finished product is destined for the Coast of Maine Organic Products’ mixing and bagging facility outside of Machias, where it will be turned into high-end compost sold in almost 800 retail outlets throughout the Northeast.

And just a bit south, in Mars Hill, employees at a state-of-the art food processing plant take in Aroostook spuds and turn out high-end mashed potatoes, destined for restaurants including Applebee’s, Ninety Nine Restaurants, O’Charley’s, Logan’s Roadhouse and Bonefish Grills.

The operations are part of the Pineland Farms’ Food Group, one of the Libra Foundation’s three main economic philanthropy programs. While Libra is well-known in The County for its continued investment in the Maine Winter Sports Center, the foundation also has lesser-known, but substantial, agriculture investments in Aroostook.

Libra practices “economic philanthropy” throughout the state, with ventures ranging at times from real estate to manufacturing, agriculture to tourism — all with a focus on developing sustainable businesses or sectors, and then turning them over to the private sector or communities.

Libra was founded in 1989 by Elizabeth Noyce, the ex-wife of Intel co-founder Robert Noyce. Elizabeth Noyce had returned to Maine where she had summered, with a multi-million fortune from the divorce. She began investing in Maine charities, and then more frequently in businesses. She died in 1996, and her will left roughly $225 million to Libra to continue the work.

Spreading the wealth: County farms see growth, with Libra's help ...

Pineland Farms' Fort Fairfleld feedlot currently has 2,250 head of cattle that producing roughly 300 tons of manure a week. The company trucks the manure eight miles away to the Loring Commerce Center (formerly Loring Air Force Base). Here, Dwain Plant mixes the manure, turning it over. The resulting product will be sold as compost. Buy Photo

FORT FAIRFIELD, Maine — It’s a beautiful day in the heart of Aroostook County’s potato country. Blue skies span forever over acres of plowed and planted fields.

Hill after hill, the dark brown rows extend to the horizon, broken only by thin strips of woods dividing fields and, unexpectedly, a 2,250-head herd of cattle.

Welcome to the largest beef cattle feedlot in the Northeast.

About eight miles away, at the former Loring Air Force Base, workers turn over one of the products of those cows — windrow after windrow of manure that’s slowly turning into premium compost. Most of the finished product is destined for the Coast of Maine Organic Products’ mixing and bagging facility outside of Machias, where it will be turned into high-end compost sold in almost 800 retail outlets throughout the Northeast.

And just a bit south, in Mars Hill, employees at a state-of-the art food processing plant take in Aroostook spuds and turn out high-end mashed potatoes, destined for restaurants including Applebee’s, Ninety Nine Restaurants, O’Charley’s, Logan’s Roadhouse and Bonefish Grills.

The operations are part of the Pineland Farms’ Food Group, one of the Libra Foundation’s three main economic philanthropy programs. While Libra is well-known in The County for its continued investment in the Maine Winter Sports Center, the foundation also has lesser-known, but substantial, agriculture investments in Aroostook.

Libra practices “economic philanthropy” throughout the state, with ventures ranging at times from real estate to manufacturing, agriculture to tourism — all with a focus on developing sustainable businesses or sectors, and then turning them over to the private sector or communities.

Libra was founded in 1989 by Elizabeth Noyce, the ex-wife of Intel co-founder Robert Noyce. Elizabeth Noyce had returned to Maine where she had summered, with a multi-million fortune from the divorce. She began investing in Maine charities, and then more frequently in businesses. She died in 1996, and her will left roughly $225 million to Libra to continue the work.

Use of boreholeradar methods to monitor a steamenhanced remediation pilot study at a quarry at the former Loring Air Force Base, Maine

Loring AFB Water Plant Survey, Loring AFB, Maine

Environmental Impact Analysis of Proposed Realignment of Forces at Loring AFB, Maine

Shutting down the Cold War, the politics of military base closure

Base closures and realignments proposed by Department of Defense, fiscal year 1979, hearings before a subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, House of Representatives, Ninety-sixth Congress, first session