OUR STORY...
Starts back in the 50s - with a tractor, a piece of land, and Jack Buck's iron will to farm. ⇩
Jack Buck Sr. on the first tractor Jack Buck Jr. bought new. Taken in the late 50s
I'm Jacob and I co-own this farm alongside my three brothers and our parents. Although I grew up on the family farm with my brothers, I never imagined we'd be where we are today.
Today, I want to give you a glimpse into our long standing family business and the trials and tribulations that got us here.
Establishing the Home Farm
Our story starts on a farm in a small town in Northern Maine. In 1958, my grandfather Jack Buck planted his first crop of potatoes on a 40 acre plot of rented land in Mapleton, Maine (now known as the Home Farm). He was on his way to achieving his dream of becoming a farmer. Eight years later my grandparents (Jack Jr and Maryanne) bought the 40 acres, a rundown farmhouse, and the attached barn for $15,000.
My grandfather's father, Jack Sr., ended his construction career to help his son on the land. My grandparents, Jack and Maryanne, raised four children in their farm house and my grandmother also contributed countless hours to the farm alongside her husband to make their dream work. Their three sons - Bruce (my father), Brent, and Barry - followed in their father's footsteps and joined the farm after completing college. Their daughter, Kim, married a farmer and moved a few towns over.
The house on the home farm before Gram and Gramp bought it. Previous owners (the Smith's) pictured
Jack Jr and Maryanne Buck with their three sons, Bruce, Brent and Barry. Mid 1990s
The second and third generation of Buck Family Farms. Taken 2017
Grampy Leaves Behind His Legacy
In the spring of 1998, Grampy Jack suddenly passed away doing what he loved. I was only five at the time. He suffered a heart attack while planting potato seed and later passed into the arms of Christ. Neighboring farms pitched in to help our family get through planting season, but when the dust settled my father and uncles were left with a huge hole in their hearts and a farm business they didn't fully understand. The brothers trudged through the hardship and together continued to expand on their father's legacy, growing the farm up to 1000 acres, with nearly 500 acres being dedicated to potato production.
Unexpected Diversion
In 2014 everything seemed to be going smoothly on our farm when suddenly bad news struck. The buyer for almost 30% of our potatoes decided to end the contract due to market contractions. Suddenly, 30% of our sales were gone in the blink on an eye. This came at a time when my three brothers (Jared, Joshua, and Caleb) and I were seeking to make our way into the family business. Over the following months we collectively hatched a plan... Hops!
By converting a portion of our home farm to hop production we thought we would make up for lost revenue and produce an independent market with the booming craft breweries in Maine. Starting with just a 1/2 acre trial in the spring of 2014, a roadblock was soon discovered. The intensive labor required for training and cultivating hops coincided with the intensive labor required to plant and harvest potatoes. Though this terminated our hopes for this new market, not all was lost!
Through the marketing of this half acre of hops, my brothers and I realized another key ingredient in the production of craft beer.... and one we were already growing - Barley! And thus the Maine Malt House was born.
In the fall of 2014 a former potato storage that was no longer needed was converted over to a grain facility, fitted with the necessary grain cleaning and floor malting equipment. Through intensive research and grit, we discovered the art and science of malting.
A Change of Hands
In 2019, our families were feeling a financial squeeze due to an expanding malting plant that required increasing amounts of leverage, coupled with 300 acres of potatoes in a market contraction. The uncertainty and unease led to split ideas of how to proceed. Through much deliberation, Brent and Barry decided to pursue careers off the farm, selling their portion of the equipment and buildings, but maintaining their portion of the land. Brent went on to become the General Manager of John Deere in Presque Isle and Barry actively manages their farm land and other business activity.
The transition gave my brothers, my parents Bruce and Lauri, and me with an opportunity to re-evaluate the business from the ground up. After careful consideration, our re-organized family farm team decided to forgo potatoes and go all-in on the granary and malting business.
Earning A Spot In The Market
Today, Maine Malt House (AKA Buck Family Farms) manages roughly 2000 acres of cereal grains annually and malts 30 tons of grains per week for the New England brewing and distilling industry. We also produce grains for other processors, bakers, and animal feed and are currently exploring new ways to introduce the next generation (of which there are currently 10!).
Dad (Bruce) with Bo, one of his 10 grandchildren. Taken 2024