There’s no place like Maine during the holiday season, and there is no better way to celebrate this time of year than by giving and sharing Maine-made and grown agricultural products for your family and friends to enjoy. You can either ship to those from away or visit your nearest location that offers Real Maine items. Look to Real Maine to help you find the perfect “Gift from ME.” You can make your search in our database as specific or as general as you like.
Here is a sampling of the many offerings from our Real Maine members this holiday season. Be sure to support local farms and producers and look for the Real Maine logo this holiday season.
A reminder that nearly every Real Maine member offers gift cards or certificates, which might be just what you’re looking for. Or maybe consider giving somebody a gift subscription to a CSA (for everything from produce to flowers) or to a favorite local Real Maine market or business, like Root Down Market.
Gift boxes are a great choice for giving this holiday season – Real Maine members put together a wide variety of curated packages for you to purchase, including:
- A breakfast-themed gift basket from Martin Woods Farm that includes fresh-roasted coffee, homemade oat granola, and chocolate-covered coffee beans
- The Pickle Lovers Gift Box and Jam Lovers Gift Box from Maine Homestead Market
- Perry Home Naturals’ Gift Bundles & Sets full of sachets, sprays, and eye pillows
- Gift boxes packed with Nervous Nellie’s Jams and Jellies, in addition to other Maine-made goods and products
You could even take individual Real Maine products and make your own gift box!
FILL BELLIES, PANTRIES, AND GLASSES
Whether you are entertaining or gifting, food and drink from Maine is always a delicious choice.
For your next gathering, consider either making your own charcuterie board filled with local meats, cheeses, appetizers, and snacks or ordering one such as the Cheese Gift Box from Lakin’s Gorges Cheese at East Forty Farm, which includes a 1.5-pound assortment of farmstead cow’s milk cheeses, along with locally made crackers and honey.
Real Maine food products are a flavorful way to help your family and friends stock their pantries this holiday season and enjoy the taste that only local flavor brings. Crafted at the peak of freshness, pair them with any meal or snack, or use them to help prepare your latest culinary creation. Maybe the Flavor Adventures or Flavor Foundations tasting set from West Maqouit Vinegar Works? Or Freeze-Dried Wild Maine Blueberries from Passamaquoddy Wild Blueberry Company, which are hand-harvested by Tribal members and a portion of profits are returned to reservation communities?
Don’t forget the cooks on your list who might like to season their creations with Real Maine selections such as small-batch paprika, chili flakes, or pepper flakes from Morning Dew Farm or culinary saffron from Backyard Saffron.
Satisfy those with a sweet tooth on your list with confections such as Winter Bonbons from Bixby Chocolate.
The perfect complement to celebrations, gatherings, or just a chilly day or night during the holiday season is sipping on just the right beverage. Products like Blenheim Park’s Cherry Sangria Infusion Kit can help set your idea into motion. You could mix a cocktail with or just sip on Real Maine beer, cider, wine and spirits, including:
- Apple Brandy from Sweetgrass Farm Winery & Distillery
- Float Away Cider from Absolem Cider Company (catch them on a Real Maine episode of Maine Life airing in December)
TRADITIONAL FAVORITES OR SOMETHING NEW
With a full spectrum of choices to help you cross items off your holiday gift list, you can opt for something familiar or maybe something new.
Maple is a flavor that has deep roots in our state, whether in the form of a bottle of rich syrup or a number of foods and items maple adds its special smell and taste to. Real Maine maple producers have many items to sweeten your holiday season, such as the Maple & Honey Gift Basket from Jackman Maple Syrup.
Maine has a long history of making and working with textiles, and the state’s fiber producers continue that tradition today. Local angora, wool, and yarn are the materials that weave together warmth during the coldest days. Look for Real Maine fiber products this holiday season, such as:
- Alpaca Socks from Northern Solstice Alpaca Farm
- A cashmere sheepskin from Apple Creek Farm (appealing to people and pets alike)
Real Maine members are always creating natural skin and body care products, like goat’s milk soap from Windy Knoll Goats, that could make the perfect gift.
Flowers can always add color and brightness to the holiday season – whether you’re giving them in bouquets or arrangements from Real Maine members or in the form of a wreath from Real Maine members like Lazy Acres Farm.
Maybe a holiday wreath or seasonal plant, like a poinsettia from Longfellow’s Greenhouses (catch them on a Real Maine episode of Maine Life airing in December) would be just the right way to celebrate the season?
Real Maine is the state’s official agriculture and agritourism promotions program. From holiday gifts and decorations to the perfect ingredients for your holiday meals and celebrations, plan your agricultural experience with Real Maine. Visit www.RealMaine.com to connect to farms, food, and agriculture throughout Maine.
