On the Market: A Saltwater Equestrian Farm on the Maine Coast

Photos by Dean Tyler, courtesy of LandVest

72 Bartletts Landing Rd., Mount Desert, Maine
Price: $6,995,000
Size: 3,123 square feet
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 3 full, 2 partial

When you buy this coastal Maine home, you’re not just buying a place to live or a place to live out your farming dreams. You’re buying a piece of history…and the hopes you will continue it.

Whistle Pig Farm is a “saltwater farm,” according to its broker and the current owners. This term refers to its location on Pretty Marsh Harbor and the soft “salt hay” that grows there. The property’s existence dates back to 1818, according to its current owners, when the property was established as a working farm. Since then, the four different families who’ve owned it have kept up that tradition, farming over the last 200-plus years. During that time, the land has remained “unforested” and undeveloped, protected by stone walls, which the listing agent says were likely built from rocks collected when the plot was originally cleared.

Today, Whistle Pig Farm’s untouched pastures serve as grazing areas for a mix of horses and ponies rescued by the current owners for their non-profit, Whistle Pig Animal Welfare Service Corporation. The grounds also hold a barn for the farm animals that have lived here over the years, complete with stalls and tack areas. Meanwhile, paddocks and several horse shelters ensure that not only will the humans living here have a home, but the horses do as well.

The shingled main house itself was also built in 1818, using hand-hewn posts and beams, the current owners say. Portions of this remain visible today, a reminder of the hours of labor that went into creating this one-of-a-kind place. Wide-plank pine floors, timber rafters, multiple brick fireplaces, and a wraparound porch outside add to the antique feel of the home, but the residence has also been updated to modern standards. It comes with a kitchen, a formal dining room with built-ins and a fireplace, and a spacious four-season sunroom with glass doors and abundant windows offering views of the water. Outside, you can wander perennial gardens or the adjacent shoreline. And with 13 acres of land, there’s more than enough space for both you and your horse to explore.

For more information, contact Story Litchfield, Landvest, landvest.com.

Photos by Dean Tyler, courtesy of LandVest

Photos by Dean Tyler, courtesy of LandVest

Photos by Dean Tyler, courtesy of LandVest

Photos by Dean Tyler, courtesy of LandVest

Photos by Dean Tyler, courtesy of LandVest

More Maine coverage from Boston

• On the Market: A Waterfront Maine Estate with a Private Cove
• The Bungalows at Hidden Pond Are a True Love Letter to Maine
• On the Market: An Enchanting Summer Getaway in Coastal Maine
• Travel Guide: Experience the Way Life Should Be in Ogunquit, Maine
• This Couple Built a Modern-Day Treehouse in Maine That Blends into the Landscape

Photos by Dean Tyler, courtesy of LandVest

Photos by Dean Tyler, courtesy of LandVest

Photos by Dean Tyler, courtesy of LandVest

Photos by Dean Tyler, courtesy of LandVest

Photos by Dean Tyler, courtesy of LandVest

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