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A Longer Table Homestead

LOCAL FOODS CHAMPION CONNECTS COMMUNITY TO LOCALLY SOURCED FOOD

For Meryl Kelly, the path to creating A Longer Table Homestead in Bethel began with a simple love of food. A culinary arts graduate who honed her skills in San Francisco’s pioneering farm-to-table movement, Meryl brought her passion for local food systems back to Maine, where she’s transforming how the Mahoosuc region connects with its local farmers and food producers.

Originally from the Norway-South Paris area, Meryl found her way to Bethel. “It’s beautiful here, the people are wonderful, and the community is really impassioned,” she shares. “We have so many creative and talented people in this area and just a really cool vibe that I love.”

After working in the restaurant business for years and when COVID-19 shifted the restaurant landscape, Meryl created an innovative solution: “The List” – a service connecting local farms with hungry customers. What started as an eight-hour journey between fifteen farms evolved into something bigger when Meryl acquired Le Ferme, a homestead with a commercial kitchen. This space became the foundation for A Longer Table Homestead, a home-based business combining a local foods market, catering services, and a farm-to-doorstep delivery service.

In just two years, A Longer Table has funneled over $60,000 into local farms, creating a significant economic impact while reducing the region’s carbon footprint. “The more we’re not buying produce from California, the better,” Meryl explains. “And the economic impact for our neighbors – it all ties together and feeds into each other.”

This success hasn’t gone unnoticed. Sunday River Resort has begun incorporating local foods into their operations, signaling a broader shift toward sustainable food systems in the region. Meryl has become not just a distributor but an advocate and educator for local farmers, helping to expand their reach and connect them with new customers.

“My way of expressing kindness and support is feeding people,” Meryl says. Through A Longer Table Homestead, she’s not just feeding people – she’s nurturing a more sustainable, connected, and delicious future for the Mahoosuc region.

The Mahoosuc Way Principles in Action

  • Be Climate Conscious: Connecting local food producers with regional restaurants and residents allows people to consume in a way that reduces their carbon footprint.
  • Cultivate Community: Through farm-to-table catered meals, Meryl works to bring together people from different backgrounds and foster community.
  • Care for the Land: By supporting local farms, A Longer Table Bethel also supports sustainable farming practices and minimizing the impact on the land.


What is one thing you enjoy most about hosting dinners?

Our farm-to-table dinners have been great at bringing together people from all walks of life. People that would be at each other’s throats on Facebook are sitting and laughing and enjoying a meal together. Every meal is served family-style, embodying our belief that food can bridge any divide.

What’s next for A Longer Table Bethel?

I want to transform our barn into a small farm-to-table restaurant, further strengthening the connections between local farms and food lovers. We participate in events like the Mahoosuc Arts & Agriculture Tour (put on by the Bethel Area Arts and Music) which brought hundreds of visitors to explore local farms and artists, and demonstrates the growing interest in sustainable food systems.

How can visitors to the region support sustainable practices and local food systems?

  • Visit local farm stands and farmers markets
  • Seek out restaurants incorporating local foods into their menus
  • Read Bethel Living to stay informed about local food initiatives
  • Check with the Chamber of Commerce to discover local food producers
  • Consider hiring local caterers who source ingredients locally
  • Make conscious efforts to minimize waste


Experience local flavors in the Mahoosucs! Click here to learn more about their market, catering services, and farm-to-table events.