Benson Homestead and Forest

Farm Description

Benson Homstead and Forest is central Maine investment property with a well-maintained farmhouse providing rental income along with an extensive woodlot protected by a conservation easement. The property is located in the western Maine in the towns of West Paris and Woodstock and within 30 minutes of Sunday River Ski Resort and the White Mountain National Forest.

The topography of the property is rolling with moderate slopes. Most of the soils are well-drained, but there are a few poorly-drained areas in the northeastern portion of the lot. A few intermittent streams flow through the southeastern and northwestern corners of the property during spring runoff. Otherwise, these areas tend to dry up for the remainder of the year. The forest and trails offer many opportunities for recreation including hiking, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, bird/wildlife viewing and overall peaceful and quiet enjoyment of nature. The open field areas could be easily used to pasture horses with access to forest trails for riding. They could also be converted to orchard or small-scale Christmas tree production.

The majority of the forested portions of the property are well-stocked with mixed species, offering a wide range of size classes from sapling/pole-sized hardwoods to large mixed hardwood and white pine sawtimber. The property offers a good mix of species composition and size classes, allowing for continued forest management and income generating opportunities. The well-established trail network facilitates future forestry and recreational activities.

The farmhouse consists of two rental apartments - a first floor and a second floor, both with separate entrances. In addition, a detached oversized garage provides a third rental arrangement as file storage for a local business. The property currently is under the care of a property manager. 156 acres of the property are covered by a conservation easement with the Western Foothills Land Trust.