As we began Consensus, and subsequently started research for our Made in America series, it was clear early that communities across the country had amazing local craft brewers. Maybe it is something about the industry, but these local small businesses all share one thing: cool stories and even cooler founders. I never imagined we’d end up filming adorable baby goats as part of a beer story. But, we were lucky to find the cutest mascots for a craft brewery in America when we arrived in Maine.
Lobsters, blueberries, GOATS (great goat cheese), and BEER? It’s a Maine thing at TURNING PAGE FARMS BREWERY. High school sweethearts from Ohio, Tim and Joy Bueschen spent years traveling the world, only to find themselves back home in America, building a sustainable business in agriculture and beer. An affinity for goats and a love of homebrewing led the couple to their unconventional destiny. Tired of climbing the corporate ladder, they quit their jobs and found an old farm in Monson, Maine, in need of some serious love.
“We were just so enthusiastic, I think that’s the key to success,” Joy told us over beers at Turning Page. With virtually no experience farming, Tim and Joy managed to apply their business acumen to a brave new endeavor, and what Joy thought might be a crazy idea, turned out to be just what we’ve all been wanting – a chance to drink beer with a goat.
From solar panels to thermal channels in a year-round greenhouse to keep beer drinkers (more so than plants) warm and cozy, Tim and Joy run a smart operation that serves their bottom line, and the planet too. Their tagline of “Small Town, Small Batch” reflects the rural nature of their community of under 700 people and the intentionally small scale of their business. Joy sells her cheese in a 10-mile radius, and Tim brews just enough beer to sell on the farm. This keeps their lives, and the community, happy, healthy, and sustainable.
