While we are lucky to have a large and efficient freezer and refrigerator on board that runs all summer due to significant solar and battery resources, we still yearn for fresh fruits and vegetables, pastries and dairy on a regular basis, hence we are, like most others, eager for a provisioning stop once or twice a week.

Provisioning Resources:

• Large Supermarkets:  Hannafords dominates this segment with markets and pharmacies within walking distance of Rockland, Camden, Belfast, Blue Hill (Tradewinds Market) and Mount Desert Island.  All of these locations have in house pharmacies as well.
• Small markets:  Generally family/local owned and operated, you will find small markets in Rockland, Camden, North Haven, Castine, Bucks Harbor, Somesville, Southwest Harbor, and Northeast Harbor.
• Farmers’ Markets:  If you treasure fresh, local produce, meats and baked goods, there are 14 farmers’ markets on the coast between Rockland and MDI.  Go to mainefarmersmarkets.org for a complete list of all markets, locations, days and hours of operation as well as typical offerings.  Here are the locations and days of operation as of this writing, but it is best to double check the website for current information.
  • Bar Harbor – Sunday
  • Belfast – Saturday
  • Blue Hill – Saturday
  • Brooklin – Thursday
  • Brooksville – Tuesday
  • Camden – Wednesday and Saturday
  • Islesboro – Wednesday
  • Northeast Harbor – Thursday
  • Rockland – Thursday
  • Rockport – Saturday
  • Southwest Harbor – Friday
  • Stonington – Friday
  • Winter Harbor – Tuesday
• Food Co-ops:  Belfast and Blue Hill both have highly regarded food co-ops that are valuable provisioning resources.

Major Provisioning Harbors:

• Rockland (distance from Harbor Park)
  • Jess’s Market (.25 miles) Highly regarded seafood market
  • Southend Grocery (.33 miles)  Mid sized market just past Jess’s seafood market
  • Hannaford (1.6 miles) Full size market and pharmacy
  • Shaws (2.1 miles) Full size market and pharmacy
• Camden (distance from Town Landing)
  • French and Brawn (100 yards) One of the best small markets in Maine 
  • Hannaford (1.0 miles) Full size market and pharmacy
  • Graffam Brothers Seafood Market (1.4 miles) (.4 miles from Rockport Harbor) Excellent fresh seafood and lobster
• Belfast (distance from transient dinghy dock)
  • Belfast Community Co-op (.25 miles) (Belfast.coop) Organic, natural, local
  • Hannaford (1.3 miles) Full size market and pharmacy
• Blue Hill (distance from Town Landing – accessible within 2 hours of high tide)
  • Tradewind Market (.9 miles) Full size market and pharmacy. Market carries full Hannaford product line
  • Blue Hill Co-op (1.1 miles) .2 miles south of Tradewinds
• Mount Desert Island
  • Hannaford .5 miles from Island Explorer bus stop at Village Green. You can also ask the driver to let you off at Holland Avenue, the first crosswalk after the traffic light coming into town; walk down Holland and Hannafords is through the bank parking lot at Cottage Street. Free bus service available at Northeast Harbor, Southwest Harbor and Somesville (at the library)
  • A & B Naturals across from Hannafords at 101 Cottage St. is a terrific natural food (and other items) store, with fresh produce, a café, an organic juice and smoothie bar, and the only place we’ve found on MDI to get whole bean coffee and grind it.

One final tip! West Marine has a lightweight collapsible wheeled cart for $33 that we have found to be invaluable for getting provisions from store to boat.  It is lightly built but ours has lasted three summers so far!