Background: Maddrey and her husband, Frank, started Dovetail Family Farm in remote rural Maine several years ago. Frank’s mother, Norma, helps organize resources and assists with watching Maddrey and Frank’s children. Dovetail encompasses around 80 acres. They grow a variety of produce, including a long list of salad greens, and use season extenders to get the most out of the shorter growing season in far Downeast Maine. Dovetail also boasts sheep for wool, dairy, and meat, along with several cows for beef. They have put lots of blood, sweat, and tears into the land. There was no tillable land when they arrived on the property. This hardy and resilient family has revitalized a farm that had been dormant for many decades.
Legal Need: Maddrey, Frank, and Norma wanted to ensure that their farm into which they are pouring their hearts and souls is properly protected from liability. So, they approached the Legal Food Hub to assist them with forming a business entity for the farm. Because the farm not only grows food but also wants to offer various agritourism activities, such as pony rides and cabin stays, they needed a business form that would provide liability protection and give them a solid financial foundation.
The Relationship: The Legal Food Hub matched Dovetail Family Farm with a skilled lawyer at Drummond & Drummond, a full-services law firm in Portland, Maine. Dovetail is now officially a limited liability company (LLC). Or, in the words of Norma, “We are an LLC! Yippie!”
