Updates are posted below the following message!

MESSAGE FROM THE REMICK BOARD OF TRUSTEES
November 2024

Dear Friends and Neighbors:

We’re writing to let you know that significant changes are underway at Remick Country Doctor Museum & Farm as we move into the winter months.

On Friday, October 25th, the Edwin C. Remick Foundation Board of Directors decided to begin a major reset of our operations in order to secure a sustainable future. This work will include long-term planning, short-term actions, and community input. An overarching concern is for the health of the land and forests under our stewardship.

We begin with the Farm itself. By mid-December [2024] we will disperse the livestock, an action we take reluctantly but out of financial, staffing and land management necessity. Simply stated, we have put too many animals on the land in recent years and it is in need of rest and restoration. The volume of animals has also caused workload issues for staff as it requires them to be here every day, plus on call after hours, to provide for their care. This decision about livestock and the farm is not permanent. We intend to use these winter months to develop a sustainable, long-term plan. Animals will be back!

We also need a new forest management plan as more than 50% of our property is woodland; this will be a major objective as we look ahead. Meetings are being scheduled to draw on the expertise of private, state and federal organizations as we frame a new model and operating structure to ensure that “Doc’s” legacy and land are preserved.

Remick is not going away, far from it. The grounds and museum will be open as usual, and we look forward to folks coming to walk and snowshoe the Binsack Trail this coming winter. We will continue to offer and host a variety of programs, classes and other activities. The store will continue to offer quality meats and other items.

After the holidays, we will schedule public information and listening sessions. We are part of Tamworth, past, present and future, and it is critical that we plan well now to ensure a healthy future for the museum and a healthy relationship between the community and the museum. In the meantime, please share your thoughts with us at this email address: future@remickmuseum.org.

Grant Prillaman
Chair

Russ Baerenklau
Vice Chair

Wendy Scribner
Secretary

Steve Smith
Member

Jean Williams
Member

UPDATES

June 2025 | Messages from Our Board

Latest message appears first

At the most recent meeting of the Tamworth Conservation Commission (TCC), Grant Prillaman, Chairman of the Board of the Edwin C. Remick Foundation, requested that the TCC engage with the Foundation to begin the process of placing selected parcels of land into conservation easement. The land under consideration is that which comprises the immediate footprint of the Remick Country Doctor Museum & Farm located within the village, as well as the section along the Swift River across Cleveland Hill Road from the administrative and store building.

As noted in our conversation with the Tamworth Conservation Commission, the proposed action is in direct response to the questions and comments raised in the January “listening sessions” attended by many Tamworth residents.

This will not be an overnight process and will clearly involve a great deal of work by both parties. We thank the Conservation Commission for agreeing to work with us for the benefit of our community.

________

As you may have learned, livestock are not being raised at the farm this year. That decision was made last fall, after it was determined the museum needed a reset. We were gratified and thankful that all animals living on the property were successfully rehomed.

2025 is our year for reset. Animals will be back. This year is about repairing fencing, reviving fields, completing a strategic planning process, continuing to work on putting acreage into conservation easement, and building toward a strong and vibrant future, all based on what we heard in our community listening sessions in January (read below).

We thank you for your understanding and patience, and invite you to enjoy all the museum, grounds, and related programming offer.

Learn what’s in season!

February 2025 | Message from Our Board

Many thanks to all who have shared their ideas, thoughts and questions with us in recent weeks. Our work in planning for the future needs to be informed by the community. 

One of the “themes” that came up in all three listening sessions, emails and conversations was around conservation easements; at present, only a very small percentage of our land is under easement.

At our January 31, 2025 meeting, the Board decided unanimously to enter into discussions with the Tamworth Conservation Commission and others to better understand how this might work. We have a lot to learn, but that starts now.

More updates on our processing of the community feedback will be shared as we continue to move forward.

January 2025 | Listening Sessions

THANK YOU to all who participated in our Listening Sessions, where the Remick Board of Trustees shared information about the new path we’re forging and welcomed feedback related to their November 2024 announcement (posted above).

More than 50 people participated in at least one session, with numerous others providing input via email. All ideas, wishes, and concerns have been noted, and the Board is consolidating the results. Stay tuned for future updates!

Throughout the process, the expressed support for this historic site and its role in the community — past, present, and future — was sincerely appreciated. As we learned, this property has been the source of countless treasured memories and holds a special place in the hearts of many. We carry that knowledge forward.

We’re still listening! To share your thoughts, contact us at future@remickmuseum.org. 

December 2024 | Farm News

The organization is pleased to report Kim Garcia, former Remick Farm Manager, successfully rehomed all of our farm animals. The photo above shows Sadie with the youngest members of her “new” family. In Sadie’s case, she was relocated through a buy-back agreement, meaning she went back to the farm she originally came from, now with two young companions to enjoy her company. We thank Sadie’s family for sharing this happy photo with us — her new halter reads: “I [heart] my mini!”

MICROPHONE IMAGE: Dan Lefebvre via Unsplash