After 25 Years, Clay Hill Farm Embraces Values Old and New Alike

For most businesses, the opportunity to celebrate 25 years of open doors and happy customers is a testament to sticking to what you do best.

But for Jennifer Lewis-McShera, co-owner of Clay Hill Farm, the York, Maine restaurant hitting its Silver Anniversary has just as much to do with the ways in which they’ve embraced change – particularly of the green variety.

“We’ve always been a family business, and in a lot of senses we’ve always done things the same way, and are proud of that,” says McShera, who’s managed the events in the 220-year-old farmhouse-turned restaurant and bird sanctuary since 1986. “It’s just that now a lot of those old fashioned values – taking care of the land, doing things locally – have much more of a modern flavor.”

Originally built in 1780 as a working farm, today Clay Hill stands as a 220-seat restaurant and special events venue nestled amidst acres of rolling lawns, protected coastal woodlands, and gorgeous gardens.

One of the first businesses in Southern Maine to be certified as an Environmental Leader by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Clay Hill is as dedicated to promoting and advancing environmental awareness and stewardship as they are to plating a perfectly rare rib eye.

In 1991, they became the first restaurant in the country to be certified as a wildlife habitat and bird sanctuary, making good on nearly two centuries of nurturing their stunning surroundings.

Their green commitments may have started off with a decidedly conservationist flavor, but the proceeding years have seen the picturesque Clay Hill adopting a broader green focus. From menus featuring local options to annual gatherings such as Clay Hill Earth Day and Fall Eco-Fest, Clay Hill has, under McShera, become something of a trendsetter for Seacoast restaurants looking to green both their operations and their outlook.

“One nice thing about going green, be it at home or in a business, is the acceptance that small steps that can have a big impact,” explains McShera. “Once you reach that critical mass, It becomes easier and easier to build on.”

 In what has lately become their green calling card of sorts, Clay Hill is currently in the midst of their fourth annual Green Wedding Giveaway, a program wherein couples from around the country – and the world – vie for a chance to win an all expenses paid weekend wedding on Clay Hill’s storied, floral grounds.

Whereas the contest’s previous three incarnations took on more of a contest feel – complete with public voting – McShera says this year’s installment, which was opened up to nominations this year, features a crop of young couples who closely embody the true mission of the contest: Rewarding real people making a difference in the world with their everyday commitments.

“Just like with our business, we noticed that a slight tweak in language changed for the better the nature of the contest,” she says, noting that this year’s Giveaway had attracted some of the most inspirational couples to date.

McShera even credits the Giveaway’s original incarnation – held in 2009 – with helping spark her restaurant’s resulting emphasis on local menu options.

“The first Green Wedding Giveaway winners, Jonathan and Joelle, helped introduce us to a lot of local farms,” notes McShera. “Up to that point, those sorts of connections were rare, because a lot of farmers didn’t think they could service an entire restaurant. But we’re seeing farms all over growing more and more for area restaurants, which just goes to show what happens when you have that critical mass.”

To be sure, it’s a critical mass McShera is more than proud to be a part of. But Clay Hill isn’t simply interested promoting green initiatives or community involvement; they’re living those commitments more and more every day.

Take their Pay it Forward program, which awarded a free dinner for two every night. With one small catch: The winning couple must do a good deed in the community and share their experience.

And that’s just the beginning. Whether they’re inviting school kids from Manhattan to take in a Maine weekend on their 200-plus acre coastal grounds, purchasing grass-fed beef for local schools, or donating to local nonprofits and charities, “giving back” has served as the thread running through Clay Hill’s 25 sterling years.

“For as much of our progress has been towards becoming more sustainable where we can, so much of who we are is rooted in that kind of tradition of community,” McShera exclaims. “For us, it all ties together, and we’re looking forward to the next 25 years of doing our part to make sure they remain tied together.”

Learn more about Clay Hill Farm at www.clayhillfarm.com

Visit www.greenalliance.biz for more information on how you can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars every year at businesses like Clay Hill Farm!

For most businesses, the opportunity to celebrate 25 years is a testament to sticking to what you do best. For Clay Hill Farm, it means embracing green change.