Our Story

Where we began… How far we’ve come.

Humble Beginnings

Written by Mark Bevan, President and founder of Saco River Farms

My story begins in a noisy crime-ridden suburb of New York City. No, I wasn’t born to farming, quite the opposite in fact. But some of my fondest childhood memories involve the pitchfork and spade, helping my dad plant tomatoes in our tiny front yard garden.

In the late 1970’s, New York City was not the place most anyone wanted to be. Poverty was everywhere, and certainly no stranger in our house. My parents often struggled to put food on the table.

The one thing I cherished the most was our family trips to visit my grandparents, who had semi retired to a small homestead in upstate New York. My grandparents were part of the popular back to land movement of the time. There several acre lot was planted with fruit trees, a large garden and home to chickens, ducks, rabbits and a few goats. Their pantry was always well-stocked with the fruits of their labors. Books like “Grow It” and “Practical Homesteading” captivated my attention.

As time went on in life got in the way, my interest in this simple way of life faded into a desire for my family to have more. More money, more time, more toys… And certainly no lack. After the birth of my first child at 18 years old, I soon realized that hard work would at least bring a paycheck and perhaps some left over to save up for what I saw as the retirement my grandparents enjoyed. What I didn’t know at the time, was that years later my grandparents would end up working until their deaths in the same poverty I so detested.

I began chasing money anywhere I can find it. Working hard, saving everything I could, teaching myself how to invest. Invest in whatever was the next big thing, the fastest way to get to my beloved retirement. Thinking when I retired, I could finally have the life I wanted for myself and my family. Reading countless books and listening to seasoned investors telling the secrets of being rich, I quickly turned our financial situation around, or so I thought. Buying houses, cars, boats, vacations all became the norm. My time became occupied fixing up houses, talking with bankers and trading anything with a dollar sign. I wanted the American dream….to be rich, the fastest way possible.

The hard work and diligence paid started to pay off.. or so I thought. By 2007 it seemed like we were living the dream. One more rental property would have put us over the million dollar mark. I remember the few bad days, when my paper investments didn’t make $1000 a day, or worse… Lost money. I wondered if it would ever end, if I had finally arrived? 2008 came in like a hurricane. My portfolio doubled in value, and we wondered if it would just keep going higher.

Then the unexpected happened… The economy collapsed and we lost almost all of our savings overnight. I found myself completely burned out, exhausted from overwork on our apartments. All of a sudden in massive debt, facing nine foreclosures and three bankruptcies. Things were bad for me, the anxiety and stress were overwhelming. I feared that our family would lose everything, and I could not get any sleep. I thought all hope was lost. That stress brought me to my knees literally!

Side note: So what I’m about to say is going to offend a lot of people, and if you’re one of those people that gets easily offended, well forgive me… But if you really want to understand why Saco River Farms is the success that it is today keep reading…

When you reach the place where I was at, there are only two ways to go… Down to the grave or up to God. Sadly, the reason most people are actually offended by that statement, is that they honestly don’t believe Jesus would help them. Truthfully, I didn’t know either. But he did! Lifting me up out of an impossible situation, proving himself and his love for me. If you’re still reading, good. Stay with me it’s about to get awesome!

You see, I watched God do miracle after miracle in my life. Selling houses that couldn’t be sold, some that weren’t even on the market. Eliminating almost 2 million in debt with no bankruptcies and only one foreclosure. Every dollar of debt was forgiven, written off with no tax liability, and no penalties, never missing a single payment on our home, which is now part of Saco River Farms.

Sometimes the greatest miracles in your life are the most simple ones. White bearded Iris “Immortality” in full bloom in late fall under a burning bush shrub. Impossibility, coincidence or confirmation?

For the first time in a long time I had peace. There was a supernatural calm that existed in my mind, despite what was happening in my life. I can’t lie, it was the hardest thing I have ever gone through… But in that difficult time I had peace. Having peace in the storm gives you the option to look around and evaluate the situation. To look at things as they really are, without fear influencing your decisions.

With a new outlook on life, suddenly the rat race didn’t seem to be a game worth playing any longer. I needed simple, a change, a time to catch my breath. I wanted a different life for my family, one where I could enjoy the work I did and have time to share with my family.

But there was another thing which pressed me to start farming… My experience in the area of trading, investment and finance. I had gotten to understand the world financial markets rather well, and now with some added clarity of vision, a picture was beginning to appear. Quite frankly, what I was seeing concerned me very much. My experience trading gave me a very unique perspective on global economics and finance. I saw how the many pieces fit together. Unfortunately, what I saw was not a bright and fuzzy picture. It was downright scary. Our global trade systems, economies, currencies, commodities, banking and insurance industries are all teetering on the edge of collapse. It is almost as if the entire system is designed to fail. Worst of all, there are no circuit breakers to trip in case of overload… no protections… no fail safes.

In 2020 the world got a serious wake up call with Covid-19, and as I am writing this in June 2024, I am looking ahead with even greater concerns. Major changes are coming which most people are not prepared for.

In it all, I realized one more very important thing. If people do not have the basics necessities of life, it didn’t matter how much money you had. Money can buy a lot, but it can not buy happiness. Unfortunately happiness is not the only issue, because when money fails, it won’t buy bread, clothes, shelter or anything else either. You may be thinking that could never happen, but history tells us it has in fact happened hundreds of times in the past. Yes even in America, and the stage is set for it to happen again, soon!

Back to Basics

Back around 2010, God led me start this farm. Why? Because there are only a few things which are common needs for all people. Shelter, clean air & water, and food. Without those things people perish. Access to healthy, nutritious foods, that not only sustain life, but keep us healthy is a critical need. Most people are unaware that the majority of the infrastructure needed to produce food locally has been lost, and cannot be easily or quickly replaced. In the event of a major disaster, food shortages can last months not days. The cost of foods could easily reach the point where most people cannot afford to buy them, even if they are available. It has happened before and it will happen again, history always repeats.

We farm because it gives us a simple life worth living! It is hard work no doubt. But the rewards are great and the needs are greater. We have come a long way from a simple homestead to provide for our family. That journey has required a great deal of faith. There have been constant struggles, mostly in our attempts to not only grow food, but more importantly to grow our farm. Through all of it God is been with us, in the trials of our faith, teaching us patience and endurance, teaching us to trust in Him above all else.

Read : Modern Day Homesteaders – The rest of the story.

Built on Faith & Debt Free!

Our farm here could not have been built solely with human hands. Countless times I’ve watched God do miracle after miracle. We’ve managed to build it thus far on no budget and no debt, a truly miraculous feat in today’s world. When we didn’t have something we needed, or couldn’t afford it, God supplied it. Saco River Farms truly is built on faith, and it is our continued faith in God, which will expand and develop our farms into the picture which He is envisioned for the future.