Gorham’s Orchard Ridge Farm is up for sale just over nine months after a fire destroyed a family home on the property, the owners wrote in an Instagram post Sunday.
Erica Gottshalk and her husband Will Gottshalk have owned the farm on Sebago Lake Road since 2021, and lived in the 1858 home with their two young children until it burned down on Jan. 2. The fire closed the farm for six days, sparing a farm market and a barn on the property.
“We are lucky to have walked away physically unharmed, and remain deeply grateful for the outpouring of support we received, but life-altering events force a deep reflection on the future, on where to invest precious time and energy,” the post said, adding that the family no longer has the bandwidth to keep the farm running.
The decision to sell the farm — which hosts community events like live music and yoga sessions — will also allow the Gottshalks to spend more time with family, the post read.
The Gottshalks wrote that the farm is in an ideal position for a “seamless transition” to new owners, complete with a brand new home that’s under construction on the property.
“One of the hardest parts of this decision is feeling like we might be letting down the community that has continuously lifted us up,” the Gottshalks wrote, expressing gratitude for the support the family received after the fire. “Our greatest hope is to find buyers who will honor what this space means to the community and keep it open for everyone to enjoy.”
