The Magic Food Bus celebrates 16 years of free food, books
MFB’s free community programs are available across the peninsula
July 25, 2026
By Staff
BLUE HILL—Healthy Peninsula's Magic Food Bus is celebrating 16 years of bringing fresh, nutritious produce to communities across the peninsula, providing free access to healthy food while helping improve food security for local residents.
MFB is a seasonal traveling farm stand and mobile library that “delivers free, fresh, local produce, books, and information about food security resources every week to every town on the Blue Hill Peninsula, Deer Isle, and Stonington,” a press release said. This year, MFB’s season started on June 25 and will run through the end of September.
The program is staffed primarily by volunteers and has grown “over the years in size, reach, and complementary activities,” the release said.
“Originally conceived as a book mobile, the metaphorical ‘bus’ [..] now serves up thousands of pounds of free, fresh vegetables to hundreds of people every growing season. While fresh produce is the main course, books remain on the menu—the Friends of the Blue Hill Public Library, as well as other community donors, offer free, interesting, fun, and informative summer reading material to Bus patrons of all ages,” the release said.
With support from community donations and grants, MFB’s coordinator purchases produce from local farmers and works with home gardeners to “gather an abundance of vibrant and nutritious food to share across the Peninsula and the Island,” the release said. Various community groups and partners support the bus, including Healthy Acadia’s Gleaning Initiative, Healthy Island Project, The Brooklin Food Corps, Brooksville School Garden, and “many local farms, volunteer drivers, and community gardeners who “grow a row” each summer for the Bus.”
MFB stops last about 40 min, the release said. Participants are asked to bring reusable bags if possible.
The MFB schedule this summer is as follows:
Blue Hill—Harborview Apartments, Thursdays, 2:15pm
Brooklin—Friend Memorial Library, Fridays,11:30am
Brooksville—Town Office, Thursdays, 5:30pm
Castine—72 Battle Ave, Thursdays 4:15pm
Deer Isle—Lily Pond/Deer Run, Thursdays, 2:45pm
Penobscot—Town Office, Thursdays, 3:15pm
Sedgwick—Benjamin River Apartments, Fridays, 11:00am
Stonington—Island Community Center, Thursdays, 4:00pm
Surry—The Gatherings, Thursdays, 2:30pm
lcal food pantries offer shelf-stable items and year-round food security support. The Tree of Life in Blue Hill, the Island Pantry and the HIP Pantry in Stonington are now joined by several “Little Free Pantries” in Brooksville, Brooklin, Castine, Penobscot, and Surry, the release said. Addresses and times for each provider are available through the town office in each community.
To learn more about MFB, or to sign up to volunteer, contact Healthy Peninsula’s healthy eating coordinator, Anna Wind at awind@healthypeninsula.org.