Smiling Hill Farm

What Smiling Hill Farm does

Smiling Hill Farm is a privately held, family-owned dairy farm in Westbrook, Maine, operated continuously by the Knight family since 1720. The company runs an on-site USDA-inspected dairy processing facility that produces and bottles milk, ice cream, and flavored milk in reusable glass bottles, distributed via its own Dairy Store and a regional wholesale network including Hannaford (Maine), Whole Foods (Portland, ME and Portsmouth, NH), natural food co-ops, and independent grocers across Maine and New Hampshire.

The farm layers a substantial agritourism business on top of dairy production. A barnyard attraction houses over 175 animals (donkeys, pigs, geese, emus, deer, alpacas) with petting areas, a Maternity Barn, Hatching House, and gift shop, supported by an 18-hole disc golf course and seasonal programs including goat experiences, goat snuggling, calf/cow nose painting sessions, field trips, a Summer Farm Program 2026, and birthday party packages. Operational technology is limited to digital booking via Appointment Plus, glass bottle redemption through CLYNK, and a content website with Facebook and Instagram presence.

Revenue is generated across roughly six streams: on-site retail (dairy store and restaurant), wholesale milk distribution, barnyard admission (including season passes), package-based events (birthday parties, animal encounters, tractor rides), educational programs (field trips, summer programs), and ancillary on-farm recreation (disc golf). Customer segments split between regional Maine/New Hampshire consumers and families, plus B2B relationships with regional grocery retailers and a minor referral partnership with Ashley Flowers Yoga. The operation is small (11-50 employees) and led by owner Roger Knight.

Name

Smiling Hill Farm

Legal name

Smiling Hill Farm, Inc.

Website

https://www.smilinghill.com/Page1.html

Company type

Private

Founded year

1720

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Smiling Hill Farm is a dairy farm that processes an array of dairy products such as milk, cheese, and ice cream.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dairy Products

NAICS

Dairy Cattle and Milk Production (112120)

SIC

Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200), Dairy Products (2020), Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts (2024)

akta.pro primary industry

Dairy Housing, Milking Systems & On-Farm Infrastructure Operations (AFAEACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pasture-Based & Grazing Dairy Systems (AFAEACAI), Dairy Farm Milk Cooling, Storage & On-Farm Quality Management (AFAEACAL)

Keywords

• Dairy farm products
• Agritourism experiences
• Glass bottle milk
• Barnyard visitor attraction
• Family dairy farming

Headquarters

HQ city

Westbrook

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Dairy Products: Farm processes and bottles its own milk, ice cream, and other dairy products sold at the on-farm Dairy Store and through wholesale distribution to grocery retailers including Hannaford, Whole Foods, natural food co-ops, and independent markets.
2. Barnyard Admission: Admission fees to the barnyard attraction featuring over 175 farm animals including standard and uncommon farm animals, petting areas, play structures, and gift shop.
3. Birthday Parties and Events: Package-based birthday party bookings including barn rental, food, ice cream, and farm experiences. Additional revenue from goat experiences, goat snuggling, calf/cow nose painting sessions, and tractor wagon rides.
4. Field Trips and Summer Programs: Educational programs for schools and summer camp groups including the Summer Farm Program 2026 and field trip experiences.
5. Food Service: On-site restaurant at Dairy Store serving lunch items and beverages including the Lemon Cream Frappe during lunch hours 11-3.
6. Disc Golf: 18-hole disc golf course on the farm, open 9 AM to 6 PM daily, attracting recreational visitors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Smiling Hill Farm is a family-operated dairy farm that processes and packages its own milk, ice cream, and flavored milk in reusable glass bottles at an on-site USDA inspected facility. The farm also operates a Dairy Store/restaurant, a barnyard visitor attraction housing 175+ animals, and a portfolio of agritourism experiences including goat interactions, cow nose painting, birthday parties, field trips, summer programs, and an 18-hole disc golf course.

Product overview

Smiling Hill Farm is a diversified family farm operating since 1720 that combines traditional dairy production with agritourism experiences. The farm's core offerings center on dairy products (milk, ice cream, flavored milk) processed on-site in reusable glass bottles, alongside visitor experiences including a barnyard with over 175 animals, disc golf, and various animal encounters (goat experiences, goat snuggling, cow nose painting). Additional offerings include birthday parties, field trips, and summer farm programs. Products are sold directly at the Dairy Store and through retail partners including Hannaford, Whole Foods, and local co-ops.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dairy Products (Milk, Ice Cream, Flavored Milk) Farm-fresh dairy products including milk, ice cream, and flavored milk, processed and packaged on-site at the farm's USDA inspected facility in reusable glass bottles. Sold at the on-site Dairy Store and through regional grocery retailers in Maine and New Hampshire.
• Barnyard Experience Interactive farm attraction home to over 175 farm animals including standard animals (donkeys, pigs, geese) and exotic species (emus, deer, alpacas), featuring petting areas, climbing structures, a Maternity Barn, Hatching House, and a gift shop. Admission is per person at $11.00 with infants under 1 free.
• Goat Experience 15-minute interactive session with goats over 6 weeks of age, where participants enjoy goat entertainment including goats climbing or jumping on attendees. Maximum 5 persons per session. Recommended for older children and adults.
• Goat Snuggling 15-minute goat snuggling sessions with goats of adequate size, typically offered May through July. Requires check-in at the Barnyard Gift Shop. Scheduled via Appointment Plus booking.
• Calf or Cow Nose Painting Session Private 30-minute painting session where canvases coated with molasses or treats are placed in zip loc bags, which animals lick to distribute paint. Limited to 5 guests with children 8 or older.
• Disc Golf 18-hole disc golf course on the farm grounds, open 9 AM to 6 PM daily, combining outdoor recreation with farm views.
• Birthday Parties Celebration packages for minimum 10 people including barnyard admission, ice cream, farm t-shirt for the birthday child, balloons, flavored milk, use of Birthday Barn for 60 minutes, and party supplies. Pricing starts at $295 plus tax for 10 children/10 adults, with $17 per additional child and $100 for optional Tractor Wagon Rides.
• Field Trips 2026 Educational farm visits for school groups with curriculum-aligned activities and hands-on agricultural experiences at the Westbrook farm.
• Summer Farm Program 2026 Multi-day summer farm immersion program for children with hands-on agricultural activities and farming education.
• Dairy Store and Restaurant On-site retail location selling dairy products alongside lunch items and beverages including the Lemon Cream Frappe. Store hours 10 AM to 8 PM, lunch served 11 AM to 3 PM.
• Glass Bottle Return Program Refund program for reusable glass bottles accepted at the farm and at multiple redemption centers throughout Maine and New Hampshire, with full deposit refund available at Smiling Hill Farm or partner locations. Operated via integration with CLYNK bottle and can redemption service.
• Barnyard Season Passes Annual season passes for unlimited barnyard access. Individual $72.00, Individual x 2 $140.00, Family of 3 $210.00, with additional persons at $20.00 each.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Ashley Flowers YogaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerReferral partnership directing goat yoga enthusiasts to Ashley Flowers Yoga for goat yoga experiences, while Smiling Hill Farm offers goat experiences and goat snuggling separately.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Oakhurst Dairy: Maine-based regional dairy processor and brand owned by a farmer cooperative; competes in the same grocery aisles (Hannaford, Whole Foods, co-ops) across Maine with comparable local/sustainable positioning.
• Stonyfield Farm: New Hampshire-based organic yogurt and dairy brand with a farmer-owned supply model; comparable as a regional New England dairy brand built on sustainability and farmer stewardship narratives.
• Pineland Farms: Maine diversified farm and food producer operating farm-based retail, agritourism, and value-added dairy; highly comparable given the similar combination of on-site retail, agritourism, and branded dairy products in Maine.
• Wilcox Ice Cream: Maine-based family ice cream producer with regional retail distribution; directly comparable as a small New England dairy brand selling ice cream into the same grocery and on-site retail channels.
• Billings Farm & Museum: Vermont working farm and museum operating dairy production alongside ticketed visitor experiences, educational programs, and on-site retail; closely comparable business model combining dairy with paid agritourism and education.

Broad incumbents

• Cabot Creamery (Agri-Mark): New England dairy farmer cooperative producing milk, cheese, butter, and ice cream under a farmer-owned brand; comparable as a regional cooperative dairy with broad retail distribution across the Northeast.
• HP Hood: Large New England-headquartered dairy processor with broad fluid milk, ice cream, and cultured product lines; overlaps with Smiling Hill's wholesale and ice cream product portfolio at regional grocery customers.
• Organic Valley: National organic dairy farmer cooperative; comparable as a values-led, farmer-owned dairy brand that competes for the same sustainability-oriented grocery shelf space at Hannaford and Whole Foods.

Market position

Strengths2 records

Weaknesses2 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SmilingHillFarm
• Instagraminstagram.com/smilinghill/?hl=en
• Xx.com/smilinghill

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Smiling Hill Farm