AUGUSTA – A comprehensive guide to Maine food and farm products that are sold directly through the mail provides a link between consumers and farmers.

Maine Agriculture Commissioner Robert Spear said the guide, which includes 240 Maine agricultural businesses and is in its second printing, gives a glimpse into the real diversity and flavors of Maine.

The diversity of Maine’s products offered for direct sale in the 61-page brochure is extraordinary.

Just in time for holiday giving, consumers can find farm businesses selling gift packs of apples, gourmet cookie packages, fresh Christmas trees and wreaths, wool comforters, and even a lamb roast or a bottle of raspberry wine for a celebration dinner.

“The whole effort is to give a gift from Maine,” said Deanne Herman of the Department of Agriculture. Herman said thousands of the brochures were handed out at the Eastern States Exposition in Springfield, Mass., last September. They are also at tourist information centers, fairs, public events and national conferences.

“It has been so well-received,” said Herman. “It has even stimulated ideas between the companies that are listed.”

Herman said there is no way to evaluate the brochure’s effectiveness yet. “Our producers are so busy that many of them don’t have the time to ask customers, ‘How did you hear about us?’ The real payback may be just the consciousness-raising of Maine consumers to think Maine when they buy gifts.”

The brochure was produced as part of the Department of Agriculture’s “Get real. Get Maine!” campaign. All of the information it contains can be found on the department’s Web site at www.getrealmaine.com. For more information, contact the Maine Department of Agriculture Division of Market and Product Development, 287-3491.