Innkeeper Karen Curtis don’t just talk green talk, she walks the green walk and shares it with guests at the Three Pines B&B. Karen and her husband, Ed, created this peaceful, off-the-grid, organic oasis on the eastern shore of Hancock, in Maine’s Acadia region.
The two-room B&B is located on 40 oceanfront acres fronting on Sullivan Harbor, just below the Reversing Falls. All but two acres are under a conservation easement with Frenchman Bay Conservancy, which means this special, private, and spectacular land will never be developed.
Off-the-grid, not that you’d notice
“My husband had taken an interest in solar in the late 1970s, and when we were ready to make a change from our engineer lives, he wanted to put that interest into practice,’’ Karen says. Ed did all the planning to make the house as energy efficient as possible. The design is passive solar; photovoltaics provide electricity; appliances are primarily propane-powered; satellite technology operates the TV and Internet systems; a masonry heater provides warmth in winter.
For the Curtises, it’s not just about being green, but also about sustainable living. They raise rare-breed sheep for wool and chickens for eggs; grow organic vegetables and berries; and maintain a peach and apple orchard. Karen makes cheese, yogurt, jams and jellies, and other treats.
“We get people drawn to various aspects of our project here,’’ Karen says. “Some have no idea we’re off the grid, they’re coming strictly for location. Some are very interested in the farming aspects. Some come because we’re vegetarians. Some people never even know we’re off the grid, if the subject doesn’t come up. Unless they happen to ask, it’s completely transparent.’’
I can attest to that after spending a blissful night here (amazing star gazing) in early June. I only wished we’d had the time to launch the inn’s tandem kayak from the shore front or had brought bicycles to pedal the old railway bed from the Tidal Falls Preserve to Gull Rock Pottery (with a waterfront sculpture garden; definitely worth visiting).
Staying at the Three Pines B&B
Guests stay in one of two rooms in a separate, two-story, post-and-beam building that’s attached to the main house by a deck. Both rooms are comfortably furnished. Each has a queen bed; a roll-away bed is available for the downstairs room. Although there are TVs, they’re only for watching movies, and a wide range of DVDs are available.
For the best views, opt for the upstairs room, accessed via an exterior stairway. Palladian-style windows front and back overlook the water on one side and the woodlands on the other.
The ground-floor room, with glimpses of the water through the shoreline trees, opens off the water-view deck, providing the quickest access to the waterfront and to breakfast.
Karen serves a full, vegetarian breakfast. Ours began with yogurt and fruit parfaits accompanied by delicious scones. Now, even though I’m not a huge kale fan, I loved the scrambled eggs (from the chickens) with cheddar cheese and fresh kale (from the garden).
Why stay in Hancock?
Although Hancock seems far removed from civilization, it’s an ideal location of exploring the Acadia region east of Ellsworth; that includes the section of Acadia National Park on the Schoodic Peninsula. Artist studios and galleries pepper the region and land preserves offer plentiful hiking opportunities, from easy to challenging.
Despite the rural feel of the area, there’s a good choice of quality restaurants. These include the Crocker House Country Inn, Chipper’s, and Iron Bound, all in Hancock, as well as wide-ranging take-outs, such as YU Takeout for Korean and Sullivan Harbor Smokehouse, both in Hancock, and Tracey’s Seafood in Sullivan. Add in Gouldsboro and the Schoodic Peninsula, and the options expand.
Frankly, if you’re M.O. these days is to avoid crowds, the Three Pines B&B is an ideal choice. Check in here, and you may not want to check out, ever.
