What's available?

• Cider Donuts are available in the salesroom.
• The Donut Shack is open on weekends and holidays
• Starting Labor Day weekend going through Columbus Day and possibly beyond.
• 9am - 5pm
• Fresh apple cider donuts
• Carpe Diem Coffee, Tea, Hot Chocolate, Mulled Cider (cooler weather)
• Cold Cider and Poland Springs water
• Pumpkin Donuts (towards Haloween - only one batch made in the morning)
• Ask about the 1/2 sheet pan special, must be ordered ahead.
• Ship 4 dozen donuts anywhere in the lower 48 for $22 during the season.
  • to ensure freshness donuts will be shipped on Monday or Tuesday USPS Priority Mail
  • Call to order 207-324-5054

The Story behind Captain Jack’s Donut Shack

Captain Jack is a USCG licensed Captain. He sailed for 32 years with NOAA on Fisheries Research Vessels mainly out of Woods Hole. The last ten years as Captain of the NOAA Ship Delaware II and NOAA Ship Albatross IV. In 2005 the Admiral offered him a position on the beach. There was no thinking about his answer "YES"! The first Belshaw Donut Robot was purchased in 2005. Ellen always thought that apple cider donuts would go well here. While trying to come up with a name for the business one of our son's friends said “why not call it Capt Jack’s Donut Shack”. The name stuck.

The first two years Jack made donuts on the back porch attached to the former Warming Hut for the cross country ski business. Sales increased the second year and the decision was made to move inside. Some rearranging was done to give the donut operation more room and a exhaust hood was added.

Yearly sales increased again and in 2008 a new Belshaw Donut Robot was purchased. This unit would double the output of the old one. With a new machine came problems and the old MK-1 was used as the primary machine for most of the season.

Two years of little or no snow spelled the end of the cross country ski business. The warming hut "bunkhouse" is now Capt Jack's Donut Shack.

With help from the local Belshaw distributor the bugs were worked out and the machine is performing very well. Capt Jack retired from NOAA in July 2009 after 36 years of federal service and now owns McDougal Orchards with his wife Ellen.

Many years ago the Donut Shack/Warming Hut was called the bunkhouse. Nova Scotians came down to pick apples when the orchard was stricly a wholesale operation. They cooked their meals and lived in the bunkhouse while working here. Back in the early 90's a few transient apple pickers also used the bunkhouse while working here. In 1995 the inside was gutted and transformed into a warming hut for the cross country ski business. All the pine v-match came from trees harvested on the property.