Common Ground Fair Starts Today (Unity: buy, friendly, retired)

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by maureenb

I like all of Commonground Fair!

I'll be helping out in the Poultry Barn on Friday. After the judging is over, my plan is to roam! Food will be the first goal.

Honestly, one of my favorite things is the ... ready ..... dried legumes! There's a man who brings the most incredible variety of shell beans. Really, I love it all. I don't have any set plan to attend workshops this year as I'm not sure how long I'll be involved with the poultry.

How can I find you & Mrs., Forest Beekeeper?

I plan to be at the fair from 8am to 4pm, Friday to Sunday.

Specifically try Saturday at 11:00 AM for the "Cooking with Bean Flour" demo.

Bread, [maybe pizza dough], cookies and snack crackers.

[starwalker]

I'll look for you on Friday! Not sure what I want to attend yet, but hopefully I'll have a chance to look at the schedule with a brain in my head before Friday.

Saturday I'll be in Brewer at my stall in the farmers market and Sunday at work... so crossing fingers for a good day Saturday. I'll likely spend time in the spinner's tent (wanting to connect with a spinning wheel) and I am considering the sock knitting class.

[MRVphotog]

I wish Vermont which has a strong organic community had something like the CGF. Food is expensive because the wholesale cost is high. We used alot of cheese which is only availible from the State of Maine Cheese Co just south of Rockport on US !. Even tho we bought about 200 lbs it still cost over $8/LB. We also used about 1500 lbs of veggies which have to be ordered a year in advance from individual farms. Again cost is about twice as expensive. The CGF is one of a kind, definately worth a visit.

[daydreamin71]

I wish we were able to get there for it this year. Going on my must-do list for next year!

[starwalker]

My first trip to Maine -- a week long recon visit/vacation -- was planned around the fall equinox several years ago and after I planned the time off from work, I discovered MOFGA and the Common Ground Fair, which much to my delight was held the weekend i was here! I ordered my ticket and t-shirt online and thoroughly enjoyed the event.

I have missed it one year since arriving, but don't plan to again. I like the fact that they have so many presentations on such a variety of subject matter, in addition to the exhibits, displays and entertainment one usually expects to find at a fair. I would heartily recommend it to anyone interested in any aspect of being more self-reliant or in alternative health, or agriculture. Whether or not you are fully on the organic bandwagon, as long as you are not totally closed to that sort of thinking, there will be much to learn!

Originally Posted by daydreamin71

I wish we were able to get there for it this year. Going on my must-do list for next year!

[palval1]

I'm always blown away with the volunteer effort that makes this humungous, delightful fair happen!

Thanks, Volunteers.....and thanks to everyone who makes it all happen!

I saw many happy kids there today....young and old alike.

[starwalker]

I didn't get to go. Honestly I made a hard choice NOT to go again this year. I have just been so swamped and have had so few days to just stay on the farm and get stuff done, that I decided that was the more needful thing.

I started pulling up stakes and twine and supports in the garden and removed the soaker hoses, then did a heavy picking for us and for market tomorrow. Also process tomatoes (which were by this evening replaced by the latest picking! LOL) and managed to excavate the kitchen table, which has been buried for far too long.

Tomorrow is a market day, and after I'll stop by the lumberyard to get more primer for my hex signs and sufficient wood to build the backdrops for the display I will need for the U of Maine Homecoming Craft fair next month. It will be my first such indoor event in years, and I need a nice display. I had thought of going to the Fair after market, but with that event coming u p next month, I need to get the display built so it can be painted. In the evening I'll attend a Equinox event and on Sunday I put in 8 hours of work.

Hopefully things will be in better order this time next year. I really miss attending the fair!

[Submariner]

A great day. Sunny and warm, though not many people attended today, only 18,000 people.

I made some neat contacts, and learned a few things.

[mainebrokerman]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

A great day. Sunny and warm, though not many people attended today, only 18,000 people.

I made some neat contacts, and learned a few things.

18,000 people is alot!!!
its about the population of augusta- no town north or east of bangor has close to 18,000 people

[maureenb]

FBK, I looked for you in my travels at the Fair on Friday...sorry I didn't find the "right beard." There were a few times when I felt the ???1,800??? in attendance; but for the most part, it was so laid back - lovely to come across someone tucked under an apple tree, relaxing in the shade. Considering the excellent weather on opening day, it's too bad more folks couldn't have attended.

I have a long list of favorite moments at this year's fair, but the top of the list was noticing the number of honey bees in attendance. I shared a huge piece of Morgan's Mills blueberry pie with one! I loved seeing the produce in the exhibition hall. I didn't get to attend any demos or lectures, stop at too many booths, but thought that the Hobbit Hole structures were very cool. I ate waaaay too much goodfood; bought some gorgeous seed garlic; bought a Commomground Fair commemorative wooden fruit box (for a bantam nest box) from the spiral stair folks; managed not to cross the threshold of any yarn booths; and meandered the grassy parts of the grounds just enjoying seeing folks having a good time doing, seeing, and learning things they're passionate about on such a fine day in Unity.

The poultry exhibit needs more birds! Gayle did a great job organizing the show, though! Definite thanks to all of the Staff & Volunteers!