Some granola-esque questions (Portland, Westbrook, China: live in, legal, shoppers)

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by emu742

...
Thanks for the suggestions it looks like we're looking in the right area perhaps. I think I am feeling that much of Maine has a strong sense of supporting local things when they can so thats great. Even some of the larger communities seem to have a sense of this. I love how there are so many festivities and things to do locally and crab and lobster and other festivals yearly. What fun Down the line I'd love to make and buy home-made soaps, clothes, whatever... for now we are most concerned about foods for certain reasons, and finding a community that has a strong local farmers market where we could participate and start growing and selling too. We have many options I'm sure.

There are many Farmer's Markets in Maine, you should have fun

[7th generation]

Originally Posted by flycessna

I was told once the Androscoggin was the most polluted river in the nation at one time......And that is stunk and used to peel the paint off of the houses here in L/A..I don't know how much of that is true.....Everyone here is really happy about how much cleaner the river is.....I think it looks beautifull.....

The mighty Androscoggin had the distinction of being one of the 10 most polluted rivers in the country and now it's one of the top 10 small mouth bass fisheries in the U.S.

[emu742]

thats so fascinating....can't believe that about the Androscoggin. We have bad water here though too from all the plants nearby.

So what is the basic guideline for eating fish in Maine...stick to the small size fish?? How about clams and lobsters and crabs and all the wonderful seafood??...I know Maine is big with seafood and am looking forward to eating tons if its not too toxic haha

[Coaster]

The mercury warning applies only to freshwater fish. Crabs, lobsters, etc aren't the issue, although I understand that a constant diet of tuna isn't recommended. (There goes my daily sandwich!)

The lower Androscoggin is still the most polluted river in Maine, but that's only compared to the other rivers. It's far far cleaner than it was in the 1970s. And the upper reaches, above Rumford, have become the new fishing hotspot in New England, as 7th Gen mentioned. The state even stocks it now.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

Mercury is found in granite and several other Maine minerals. People drank our water all their lives and are healthy, wealthy and wise. The problems people try to inflict on us stem from several new factors:
1. We are now able to measure parts per trillion. "257 parts per trillion" sounds a lot worse than "less than one part per billion".
2. People with an agenda or who have created their own agendas are able to use these new numbers as "evidence" of a problem where no problem existed before.
3. Illiteracy in our country is a problem. Innumeracy is a bigger problem. When we have citizens and even politicians who think a billion is 10,000,000 we have a problem. Look no further than Augusta to see this phenomenon for yourselves.
4. The environmental industry engages in huge calamities of self promotion to get grant money and publicity.
5. These new opportunities have bamboozled many in government into believing that we have terrible problems where no problems exist.

The best example I can think of is the fish scare in Lake Ontario in 1974. The environmental industry ground up whole lake trout and coho salmon. They reported high concentrations of toxins. The state fish and game biologists tested fish filets and found no problem. The filets are the part of fish that people eat. The toxins were found in fish kidneys. People don't eat fish kidneys.

Don't be bamboozled folks. Our rivers and fish are cleaner than they have been for over 200 years.

[knightjohannes]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

Our rivers and fish are cleaner than they have been for over 200 years.

200 years?

Not sure I'd agree with that. Source?

[bringselpup]

I go past the turn for MOFGA if I head up to the Unity IGA. Say the word and I'll have all the coffee anyone needs.

I had a neighbor drop off their Fedco Tree Catalog today for me. Orders have to be in by Friday so in order to not hijaak the thread I'm going to start a new post.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

In 1808 Maine had saw mills and tanneries along many rivers. Smaller rivers were dammed to generate power for those mills including grist, saw and worsted mills. There were no provisions for fish ladders in 1808. My area was noted as dairy country. Today we are nearly all forested. Dairy country? How in the world did they move their milk to market? The answer is that they didn't. They made butter and cheese. Maine was the cheese capitol of America before Wisconsin had a thought about it.

Bark tanned leather was done with hemlock bark. Then chrome tanned leather became mixed with and eventually replaced the bark tanned leather. Next came the paper industry. All the bleaches and dye byproducts ended up in the rivers. We have learned a lot in 200 years. We no longer pollute as we once did. We found a better way.

[Bydand]

Yes we did learn, thank God for that! It is hard to imagine now looking at my little town, but at one time there were three wood mills in Washburn. Quite large ones at that I have been told. I have seen a difference in the last 20 years in some of our waterways. They keep improving, and I am so glad for that!

[mainebrokerman]

i grew up near the kennebec river, and remember on hot summer days,,the stench in the air....the river was quite polluted..
now it is much much better, no stench and a healthy fish population..