Friday's MOFGA calendar (Wells, Fairfield, Eliot: houses, school, organic)

[Submariner]

This is the MOFGA schedule for Friday, 25 September.

Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association > The Fair > Schedule of Events

This list excludes the: Social, Political, Community & Environmental Action workshops; the pedal power workshops; fair entertainment [oh my goodness there are a lot of bands and musicians playing]; and the children’s activities.

I have only listed the: Farming, gardening, livestock, low-impact forestry, fiber, fleece, and Maine arts, cooking demos, herbs and sustainable living topics.



9:00 am
Colonial Herbs & Simples
Pat Blake, Great Things Inc. HT

9:15 am
Medicinal Herbs & the Permaculture Landscape
Lauren Buyofsky, Newforest Institute HL

10:00 am
Seed Cleaning Workshop
Teri Balch, Northern Organic Vegetable Improvement Coop. AG DEMO

10:00 am
Sustainable Ag in Central America
Greg Field, Sustainable Harvest Int’l. AV

10:00 am
Fiber Genetics—No Itch
Nanney Kennedy, Get Wool HL

10:00 am
Bioefficiency: What Forests & Prairies Teach Us
Will Bonsall, Khadighar Farm AD-1

10:00 am
Mowing Techniques for European Scythe
Carol Bryan & Richard Scott, Scythe Supply Meet @ Booth In F&H

10:00 am
Growing Plums in Maine
Michael Phillips, Heartsong Farm Healing Herbs AD-2

10:00 am
Clipping the Mule for Show
Evelyn Pike, Broom Tail Farm Barn 1

10:00 am
Forestry for Kids
Barrie Brusila, Mid-Maine Forestry LIF WT

10:00 am
Sawmill Demo
Nick Zandstra, Knock on Wood Saw Works LIF WT

10:00 am
Why Grassfed is Better
Hank Will, Mother Earth News LST

10:00 am
Draft Horse Anatomy—Harness Fit & Function
Tracey Wilkerson, Gould Academy RP

10:00 am
Border Collie Demos
David Kennard, Wellscroft Farm SDA

10:00 am
Obstacle Challenge
Roberta Manter, Oak Hill Farm SR

10:00 am
Native American Games for Children
Gretchen Faulkner, Hudson Museum, UMaine MI

10:00 am
Drop Spinning Demo & Workshop
Sue Bushman, Wednesday Spinners WS

10:00 am
Choosing the Right Fleece
Susanne Grosjean & Geri Valentine, Wednesday Spinners WS

10:00 am
Fiber Genetics—No Itch
Nanney Kennedy, Get Wool HL

10:00 am
Pumpkin Scones
Ben Maines, Sam Maines CKD

10:00 am
Passamaquoddy Traditions of Medicine
Fredda Paul & Leslie Wood, Kuwesi Medicine HT

10:00 am
Buildings That Power the Landscape
George Callas, Build Green Maine & Newforest Institute ES


10:00 am - Ongoing
Judging Entries in the Exhibition Hall EH

10:00 am
Treating Animals with Homeopathy
Edee Howland, Maine Assoc. of Naturopathic Doctors HH

10:00 am
Living the Energetic Life
Ed Wilkins WL

10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Experience Reiki
Barbara Balkin, WL Staff & Reiki Practitioner Volunteers RT

10:00 am -10:30 am
Organic Beekeeping & the Use of Topbar Hives
Luis Feliciano, Miel Farm & Apiary Meet @ Booth in F&H

10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Oxen Teamster Demos
Oxen Teamsters LL

11:00 am
Apitherapy: Health from the Hive
Ross Conrad, Dancing Bee Gardens HL

11:00 am
BioChar in Maine
Ron Poitras AD-1

11:00 am
Guided Tour of Soil Pit
Johanna Szillery, Maine Assoc. Prof. Soil Scientists Meet @ Booth In Ag Demo

11:00 am
Garlic Cultivation
Mark Guzzi, Peacemeal Farm NO

11:00 am
Mushroom Log Cultivation
Bill Errickson, Newforest Institute AD-2

11:00 am
Goat Harnessing & Driving
Lisa Reilich, Painted Pepper Farm Barn 3

11:00 am
Draft Animals & Appropriate Machinery
John Plowden, Plowden Horse Logging; Will Vandermast LIF WT

11:00 am
Reviving Pastures
Rick Kersbergen, Waldo County Coop. Extn. LST

11:00 am
Equine Dentistry
Steve Akeley, Back Forty Fjords RP

11:00 am
Having Goats & a Family
Elise Brown SGB

11:00 am
Setting Arrowheads to Shafts
Maine Primitive Skills School FA-1

11:00 am
Felting Class—$12
Andree Bella FA-2

11:00 am
Repairing Knitted Garments Workshop
Michele Goldman & Virginia Pelletier, Fiberphilia Inc. FA-2

11:00 am
All About Alpaca
Nancy Williams & Al Maloney, NEWAIM Farm FST

11:00 am
Serving Beanhole Beans MFT

11:00 am
Learn to Play the Spoons
Mark Brandhorst MFT

11:00 am
Friction Fire Workshop
Maine Primitive Skills School MGC

11:00 am
Penobscot Beadwork Demo
Jennifer Neptune, Ancestral Arts MI

11:00 am
Organic Fruit Smoothies
Terran Welcome, Glasshill Farm & Kennel CKD

11:00 am
Green Tea
Holly Ihloff, Medieval Magic HT

11:00 am
Making Soft Maple Sugar Candy
Mary Anne Kinney, Kinney Sugarhouse; Kinney Maple Supplies Meet @ Booth In Ag. Products

11:00 am
Home & Garden Design for Self Sufficiency
Noah Wentworth, Evergreen Building Collab. AV

11:00 am
Insulation & Air Sealing: Practical Ways to Stay Warm
Ashley Richards, WarmTech Solutions ES

11:00 am
The Real Dirt on Home Composting
Holly Rae Taylor, Waste Free Living CR

1:00 am
Love Your Lymph
Patti Corscaden, Holistic Touch; Body of Waters HH

11:00 am
Byron Katie: Loving What Is
Jennifer Deraspe, Nurture Through Nature WL

11:00 am -11:30 am
Raising Malaysian Serama
Jamie Richardson, Feathered Friends Farm PT

noon
Seed Cleaning with the Clipper
Tom Levesque, Fedco AG DEMO

noon
Growing Raspberries in Maine
David Handley, Highmoor Farm & UMaine Coop. Extn. AV

noon
School Gardens Panel Discussion
MOFGA Education Comm. HL

noon
Intermediate Orcharding: Intro to Orchard Health
Michael Phillips, Heartsong Farm Healing Herbs AD-1

noon
Sharpening the European Scythe Blade
Carol Bryan & Richard Scott, Scythe Supply Meet @ Booth in F&H

noon
Intensive Gardening
Will Bonsall, Khadighar Farm AD-2

noon
Shiatsu Massage for Equines
Lee Dassler, Northorse Equine Massage Barn 1

noon
Training for a Safer Horse
Roberta Manter, Oak Hill Farm Barn 5

noon
Restorative Harvests
Maine Forest Service; Barrie Brusila, Mid-Maine Forestry; John Cullen LIF WT

noon
Proper Pruning
Peter Lammert, Maine Forest Service LIF WT

noon
Having a Family Cow & a Family
Lauren Pignatello, Swallowtail Farm LST

noon
Evaluating Chickens for Breeding Potential
Abby Sadauckas, Sounds Like Farm; Diane Schivera, MOFGA Organic Livestock Specialist PT

noon
Border Collie Demos
David Kennard, Wellscroft Farm SDA

noon
Herbs for Spiritual Practice
Rev. Dr. Anu Dudley HT

noon
How to Find & Utilize Maine’s Wild Plants
Gary Roberts, Maine Wilderness Guides Organization RC

noon
The Healing Party: Energy Healing
Nick Seferlis HH

noon
Preparing for 2012: Earth Mother Returns
Ed & Patty Lueddeke WL

noon
Primitive Containers Workshop
Maine Primitive Skills School MGC

noon
Traditional Basketry
Stuart Tomah, Beaded Quill Designs MI

noon
ABCs of Good Indoor Air Quality
Ellie Daniels, The Green Store ES

noon - 1:30 pm
Old-Time Country Dance with Old Grey Goose

noon - 2:00 pm
The Mirror Effect
Karina Lewis RP

1:00 pm
Seed Cleaning Workshop
Teri Balch, Northern Organic Vegetable Improvement Coop. AG DEMO

1:00 pm
Answers to Your Organic Vegetable Questions
Eric Sideman, MOFGA Organic Crop Specialist AG DEMO

1:00 pm
Small Plot Intensive (SPIN) Farming Demo (part1)
Lee Rinehart, Natl. Ctr. for Appropriate Technology (ATTRA) AV

1:00 pm
Get Started in Beekeeping
Lincoln Sennett, Swan's Honey HL

1:00 pm
Starting a Vegetable Garden Now
Barbara Damrosch, Four Season Farm AD-1

1:00 pm
Mowing Techniques for European Scythe
Carol Bryan & Richard Scott, Scythe Supply Meet @ Booth in F&H

1:00 pm
Access to Farmland
Kathy Ruhf, Land For Good AD-2

1:00 pm
Woodland Ecology
Sue Gawler, Nature Serve LIF WT

1:00 pm
Local Energy
GW Martin, Low Impact Woodcutting Services LIF WT

1:00 pm
Woodland Ecology
Phillip Wick, Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife LIF WT

1:00 pm
Raising Goats 101
Janice Spaulding, Stony Knolls Farm LST

1:00 pm
Raising Guinea Fowl
Dana Manchester, Shady Hollow Gamebirds PT

1:00 pm
Sheep Grooming for Shows
Joe Miller, Rivercroft Farm SGB

1:00 pm
Home Funerals Workshop
Chuck Lakin FA-2

1:00 pm
Making Cordage Workshop
Maine Primitive Skills School MGC

1:00 pm
Baking over a Campfire Workshop
Lisa DeHart MGC

1:00 pm
Lacto-fermentation
Ana Antaki, Weeping Duck Farm CKD

1:00 pm
Medicinal Herbs into Permaculture Landscape
Deb Soule, Avena Botanicals HT

1:00 pm
Conducting Your Own Home Energy Evaluation
Fred Horch, FW Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies ES

1:00 pm
Reflexology
Aloisia Pollock, Maine Council of Reflexologists HH

1:00 pm
Essential Oils That Fight Staph & Viruses
Deborah Carlton, Water Tiger Healing Arts WL

1:30 pm
Mowing with a Team
Steve Akeley, Back Forty Fjords FP

2:00 pm
Answers to Your Certification Questions
MOFGA Certification Services Staff AG DEMO

2:00 pm
Growing Blueberries in Maine
David Handley, UMaine Coop. Extn. AV

2:00 pm
Worm Composting
Mark Follansbee, Worm Mainea HL

2:00 pm
Intermediate Orcharding: Integrated Health Mgmt.
Michael Phillips, Heartsong Farm Healing Herbs AD-1

2:00 pm
Small Plot Intensive (SPIN) Farming Demo (part 2)
Lee Rinehart, Natl. Ctr. for Appropriate Technology (ATTRA) NO

2:00 pm
Advanced Seed Saving
Will Bonsall, Khadighar Farm AD-2

2:00 pm
Equine Acupressure Demo
Lee Dassler, Northorse Equine Massage Barn 1

2:00 pm
Roads & Water Crossings
Maine DEP & Maine Forest Service LIF WT

2:00 pm
Your Homestead Barnyard
Lauren Pignatello, Swallowtail Farm LST

2:00 pm
Disease Prevention in Small Poultry Flocks
Mike Opitz PT

2:00 pm
Natural Hoof Care
Tracey Wilkerson, Gould Academy RP

2:00 pm
Border Collie Demos
David Kennard, Wellscroft Farm SDA

2:00 pm
Energy Audit: 1st Step to Saving Energy
Bill Najpauer, Renaissance Energy Associates ES

2:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Common Throne Tour
Nancy Rosalie, Common Throne Coordinator CR

2:00 pm - 2:30 pm
How to Harness a Horse
Genio Bertin & Sara Faull, Mandala Farm Barn 1

2:00 pm
Sourdough Breads in Wood-fired Oven
Kendra Michaud, Fire Flour Bakery CKD

2:00 pm
All About St. John’s Wort
Janet Edwards, Mountain Mama of Maine HT

2:00 pm
Passamaquoddy Medicine Ways: Then & Now
Fredda Paul & Leslie Wood, Kuwesi Medicine-Passamaquoddy HH

2:00 pm
Guided Meditation Walk: Awareness & the Art of Seeing
Jennifer Deraspe, Nurture Through Nature RC

2:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Pain Free with Emotional Freedom Technique
Sylvia Tavares, Tree of Life Ctr. for Well-being WL

2:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Metabolic Typing Diet
Dana Tavares, Tree of Life Ctr. for Well-being W

2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Sawmill Demo
Dennis Carter, Deer Isle Hostel; Rufus Percy, Treble Ridge Farm; Nick Zandstra, Knock On Wood Saw Works LIF WT

2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Draft Horse Versatility—Driving to Riding
Hannah Anderton Plowden, Plowden Horse Logging SR

2:00 pm - Ongoing
Oxen Teamster Demos & Log Scoot Contest
Oxen Teamsters LL

2:00 pm
Setting Arrowheads to Shafts
Maine Primitive Skills School FA-1

2:00 pm
Repairing Knitted Garments Workshop
Michele Goldman & Virginia Pelletier, Fiberphilia Inc FA-2

2:00 pm
Weave a Small Pouch Class-$15
Susan Perrine FA-2

2:00 pm
Braid a Chair Pad from Socks Class—$10
Nancy Young, Braided Rugs FA-2

2:00 pm
Maine's Rare Sheep Breeds
Wayne & JoAnn Myers, Beau Chemin Farm FST

2:00 pm
Learn to Play the Spoons
Mark Brandhorst MFT

2:00 pm
Making Acorn Flour
Christopher & Ashirah Knapp, Koviashuvik Local Living School MGC

2:00 pm
Knots & Lashing for Camp
Polly Mahoney & Kevin Slater, Mahoosuc Guides MGC

2:00 pm
Spinning on a Rock
Susan Merrill, Wednesday Spinners WS

2:30 pm
Book Signing with Barbara Damrosch & Eliot Coleman, Four Seasons Farm
Johnny's Selected Seeds NO

3:00 pm
Growing Lavender in Maine
Betsy Ann Golon, Common Folk Farm HL

3:00 pm
Making Your Farmland Available
Kathy Ruhf, Land For Good AD-1

3:00 pm
Container Gardening
Edward Smith AD-2

3:00 pm
Answers to Your Organic Livestock Questions
Diane Schivera, MOFGA Organic Livestock Specialist AG DEMO

3:00 pm
Acupressure for Equines
Lee Dassler, Northorse Equine Massage AV

3:00 pm
Draft Animals & Appropriate Machinery
John Cullen; John Plowden, Plowden Horse Logging; LIF WT

3:00 pm
Knot Tying for Horsemen
Roberta Manter, Oak Hill Farm LST

3:00 pm
Poultry Housing
Dana Manchester, Shady Hollow Farm PT

3:00 pm
Challenges of Natural Horsemanship
Peter Hagerty RP

3:00 pm
Felting Class—$12
Andree Bella FA-2

3:00 pm
Friction Fire Workshop
Maine Primitive Skills School MGC

3:00 pm
Growing Lavender in Maine
Betsy Ann Golon, Common Folk Farm HL

3:00 pm
Tray Sprouts & Sprouts Salad
Amanda Crutcher, Woodsong Farm CKD

3:00 pm
Making Herbal Incense Class—$10
Rev. Dr. Anu Dudley HT

3:00 pm
Approaches to Efficient Home Design
Bill Rupert, Maine Spiral Staircase Corp ES

3:00 pm
Radical Composting
Holly Rae Taylor, Waste Free Living CR

3:00 pm
The Stories We Tell Ourselves: How Our Thoughts Influence Our Health
Terry Lee Cookson, Maine Assoc. of Naturopathic Doctors HH

3:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Contact Reflex Analysis
Russel Savage WL

3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Fearlessly Foraging Fungi
Richard Tory RC

3:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Bound to Have a Little Fun String Band
Jeff Titon MFT

3:30 pm
Goat Milking Demo
Lisa Reilich, Painted Pepper Farm Barn 3

3:30 pm
Apple Tasting
Michael Phillips, Heartsong Farm Healing Herbs Fedco Tent

4:00 pm
Seed Cleaning Workshop
Teri Balch, Northern Organic Vegetable Improvement Coop. AG DEMO

4:00 pm
Backyard Grain Growing
Will Bonsall, Khadighar Farm AV

4:00 pm
Current Use Property Tax Programs
Stephanie Gilbert, Maine Dept. of Agriculture, Food & Rural Resources HL

4:00 pm
Making Pie Crust for Apple Pie
Rhonda Welcome, Glasshill Farm & Kennel CKD

4:00 pm
Protecting Farming in Your Community
John Piotti, Maine Farmland Trust AD-1

4:00 pm
Growing Strawberries in Maine
Eric Sideman, MOFGA Organic Crop Specialist AD-2

4:00 pm
Basics of Animal Training
Tracey Wilkerson, Gould Academy RP

4:00 pm
Heating Greenhouses with Used Cooking Oil
Ralph Turner, Laughing Stock Farm ES

4:00 pm
Intro to Energy Healing Tools
Jeanne Dooley, Vibrant Life Wellness Ctr. HH

5:00 pm
Mushrooms of Field & Forest
Michaeline Mulvey, Maine Mycological Assoc. HL

5:00 pm - 6:30 pm
Old-Time Country Dance with Ti Acadie MFT



How do we ever pick only one thing at attend each hour?

[Submariner]

I am very much interested in Topbar hives. I see that at 10:00 there will be "Organic Beekeeping & the Use of Topbar Hives". I am not familiar with Luis Feliciano. It should be good to hear what he has to say.

I do know Lincoln Sennett from 'Swan's Honey' he is a great guy. He will be doing: "Get Started in Beekeeping" at 1:00 pm; which should be interesting for anyone thinking about bees.

[BrokenTap]

Yeah I am getting into bees myself next year (pollination) though people often forget that bees are not the only pollinators. Bats and ants are also pollinators so if people want to do some good, they can also use these to help out mother nature.

Incidentally, bats are cool in that they eat 1000 bugs per hour, and their weight in insects per night. They pollinate, they rid your dawn to dusk skies of mosquitoes...what is not to love about bats? In fact I am in hopes to build a few bat houses next spring to really up the population of bats around my sheep barns just so the sheep won't be plagued by insects as much.

(and yes the Gov does have cost share programs for this).

[GregW]

I just checked the Website. Where is the Common Ground Fairground and how do you get there from southern NH?

Thanks, GregW

[Submariner]

The Common Ground Fair is just outside of Unity Maine.

Follow the freeway up to exit 132, onto rt 139 East, into Fairfield. Then left onto rt 100 / 11 to Benton. Then right onto rt 139, follow it to Unity. Then rt 139 combines with rt 220 as it heads toward Thorndike. Half way to Thorndike is the turn-off for the fair.

[RHB]

This year I'm on leave for the whole fair. So I'll be looking at the events for each day (last two years it was only Sundays I could go.) Is anyone else going? Maybe we could meet up?

[BrokenTap]

I go every year, of course I don't really have an excuse...I can practically walk to it. But its a both sad and happy for me. Its nice to see 70,000 people enjoy the acreage, but I remember farming it for many years too. Call it what you will, but for us MOFGA made a huge development out of 180 acres of our prime farm ground.

[retiredtinbender]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

The Common Ground Fair is just outside of Unity Maine.

Follow the freeway up to exit 132, onto rt 139 East, into Fairfield. Then left onto rt 100 / 11 to Benton. Then right onto rt 139, follow it to Unity. Then rt 139 combines with rt 220 as it heads toward Thorndike. Half way to Thorndike is the turn-off for the fair.

Ah, the sign of a Cali. man. freeways in Maine? Wish we were going but thDW is selling a p**** oven at the s*** tomorrow and we can't get away. I miss going to MOFGA. Ever take the train from Unity station down to it? Great fun for a short trip.

[Submariner]

"Colonial Herbs & Simples" at 9am sounds like it might be neat.

"Growing Plums in Maine" at 10am; I have four plum trees, so I might learn something here.

"Passamaquoddy Traditions of Medicine" at 10am I am interested in local indigenous herbs and their uses.

"Buildings That Power the Landscape" at 10am this sounds neat.

"Living the Energetic Life" at 10am I feel run down.

"Organic Beekeeping & the Use of Topbar Hives" I have started building a topbar hive, so I would like to discuss it with someone.

"Apitherapy: Health from the Hive" at 11am I need this.

"BioChar in Maine" I do not know what this is.

"Garlic Cultivation" with Mark Guzzi of Peacemeal Farm. I know Mark. He is a great guy. and I grow garlic.

"Repairing Knitted Garments Workshop" I learned this in the Navy.

"Love Your Lymph" I have lymphs, hmm.

"Growing Raspberries in Maine" This was great last year.

"How to Find & Utilize Maine’s Wild Plants" at noon sounds good.

"Woodland Ecology" at 1pm sounds good.

"Lacto-fermentation" this was great last year.

"Intermediate Orcharding: Integrated Health Mgmt" at 2pm I may need this.

"All About St. John’s Wort" at 2pm sounds like it might be interesting.

"Growing Lavender in Maine" with Betsy Ann Golon of Common Folk Farm. She does a nice presentation. I heard her last year.

"Fearlessly Foraging Fungi" by Richard Tory, B always enjoys this guy.

"Apple Tasting" by Michael Phillips. We have enjoyed each of these.

"Backyard Grain Growing" at 4pm this might be needed for our farm.

"Mushrooms of Field & Forest" at 5pm should be good.

[BrokenTap]

They only ran the train for a year or two when Bert Clifford owned the railroad. When he died, the station house and whatnot was sold off to a private investor. He wants a lot of money for that stuff so even though the railroad is running again out of Brooks Station, they cannot go to the fair.

You are right though, the train rides are cool. I posted last week about a pizza ride out of Brooks. For a 2 hour train ride, pizza and soda...it was less then 8 bucks. You would spend less time, more money and get less out of going to a movie with the family.