Maine’s largest gathering for organic farmers, homesteaders and sustainable living begins next Friday.
The 48th Common Ground Country Fair at the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association’s headquarters in Unity will be held Sept. 20-22, and organizers are expecting another busy year with attendance close to 60,000.
More than 1,000 exhibits and events are planned, including 550 educational events, two organic farmers markets and 40 family-friendly activities, fair director April Boucher said.
This year will feature more events on Sunday and new vendors in the prepared food and farmers market areas. Keynote speakers will address the challenges of farming in climate change conditions and keeping dairy farms in operation, reflecting the concerns of today’s Maine farmers.
Here’s what to expect.
Getting there and getting in
Tickets can be purchased in advance online. Entry is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and teenagers, and free for children under 12.
The fair runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, it opens at 9 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m.
Traffic backs up and cell service can be slow, so plan ahead and bring cash. You can park on MOFGA’s grounds and walk to the fair, ride your bike, take a shuttle from a satellite parking lot, or ride the Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad from Thorndike or Unity.
What to do
A full schedule is available online that lists events by category. Subjects include farming and gardening, cooking, livestock, fiber, practical skills, environmental issues, and more.
You can watch working sheepdogs and livestock, see a blacksmith, attend a contra dance, observe low-impact forestry, get informed about saving and using your own plant seeds, learn about beekeeping, shop for Maine-made sustainable products and more throughout the three days.
Organizers are also working to shape Sunday into a bigger event, Boucher said. A 3:30 p.m. concert by the Oshima Brothers, a Maine-based indie folk-pop duo, will wrap up the fair.
Speeches and featured events
This year’s fair features a keynote speaker at 11 a.m. each day.
On Friday, Annie Watson, an organic dairy farmer in Whitefield, will discuss how she became an advocate for dairy farmers and the importance of Maine’s disappearing dairy farms.
Saturday’s speaker, Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, presents possibilities for responding to climate change from her book “What If We Get It Right?: Visions of Climate Futures.”
On Sunday, Melissa Law, co-owner of Bumbleroot Organic Farm in Windham, will talk about climate change’s effects on farmers and how her farm is adapting.
Climate change response is on the minds of many members who suggested speakers for the fair, Boucher said, especially after a challenging growing season last year.
The speeches will be broadcast live on WERU 89.9 FM and available online after the fair at weru.org.
Other featured events include a workshop on making kimchi and an introduction to tools and construction.
What to eat
More than 40 food vendors will attend the fair with local and organic options.
New vendors offer burritos, seafood, pizza, lamb shawarma and even vegan donut holes along with familiar vendors like baked beans and switchel from MOFGA’s Sagadahoc chapter.
Where to stay
Camping overnight is only available to volunteers, who also receive free admission, a fair t-shirt, and a meal at the community kitchen. Four-hour volunteer shifts are still open.
Other nearby campgrounds, bed and breakfasts, and hotels are listed on the MOFGA site.
