Betty Weir. Photo courtesy of Mary Weir. by Julia Davis One August morning a few months before her death, Betty Weir spoke to me emphatically about the importance of young people learning to grow food and about what she had accomplished independently over her lifetime. Remembering Betty after her death to cancer last year, those
by Mariana S. Tupper Compost… manure… excrement… “the ‘s’ word” …. This topic may not sound very poetic, yet thoughts of well-fertilized soil are never far from the poet-gardener’s mind. Whether it be composed of rotted shells or grass clippings, food scraps or the digested version of such, this substance tends to elicit in people
by Merry Hall Ron Beard moderated a discussion on WERU radio’s Talk of the Towns entitled “Maine Feeds Maine: Is this an idea whose time has come again”? Panelists Jane Livingston, Logan Perkins and Jim Cook were all central to the success of Maine Feeds Maine. Livingston, who organized Maine Feeds Maine (MFM), explained, “MFM
John Jemison says that his relationship to food changed dramatically during a sabbatical spent in Italy. He works to get more local, healthful food on more Mainers’ tables, and encourages people to slow down and enjoy their food. The GE-Bt Issue by Rhonda Tate “What are we going to do when Wal-Mart doesn’t exist anymore?”
Prince, formerly used in pulling contests, was rescued by Bruce (right) and now lives the good life with a family of horses on the farm of Jay (left) and Suzanne Philoon. Photo by Suzanne Philoon. by Suzanne Philoon This is the story of a Prince, perhaps more than one; and like many good stories this
by Jim Gerritsen Jim Gerritsen, a MOFGA-certified organic grower at Wood Prairie Farm in Bridgewater, gave the following address at Slow Food – Terra Madre in Turino, Italy, on October 28, 2006. Good morning. I’m Jim Gerritsen. We have a family farm and raise organic certified seed potatoes in the state of Maine in the
By Marada Cook Summer Higgins is 13; her brother Caleb is eleven. Both have attended the Common Ground Fair for the past four years, 30 minutes from their home in Monroe. “Have you ever heard of Donald Nickerson,” Caleb asks suddenly, “He’s my grandfather.” Nickerson, a veteran horse farmer and fair volunteer, is well known
MOFGA Volunteers Come from All Walks of Life By Marada Cook Tina Mann has never been to the Common Ground Country Fair, and although she gardens, can and freezes extensively, she doesn’t pretend to love all vegetables equally. “I’ve learned only to grow the things I like to eat,” Mann says. Most of the time,
From Underground Seed Company to Six All-America Selections by Jean English Copyright ©2006 by the author. LouAnna Perkins, Janika Eckert, Rob Johnston. Photo courtesy of Maine Farmland Trust. Following the progress of Rob Johnston’s life is like watching a seed as it germinates and responds to the sun. Johnston, founder of Johnny’s Selected Seeds in
Griffin and Maura sort potatoes. Photo by Seth Kroeck. By Marada Cook Copyright ©2006 by the author The concept of “socializing kids into farming” competes with a process of “externalizing” farm families and communities that has been happening in New England since the 1800s. Crystal Spring Community Farm in Brunswick, Maine, may be inverting these trends. Crystal
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