Meet local farmers and producers, sample their wares and learn about Community Supported Agriculture. Become acquainted with local seasonal foods, buy a share in a farm’s weekly harvest and discover how to grow a relationship with a nearby Maine farm.
The Oxford Hills is home to a growing number of small farms. One of the ways that local farmers and producers make their goods available to people locally is to offer CSA subscriptions. Traditionally the CSA Fair focuses on a partnership between consumers and farmers in which members buy shares of the farm’s harvest and receive regular allotments of food throughout the growing season. For farmers, this provides much needed cash flow for the beginning of the season, as well as a ready market and community of supporters. Shareholders join in the risks of the growing season but reap the benefits of the harvest. This year, the fair will include at least seven local CSA producers.
Visitors are welcome to stop in simply to meet some of the farmers and producers who are helping to build a local economy with their small, diversified farms. These local producers are happy to share their knowledge, too.
Claire Gelinas, manager of Fare Share Co-op, which is hosting this event, said, “I’ve gotten tips on how to get bread to rise from Jeanette (Lolliepapa Farm), learned of ways to grow produce using only rainwater from Pat (Harvest Moon Farm), and had my knitting unsnarled by Marty (A Wrinkle in Thyme Farm). These producers are so knowledgeable, and they’re so happy to pass on what they know. It’s worth going to the Farm Fair just have these conversations.”
Visitors are welcome to visit and sample and chat, even if they have no intention of buying a share. Inexpensive local lunch available. For more information, contact Claire at 743-9044 or claire@faresharecoop.org.
At 11:30 a.m., Suzanne Dunham of Dunham Farm will provide a cooking demonstration.
People who attend Meet Your Farmers will receive a 10 percent discount at Fare Share.
For other CSA Fair locations or more information, go to: www.mofga.org/Events/CommunitySupportedAgricultureFair/tabid/876/Default.aspx or contact Melissa White Pillsbury at melissa@mofga.org or 568-4142.
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- Lolliepapa Farm is one of the small farms that offers Community Supported Agriculture subscriptions. Learn more about CSAs at the annual Farm Fair at Fare Share Commons on Saturday, Feb. 25.
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- Brian and Suzanne Dunham of Dunham Farm, Greenwood, in front of their sugar house, Velvet Hollow Sugar Works. Suzanne is an herbalist, and lecturer on Living Gluten Free since 2005. She offers workshops that include hands-on cooking sessions. Suzanne is also involved in the Telstar Middle School after school program G.O.T. Farms? giving cooking sessions to students participating in the program and school garden project. The Dunhams produce maple syrup, honey, beehive assemblies and herbal products. They also live off the grid, utilizing pvc generated power, and will be offering workshops on DIY-solar. They can be contacted at 665-2967 or dunhamfarm@msn.com.
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