AUGUSTA — David Fish wasn’t there to attract new members to the 90-person Farmers Draft Horse, Mule & Pony Club, although that would have been OK.
“We’re here because we like what we do,” said Fish, of Weld. “We want people to know we’re pretty proud of having horses.”
That sort of pride was in abundance Tuesday at the opening day of the 76th annual Maine Agricultural Trades Show.
The Augusta Civic Center floor was packed with shiny new tractors and more than 150 booths selling seeds, fertilizer, insurance, wool and equipment. The show regularly draws more than 5,000 people over three days.
While plaids and Carhartts were more than norm, Kimberly Reed of Warren walked the floor in a blue gown, tiara and sash as the 2016 Maine Wild Blueberry Queen.
“It’s an honor to be the blueberry queen, to be able to represent Maine agriculture,” said Reed, 22. “Plus (blueberries) taste great — they’re healthy for you.”
Maine has 8,200 farms, according to the federal National Agricultural Statistics Service, the most of any New England state. That number has held steady since 2012, state statistician Gary Keough said.
Agriculture is a more than $700 million industry here. While most are smaller operations, 130 Maine farms see $1 million or more in annual sales, according to NASS.
Jessie Dowling, president of the Maine Cheese Guild, said she’d seen definite growth in cheese.
“About 10 years ago, there (were) only 16 cheese-makers and now we have over 80,” she said. “People are super into knowing where their food comes from. Members from the Maine Cheese Guild have been winning awards at the American Cheese Society, which is the biggest national competition for cheese-making. Almost every time we enter, we win. Just goes to show Maine produces some awesome cheese.”
Shelley Bacon at the sixth-generation Bacon Farm Maple Products in Sidney said she’s noticed a “huge” interest in maple sugaring among those in their late 20s to mid-30s.
“They’re wanting to know what they’re feeding their kids, being more self-sufficient, getting back to nature, so to speak,” she said.
Fish said his horse club sponsors activities such as an upcoming sleigh ride on Feb. 19 in Lisbon Falls to benefit Pine Tree Camp.
In the summer, “they’ll get a whole bunch of us together and we might plow a little piece of ground just for fun,” he said.
He used to log in the woods with his two draft horses, Pal, 18, and Rock, 23, but “that’s kind of a young man’s game.”
He has a ritual now of going out to the barn each morning and being greeted by a poke from Rock, happy to see him.
“He’s just telling me, ‘There’s grain to be had. I prefer I get it before Pal,'” Fish said.
kskelton@sunjournal.com
More: Faces of Maine Ag: What’s ahead for 2017?
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