Oxford Hills well represented at Common Ground Fair
By Jennifer Otterson
Special to the Sun Journal

UNITY – There were many reasons to be at the Common Ground Fair over the weekend. Hosted by the Maine Organic Farmers and Growers Association, the fair featured delicious organic food, Maine craftsmen and agricultural demonstrations.

Fairgoers could find information on health, social and political issues at the hundreds of booths, or listen to one of the dozens of speakers from Maine.

Among the more than 700 fair participants were several from Oxford Hills and the surrounding region. The representatives of businesses, farms, crafters and health care professionals included Lee Dassler of the McLaughlin Foundation, who discussed the McLaughlin Gardens’ use of vermiculture to create a natural fertilizer.

In 2000, the McLaughlin Foundation bought 11,000 red wiggler worms, which were divided into 10 composting bins. For the past two years, the worms have been feasting on waste from the Foundation’s tea room in South Paris. Each group of 110 worms can eat a half pound of food a day. Some of their favorites are egg shells, coffee grounds, banana peels and bread crusts.

During the winter, when the tea room is closed, the worms find homes in SAD 17 classrooms, where they help students learn how their food waste can be turned into good soil.

The Fare Share Market in Norway shared a booth at the fair with the other four food cooperatives in Maine. For the past year, the co-op managers have met monthly “just as a unifying meeting,” said Mary Hildebrant of Blue Hill Cooperative.

They created a list of more than 200 Maine farmers, craftsmen and small businesses whose products are carried by a Maine co-op.

“We’re helping each other find more sources,” said Hildebrant. The Maine Cooperatives booth sold tote bags and gave away free samples of Maine-made goods.

Nezinscot Farm in Turner, a co-op supplier, has been selling organic farm products at Common Ground for more than 10 years. Gloria Varney, co-owner of the farm, said that business is good at the fair.

“There are not many goat cheese people,” she said, “or cheese people,” giving Nezinscot a good share of the market for their dairy products. In addition to cheese, the Nezinscot Farm tent had baskets, wool, canned goods, organic meat and bread.

MOFGA’s strict rules for concessions at the fair prohibit the use of sugar, white flour and chemical additives. The organization requires that at least 50 percent of ingredients be organically grown in Maine.

These rules didn’t limit the variety of food available, though.

Fairgoers could choose from treats such as lobster stew, fried rice and Indian curries. Al’s Original Italian Sausage, owned by Alex Baumhoff of Norway, was one of the busier concession stands. For a beverage, many chose apple cider from Ricker Hill Orchards in Turner.

Other fair participants from Oxford Hills included Garden Fresh Designs of Buckfield and Peterson Woodworking of Harrison. Kevin O’Reilly of West Bethel and Leah Wolfsong of Buckfield were among the many entertainers who performed. Charlie Brown of Buckfield spoke in the Whole Life Tent, and Dr. Ingrid Eriksson, Terry Martin R.N., both of West Paris, and midwife Heidi Fillmore-Patrick of Bridgton provided health information.

Anyone who would like to find out more about eating natural and organic food should visit the Fare Share Market in Norway, where they can also pick up a copy of MOFGA’s newsletter, the Maine Organic Farmer and Gardener.

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