FARMINGTON — Neighbors helping neighbors is what the Homestead Farm Days on Saturday is all about, organizer Pat Starbird said.

Families from around the state are expected to attend, bringing their animals and produce to swap, sell and show at Trinity United Methodist Church on Route 2 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. rain or shine.

The idea grew from a church yard sale in August. Starbird and
another family brought chickens, ducks, roosters and rabbits to the
sale and all but two roosters sold, she said.

“I didn’t think I had anything to contribute to the sale,” she said.

Living in a household of unemployment for a couple years, Starbird
learned a little about bartering this summer when she started swapping
her fresh green beans and vegetables with her neighbor for frozen
chickens, and swapping eggs for jam with another.

After the August yard sale, she went to farm
families and asked them what they thought about bringing the church and
community together for a sale/swap of animals. She found there was interest.

Starbird has already been given so much poultry for the event that she
has taken them to an animal auction in Skowhegan and brought the profit
back to the church.

She hopes the day will help people know where they can find things and how to buy or barter locally.

Activities will range from demonstrations such as wool spinning, goat milking and cider pressing to the swap, sale and show of chickens, ducks, a potbellied-pig, Pygmy goats and other small farm animals. Each farm can sell or swap and do what they want.

“I can’t fathom what else might show up,” she said.

Families from Bangor to South Paris have indicated a desire to participate.

Several local businesses have donated items for a silent auction.

Tables inside the church and at the outside stations will showcase jellies, honey, maple syrup and baked goods. There will be baked beans and chop suey available to go, she said.

A free biscuit and corn chowder luncheon will be offered starting at 11
a.m. If people want to make a donation, that’s fine but not necessary,
she said. The church will also offer an “attic treasure” corner full of
a variety of items.

A therapeutic massage therapist will offer 20-minute massages, a therapeutic horse riding group will display items and sell pendants and ceramics.

Starbird wants people to bring returnable bottles and cans for a school in Haiti. Kathy Caton will leave on a missionary trip next week and she wants “to send her off with a truckload of returnable money.”

Members of the Special Olympics team will be there to remove the tabs from the top of soda cans for a donation to the Shriners Hospital.

“Church members are all on board with me,” Starbird said.

“We’re trying to help the community, locally and globally. The plans just came together beautifully.  . . . It’s meant to be,” she said.

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A church with a view of a local farm and field of cattle will be the scene for Homestead Farm Days from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday at Trinity United Methodist Church on Route 2. Above, organizer Pat Starbird ties corn stalks to a light post to indicate stations for local farm families to bring small farm animals to swap, sell or show. A variety of other activities will be geared toward helping people learn where they can buy or barter items locally.

A “love box” is set aside for donations of returnable bottles and cans for Saturday during Homestead Farm Days at Trinity United Methodist Church on Route 2 in Farmington. Funds from the donations will go to a Haiti school. Above, organizer Pat Starbird breaks off the top tabs from soda cans. Members of the Special Olympics team will be there to pull the tabs off for a donation to the Shriners Hospital.

A “love box” hopefully filled with donations of returnable bottles
and cans will be gathered Saturday during Homestead Farm Days at
Trinity United Methodist Church on Route 2 in Farmington. Funds from the donations will go to
a school in Haiti. Organizer Pat
Starbird breaks off tabs on cans, which will benefit the Shriner’s Hospital.