The Maine Common Ground Fair
is unique as fairs go. The area around
Unity and Freedom, Maine
was settled during the sixties, seventies and eighties by people that were
believers in subsistence farming and back to nature living in the model of
Scott and Helen Nearing.
Maine Common Ground Fair is a
spin off of this community. The fair is
a symbol of organic farming, alternative power and self sufficiency. All products demonstrated at the fair must be
certified as Organic by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association. There is vegetable and live stock judging;
farm, hand crafting, alternative energy, oxen and horse pulls, sheep herding demonstrations and numerous free classes on everything from vegetarian cooking
to home canning to composting.
There are no commercial rides
at the Common Ground. Instead you will
find stilt walkers, Morris dancers, singers and folk music performers, and
special entertainment for the kids.
Common Ground is the type of
fair you might have found in nineteenth century New
England.
The first place my wife (coming out of the John) and her sister (to the right) head for after the hour and a half ride
Vegetable stands line the entrance walk.
Pumpkin carving
Vegetable judging inside the pavilion
Sister-in-law, wife and brother-in-law
Beautiful wife center - thousands attend - all the tents in the background are craft and displays.
Stilt walkers followed by children dressed as vegetables.
Bag piper in the middle
Crafts and craft people
Demonstration: canvas covering a hand built canoe.
And then there are the food tents: all food must be natural or organic to be allowed to be served at Common Ground
Morris Dancers
Common Ground is always held the third week end of September. A totally different experience.
Those scythes look like they would be awkward to use as the handles look to be almost straight.
The one with the guy using the broadaxe to make a beam reminded me of how my dad was good at doing that. He could take a log and square it up in a short time. Still have one or two of those holddowns to keep the log from rolling.
COMMENT: Ben Franklin said, "I imagine a man must have a good deal of vanity who believes, and a good deal of boldness who affirms, that all doctrines he holds are true, and all he rejects are false."
It looks like a wonderful event! Just my kind of thing. And I love Morris Dancers too with their little bells on their legs!
ReplyDeleteThose scythes look like they would be awkward to use as the handles look to be almost straight.
ReplyDeleteThe one with the guy using the broadaxe to make a beam reminded me of how my dad was good at doing that. He could take a log and square it up in a short time. Still have one or two of those holddowns to keep the log from rolling.