Fair Page

Thanks for Another Great Fair!

The Common Ground Country Fair is more than a Maine tradition; it is a yearly trip to a vision of the world as it could be, and certainly as many who attend the Fair--myself included--would like it to be. It is our yearly fix of a wide assortment of ideas that we can ponder and work with until the next Fair. Once again the Fair illustrated and demonstrated opportunities to learn how we can incorporate sustainable living practices in our own lives. Roughly 45,000 fairgoers enjoyed the Fair. Vendors and demonstrators reported that the crowd was very participatory and engaged, making it one of the "best fairs ever" for them.

As always, additional coordinators for some key areas can spread the work during the year and during the Fair. I am sad when I hear that area coordinators didn't get out and enjoy the Fair. If you would like to become more involved with the Fair Planning Team, please let us know your favorite area and we'll let you know how you can help.

Being the Fair director, watching the transformation that takes place at MOFGA and working directly with the volunteers who make the Fair happen each year is an honor. Thank you for all your work at the Fair and during the whole year leading up to the next Fair. The 2004 Fair dates are September 24, 25 and 26, so mark your calendars now! I look forward to working with you to plan next year's Fair.

Barbara Luce,
Fair Director

Donkey and Mule Show

The first Common Ground Country Fair Donkey and Mule show was held the afternoon of September 19, 2003, and was judged by Ansley Newton. Donkey entrants were Jenny and Chocolate Mousse, owned by the Stinsons; and Twilight, Jill and Tigger, owned by Claire Wallace. (Tigger is an adopted Bureau of Land Management wild burro.) The mule entrants were Molasses and Brown Sugar, owned by Claire Wallace; and Indiana Jones, owned by Jackie Perkins.

Donkey Halter Class

1 Chocolate Mousse, shown by Amanda Stinson
2 Jill, shown by Henrietta Beaufait
3 Jenny, shown by Ramona Stinson
4 Twilight, shown by Claire Wallace
5 Tigger, shown by Claire Wallace

Mules under 48"

1 Molasses, shown by Claire Wallace

Mules over 48"

1 Indiana Jones, shown by Jackie Perkins

Donkey Coon Jumping

Coon Jumping originated in the southern United States, where raccoons were hunted with dogs and followed by riders mounted mainly on small mules, which could get through the brush and rough terrain more easily than a larger mount. When a fence was encountered, the rider dismounted and placed his coat or a blanket over the wire (to make it more visible), slipped through the fence, the mule jumped over it, and the rider got back on until the next fence. "Coon Jumping" generally came to mean jumping an animal that was led, and is often a way for a young or small donkey or mule to participate in a performance class (and is good exercise for the handler!)

1 Tigger, led by Claire Wallace
2 Jenny, led by Jesica Stinson
3 Twilight, led by Henrietta Beaufait
4 Chocolate Mousse, led by Amanda Stinson

Mule Coon Jumping

1 Molasses, led by Claire Wallace 2 A tie between Indiana Jones, ridden by Jackie Perkins (except for their last attempt, when she led him), and Brown Sugar, led by Henrietta Beaufait

Obstacle Course, Ridden, Driven or Led

Twilight, driven by Claire Wallace; Jenny, driven by Jesica Stinson; Chocolate Mousse, driven by Amanda Stinson; Indiana Jones, ridden by Jackie Perkins; Brown Sugar, led by Claire Wallace, and Jenny and Mousse, driven as a team by Amanda and Jesica all were awarded firsts. This course had 4 obstacles: over the crossrails, through flags in small buckets and then backing up straight back through them, over a tarp between two saw horses, and over a piece of plywood. Using only the first two obstacles, the last class was:

Timed Obstacle Course

1 Brown Sugar, led by Claire Wallace (34 seconds)
2 Jenny and Chocolate Mousse, driven as a team by Jesica and Amanda Stinson (1 minute)

Livestock Awards:

Most Educational Livestock Exhibits:

Dwaine & Tammy Chase
Cathleen Simmons

Most Attractive Livestock Exhibits:

Small’s Dairy Farm, The Stinson Family
Orchard Hill Farm, The Maynard Family

Special Friend of the Fair:

Steve Norton: Assistance with Oxen Demos

Oxen Scooting

Outstanding Teamster of the Fair was Kathy Littlefield with Roscoe & Hiram

FRIDAY

Small:

Place Name Team Name time hits inches total

1st Tammy Chase Amos & Andy 3:50 2 3 5
2nd Kathy Littlefield Roscoe & Hiram 3:46 1 5 6
3rd Patrick Shea Pete & Sam 3:46 3 21 24
4th Pat Chadwick Tom & Jack 8:25 4 60 64

Medium:

1st Jonathan Daniels Thunder & Lightening 3:14 1 4 5
2nd Dwaine Chase Salt & Pepper 5:12 2 11 13
3rd Rod Jennings Tom & Jerry 2:54 4 16 20

Large:

1st Greg Baker Bud & Charlie 5:30 3 3 6
2nd David Littlefield Ike & Spike 3:38 4 2 6
3rdth Wes Daniels Sparky & Jerry 3:19 3 13 16

SATURDAY Small:

Place Name Team Name time hits inches total

1st Tammy Chase Amos & Andy 4:26 2 4 6
2nd Kathy Littlefield Roscoe & Hiram 3:49 2 10 12
3rd Patrick Shea Pete & Sam 3:41 6 18 24
4th Pat Chadwick Tom & Jack 2:12 5 26 31

Medium:

1st Dwaine Chase Salt & Pepper 4:26 0 2 2
2nd Matt Farley Lion & Tiger 4:04 0 4 4
3rd Rod Jennings Tom & Jerry 2:54 0 8 8
4th Patty Staples Duke & Tiger 4:04 3 8 11

Large:

1st David Littlefield Ike & Spike 3:40 0 1 1
2nd Wes Daniels Sparky & Jerry 4:09 3 0 3
3rd Jonathan Daniels Thunder & Lightening 3:30 4 3 7
4th Greg Baker Bud & Charlie 3:41 3 16 18

SUNDAY

Small:

Place Name Team Name time hits inches total

1st Pat Chadwick Tom & Jack 2:58 3 1 4
2nd Kathy Littlefield Roscoe & Hiram 3:30 0 7 7
3rd Tammy Chase Amos & Andy 3:39 3 11 14
4th Walter Shea Pete & Sam 3:39 8 23 31

Medium:

1st Dwaine Chase Salt & Pepper 5:52 1 2 3
2nd Rodney Jennings Tom & Jerry 2:51 3 2 5
3rd Patty Stables Duke & Tiger 4:13 0 6 6
4th Matt Farley Lion & Tiger 3:09 4 4 8

Large:

1st David Littlefield Spike & Ike 3:31 2 0 2
2nd Greg Baker Bud & Charlie 2:59 3 2 5
3rd Jonathan Daniels Thunder & Lightening 3:38 4 2 6
4th Wes Daniels Sparky & Jerry 3:41 3 18 21

2003 Fleece Show Results

Colored Fleece:

Fine: 1st Joe Miller
2nd Joe Miller
3rd Amy Burkstead

Medium

1st – no first
2nd Elaine Cloutier
3rd Joe Miller

Course:

1st Elaine Cloutier
2nd Judy Kirt
3rd Judy Kirt

Long:

1st Joe Miller
2nd Elaine Cloutier
3rd Donna Kausen

Dual Coated:

1st Elieen Homoleski
2nd Lyn Terranova

No White Show

–lack of entries

Food Area Ribbons:

With comments by our extraordinary food judge, Andrew Marshall, in quotes!

Best of Show: John’s Ice Cream -- Mint Ice Cream – "delightful"

Best New Food: Hub’s Thrill of the Grill/MR BBQ = Pork BBQ sandwich – "tasty & sumptuous"

Best Dessert: Pie Cones ™ -- Strawberry Cheesecake – "yum"

Best Vegetarian Food: Peace -- Vegetable Lo Mein – "sublime"

Honorable Mention: Orr’s Island Seafood Chowder -- "I know I’m back in Maine."

Social Political Action Area:

Best Educational Booth: MOFGA/El Salvador Project

Most Attractive Booth: Maine Council of Churches

Friend of the Fair: AFL/CIO

2003 Exhibition Hall Prizes:

354 1st Place Ribbons

333 1st Place Certificates

15 Judges Awards ($150.00 total)

303 2nd Place Ribbons

298 2nd Place Certificates

95 3rd Place Certificates

60 Participation Ribbons

No Quilt Premium

Judges Awards:

Winter Squash: Tome Vigue from Sidney with Futta Black winter squash

Fuits: Tom Vigue from Sidney with hardy kiwi (Mich. State)

Beans: Tom Vigue from Sidney with True Cranberry dry pole bean

Carrots: Janet Winslow from Union with Danvers 126

Cauliflower: Troy Howard Middle School with Snow Crown

Tomatoes: Amy LeBlanc from E. Wilton with Costoluto Genovese

Peter Garrett from Winslow with Garden Peach

Potato: Diane Wheeler from Winslow with Huckleberry

Dried Foods: Aquaterra Farm From Jackson with Ten Fingers of Naples

Dried Flowers: Amy LeBlanc from E. Wilton

Pumpkin: Monique Blais from New Sharon with Long Island Cheese pumpkin

Crafts: Sylvia Hachey from Dixmont with Crocheted Ecru Lunch Cloth

Paintings: Larry Dockins from Thorndike with "Attention Please"

Photo: Stephen Crowe from Smithfield with "two yellow kayaks @ Curtis Island, Camden, Maine"

Eggs: David Manski from Bar Harbor with one dozen brown eggs from Dominique & Delaware Heirloom Chickens

Largest Zucchini: Anne Warner from Dixmont with a 20-pounder

Largest Cabbage: Herbert Birch from Coopers Mills

Children’s Apple Pie Contest Winners:

Sean Oshima from Whitefield, age 9, with his "Star Apple Pie"

Sky Critchfield from S. Casco, age 12, with her "Sky’s Apple Pie"

Common Ground Country Fair 5k Foot Race Results

Overall winners and age group winners :

1st Overall, male: Todd Coffin, Freeport 16:04

1st Overall, female: Deb Moreau, Canton 20:39

2nd Overall, male: Gabe Rivard, Winthrop 17:03

2nd Overall, female: Brigid Franey, Saco 20:53

3rd Overall, male: Knud Hermanson, Old Town 17:18

3rd Overall, female: Margaret Jones, Bucksport 21:19

1st Overall, MOFGA male: Shaun Keenan, Somerville 18:01

1st Overall, MOFGA female: Niki Trudel, St. Francis 28:42

Age Groups:

19 & Under:

1st, male: Danny Sortan, Winthrop 22:49

1st, female: Anna Morro, Waterville 25:37

2nd, male: Thomas Tripp, Winthrop 23:47

2nd, female: Lydia Reckendort, Dryden 30:32

20-29

1st, male: Peter Levi, Saco 17:28

1st, female: Jennifer Phelps, Burlington, Vt. 22:58

2nd, male: Jason Bigonia, Dover, NH 17:30

2nd, female: Kim Schotsky, Saco 23:02

30-39

1st, male: Michael Clapper, Bucksport 19:11

1st, female: Joelle Gueraid, York 22:40

2nd, male: Nick Zandstra, Topsham 19:46

2nd, female: Karen Stoughton, Cape Elizabeth 24:07

40-49

1st, male: Michael Griffin, Rockland 18:30

1st, female: Carol Manley, Washington 22:35

2nd, male: Bob Stuart, Salisbury, Mass 18:39

2nd, female: Covenna Coffin, Freeport 24:30

50-59

1st, male: Guy Berthiaume, Chelsea 18:23

1st, female: Diane Farrell, Augusta 26:17

2nd, male: Christopher Almy, Charleston 20:13

2nd, female: Varinna Flood, Belfast 26:19

60-69

1st, male: John Howe, Waterford 23:48

2nd, male: Jim Moore, Waterville 24:44

Complete listing of times and places for 5k foot race: 1) Todd Coffin 42 16:04
2) Gabe Rivard 23 17:03
3) Knud Hermanson 22 17:18
4) Peter Levi 24 17:28
5 ) Jason Bigonia 26 17:50
6) Shaun Keenan 41 18:01
7) Guy Berthiaume 57 18:23
8) Thomas McWalters 21 18:25
9) Joe Dana 28 18:29
10) Michael Griffn 40 18:30
11) Bob Strout 47 18:39
12) Michael Clapper 35 19:11
13) Joel Frazier 27 19:31
14) Nick Zandstra 33 19:46
15) Christopher Almy 54 20:13
16) Todd Leeman 39 20:25
17) Debbie Moreau 32 20:39*
18) Brigid Franey 23 20:53*
19) Tom Little 43 20:58
20) Margaret Jones 40 21:19*
21) Conrad Gardiner 53 21:54
22) Steven Inman 40 22:07
23) Paul Yates 52 22:34
24) Joille Guerard 36 22:40*
25) Matt Sturgis 34 22:47
26) Danny Surtan 13 22:49
27) Mike Simoneau 55 22:50
28) Carol Manley 49 22:55*
29) Jennifer Phelps 26 22:58*
30) Jim Dowd 35 23:00
31) Kim Schutsky 26 23:02*
32) Ethan Whitaker 45 23:14
33) Tom McGuire 57 23:23
34) Bill MacDonald 42 23:46
35) Thomas Tripp 13 23:47
36) John Howe 60 23:48
37) Wilder Nicholson 9 23:53
38) Bruce Nichholson 41 23:54
39) Karen Stoughton 35 24:07*
40) Justin Carpenter 13 24:10
41) Michelle Doste 34 24:11*
42) Bill Knox 46 24:12
43) Laura Woodbury 39 24:28*
44) David McManus 45 24:29
45) Coven Coffin 41 24:30*
46) Darrell Toothaker 55 24:40
47) Jim Moore 60 24:44
48) David Benn 58 25:05
49) Ron Deane 45 25:10
50) David Pattallo 49 25:15
51) Charlie Soltan 45 25:16
52) Ron Paquette 61 25:18
53) Keith Curtis 74 25:25
54) Amanda Beedy 24 25:36*
55) Anna Morro 19 25:37*
56) Amanda Russell 44 25:54*
57) Lisa Jewett 45 26:15*
58) Crystal Gareau 45 26:16*
59) Diane Farrell 52 26:17*
60) Varina Flood 54 26:19*
61) Lisa Rovis 24 26:23*
62) Kirsten Walker 25 26:33*
63) Elizabeth Gaige 29 26:45*
64) Janet Lehmann 38 26:48*
65) Gene Roy 57 27:03
66) Andy Abello 58 27:06
67) John Goldtine 57 27:28
68) Isaac Almy 14 27:38
69) Amos Almy 12 27:39
70) Jerry St. Amand 60 27:40
71) Heather Abello 27 27:44*
72) Benjamin King 30 28:04
73) Mark Niemann 45 28:07
74) Amy Kohurt 43 28:24*
75) Nicki Trudel 16 28:42*
76) Don Newell 56 29:24
77) Lydia Reckindat 17 30:02*
78) Anne Grant 24 30:58*
79) Shaun Bennett 27 30:59
80) Molly Vaux 13 31:12*
81) Susan Volmer 38 31:47*
82) John Bates 74 32:05
83) Sharon Tisner 52 35:02*
84) C. Bickford 50 35:45*
85) Emma Damon 13 37:10
86) Linda Benn 53 42:31*
87) Randy Flagg 48 no time
88) Beryl Flagg 40 no time
89) Bethany Stetkis 28 no time
90) Wayne Stetkis 31 no time
91) Russell Flagg 31 no time
(87 - 91 were walkers with no recorded finish time)

Common Kitchen 2003

Another wonderful Common Ground Fair has come and gone. This is my 27th as a volunteer and 14th as a co-coordinator of the Common Kitchen, and this was our best year ever! We added two new co-coordinators: Patti Hamilton planned breakfast the three days of the Fair and transformed our wholesome but boring breakfast fare into an exciting food experience. Don't miss it next year. Madeline Cantwell, the second new volunteer coordinator, provided Sunday's meals and pulled off a spectacular lunch with very few volunteers. Yeah, Madeline!

Our farmer donors were very generous this year, and every year it becomes easier to find veggies, as there are more certified growers. It's a good thing (now where have I heard that before)? The Fair Food Vendors were also very generous in our times of need, and a huge thanks goes out to anyone who slipped goods into the kitchen without getting written down on this list!

The kitchen served 3193 counted meals from Thursday through Sunday and countless other meals, mini meals and snacks for set-up and clean-up. If you are wondering where to volunteer next year, come work in the kitchen, it's the BEST!

For 2004 we will be fine-tuning our menu and expanding the variety of items offered by reaching out to more folks and farmers statewide earlier in the year. So when we call, please be generous. Your donations are tax deductible and you are supporting agricultural sustainability and a safe food supply for the future.

Common Kitchen Coordinators:

Bill Whitman
Barbara MacLennan
Patti Hamilton
Madeline Cantwell
Kim Bolshaw

Food Vendors

The Salad Bowl
4-M Products
Aucoin Concessions
Shiitake Farm
**and all the others who left food at odd hours**

Business Donors

Black Crow Bakery -- Litchfield
Borealis Breads -- Waldoboro
TUVA Breads -- Whitefield
Grandy Oats Granola -- Brownfield
State of Maine Cheese -- Rockport
Mother's Mountain Mustard -- Falmouth
Avena Botanicals -- Rockport
Swan's Honey
Student's Baking a Living -- Fort Fairfield
Maine Coast Sea Vegetables
Sagadahoc MOFGA

Farm Donors

Levesque's Organic Farm -- Leeds
Whitehill Farm -- E.Wilton
Patchwork Gardens
Bluebird Hill Farm
Luce's Maple Products -- Anson
Hoof n' Paw Farm -- New Sharon
Woodcock Farm -- Arrowsic
King's Hill Farm -- Penobscot
Acorn Farm -- W.Gardiner
Willow Pond Farm -- Sabattus
Farm for the Fat & Aged -- Palermo
Gramps Farm -- Orland
Caldwell Farm -- Turner
Nezinscot Farm -- Turner
Misty Mountain Farm -- Turner
Horsepower Farm -- Blue Hill
Four Winds Farm -- Lisbon
Darthia Farm -- Gouldsboro
Hidden Valley Farm -- Whitefield
Peacemeal Farm -- Dixmont
Mooar Hill Farm -- Mt. Vernon
Brae Maple Farm -- Union
Part n' Parcel Farm -- Dixmont
Ricker Hill Farm -- Turner
Sand Hill Farm -- Somerville
New Leaf Farm -- Durham
Laughing Stock Farm -- Freeport
Checkerberry Farm -- Parkman
The Boardworks -- Stockton Springs
Wolfe Neck Farm -- Freeport
Poverty Hill Farm -- S.Paris
Oyster Creek Farm
White's Orchard -- Frankfort
Beech Hill Farm -- Mt.Desert
Sunrise Acres Farm -- Cumberland
Happy Town Farm -- Orland
Old Stage Farm -- Lovell
Black Bear Food Guild-- Orono
Round Rock Farm -- Montville
Whistling Wind Farm -- Unity
Curra Family Farm -- Knox
Fiddlers Green Farm -- Belfast
Sewall's Orchard -- Linconville
Little Garlic Girl Farm -- Morrill
Fire Flower Farm -- Thorndike
Fisher Farms
Sweetland Farms
Crooked Row Farm
Noon Family Farm

Individuals

Keith Zaltzberg
Jack Kertesz
Bob Martin
Angie Martis
Mary Chamberlin
Diana Prizio
Martha Gottlieb
Tin and Jane Smith
Eric Ellis
John Piotti -- Unity Barnraisers
Kim Bolshaw
Patti Hamilton
Montana Channing
Madeline Cantwell
Barbara MacLennan