Meet MOFGA Volunteer Earl Littlefield

December 2016

Earl Littlefield and his wife, Donna, have lived in Thorndike, across from MOFGA's red barn on Crosby Brook Road, for 38 years, and they've seen a lot of changes in that time. Donna's grandparents used to own and grow potatoes on the farm where MOFGA now sits. Today Earl and Donna own an acre around their home – and that's how their involvement with MOFGA began.

Earl was mowing his own yard and started mowing a little more, around MOFGA's "bunk house" area adjacent to his yard. When MOFGA's buildings and grounds director, Jason Tessier, noticed that, he asked if Earl would like to mow even more.

"Just give me a holler," said Littlefield, and he's been helping with our mowing ever since.

He mows around our main building, along our paths, "anything he's asked to do," says Tessier.

Don Pendleton, MOFGA's buildings and grounds assistant, says of Littlefield, "What is a good neighbor? To MOFGA that is Earl Littlefield. He lives next to MOFGA Certification Services on the Crosby Brook Road. Earl is always willing to give a friendly smile, a wave, or engage in a conversation about local history or lore. He volunteers by keeping areas around our buildings and grounds mowed and is always willing to do more. We are lucky to have him as a neighbor and friend."

Before he retired, Littlefield worked on area farms and maintained construction equipment. When the Common Ground Country Fair began in Unity, he would leave his home before the traffic started on Fair days and return home after it ended for the day. Now he stays put on Fair weekends.

Asked about the changes he's seen due to MOFGA's presence, Littlefield said, "It's just progress. Things are always changing."