MOFGA History
A Brief History of MOFGA
The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) started as a group that brought people together to learn from one another — a model we have continued to follow since.
1971 — Organic growers started organizing for a statewide organization called the Maine Organic Foods Association (MOFA) in 1970. Charlie Gould, a Cooperative Extension agent, invited the many people who had been calling him with questions about organic gardening and farming to gather on August 12, 1971. Scott and Helen Nearing, authors of the 1970 back-to-the-land classic “Living the Good Life,” were guest speakers, and, from that meeting, the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) was established.
1972 — MOFGA certified its first organic farm following Rodale Organic Garden certification guidelines. Twenty-six other farms were certified that year. Later, in 2002, MOFGA Certification Services LLC formed to provide USDA-accredited organic certification services to farmers and food processors. MCS now certifies producers in Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.
1974 — The first issue of MOFGA’s quarterly publication, The Maine Organic Farmer & Gardener, was published in August and offered practical articles about farming and homesteading. (The publication celebrated 50 years in 2024!) Also in 1974, the first apprentice, Chellie Pingree (then Chellie Johnson), applied to work on a farm. The Apprenticeship Program was formalized in 1975.
1977 — The first Common Ground Country Fair, conceived as a harvest celebration, drew 10,000 people to Litchfield. In 1978, the number of fairgoers doubled. A year later, a vision for a permanent Common Ground fairgrounds started to take shape. In 1981, having outgrown the Litchfield fairground, the Fair moved to Windsor — where it continued to grow to more than 50,000 attendees.
1981 — While MOFGA had been engaged in legislative actions since its founding, 1981 marked the beginning of a formal legislative committee. Initiatives included a “no-spray register,” organic food labeling, and a campaign focusing on hazards of pesticide drift. In 1989, at MOFGA’s initiation, Maine passed two laws requiring that produce be labeled regarding country of origin and post-harvest chemical treatment. Over the years, MOFGA has continued to focus on promoting legislation that is critical to organic farmers and gardeners, while supporting a healthy environment for all. Learn more about MOFGA’s Public Policy Platform here.
1986 — MOFGA became the first organic farming organization to hire its own “extension agent,” earning the organization wide recognition as a serious farming and gardening organization. MOFGA continues to grow its technical services staff to this day, in order to provide farmer support related to: beginning farmer programs, business and marketing, crops and conservation, livestock and pasture management, and climate-smart and organic agriculture.
1990 — MOFGA held its first Farmer to Farmer Conference, an event for farmers to exchange information. That same year, MOFGA also started its “Grow Your Own” program, encouraging and supporting home gardeners to produce more of their own food. In 2000, a one-night class, called “Grow Your Own Organic Garden,” was launched around the state.
1996 — MOFGA purchased more than 200 acres of field and forest in Unity and Thorndike to become a permanent location for the Common Ground Country Fair. With a year of planning and 11 months of hands-on work (much from volunteers), MOFGA opened the Common Ground Education Center to the public on opening day of the 1998 Fair.
1999 — After arranging over 500 apprentices on members’ farms, MOFGA started its Journeyperson Program as a next step for people wanting to farm. MOFGA also hosted several community education initiatives that are still going strong today, including the annual Seed Swap & Scion Exchange and a Low-Impact Forestry workshop.
2003 — Two orchards, over 120 shade trees, a perennial garden, and various shrubs, vegetables, and nursery stock were planted at MOFGA’s Common Ground Education Center in Unity.
2005 — MOFGA expands its educational offerings for farmers with Farm Training Workshops geared towards apprentices, farmworkers, and other beginning farmers.
2010 — The Low-Impact Forestry Committee, a standing committee of MOFGA, improved 15 acres of MOFGA’s woods, harvested more than 80,000 board feet of lumber and 200 cords of pulpwood, and introduced more than 750 people to safe and responsible forestry practices and chainsaw safety and maintenance. This year, MOFGA also started its long-standing radio program, Common Ground Radio, on WERU Community Radio.
2013 — An old gravel pit on MOFGA’s property began its transformation into the terraced Maine Heritage Orchard (MHO). The first trees were planted on Earth Day in 2014. Today the orchard is home to over 300 varieties of apples and pears traditionally grown in Maine, with more being added each year.
2016 — MOFGA entered into an agreement with ReVision Energy to install a 102-kilowatt solar array on the grounds and to convert heating systems to use solar to reduce the organization’s fossil fuel usage by 85%. MOFGA completed installation of the solar array in 2017 and also installed 24 air source heat pumps in three major buildings. The water at MOFGA’s Common Ground Education Center has been solar-heated since 2009.
2020 — Heading into its 50th year, MOFGA certified over 500 producers, including 20 clean cannabis producers, with 69,000 acres in certified-organic production. Total organic product sales reached $90 million. The Journeyperson Program had 31 participants, 68 farms received technical assistance, and 21 farms were supported by the Maine Farm Resilience Program (which was initiated in 2018). Additionally, 2,950 individuals participated in 90 workshops, tours and events for gardeners and farmers, and 32,000 people flocked to MOFGA’s online offerings for the Common Ground Country Fair (held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic).
2021 — MOFGA turned 50 on August 12, 2021. That same month, MOFGA launched its Together We Grow 50th anniversary campaign to raise $12 million.
2022 — In response to the PFAS chemical contamination crisis, MOFGA mobilized to provide individual farmer support, create an emergency response fund for impacted farms, and collaborate with organizations and agencies to advocate for legislation to stop further contamination. Thanks to a partnership with The Lost Kitchen, as well as support from individuals, foundations, and businesses, MOFGA raised $1.3 million for the PFAS Emergency Relief Fund. Also in 2022, MOFGA helped pass a first-in-the nation ban on sludge spreading in Maine as well as a bill to phase out the use of PFAS-containing pesticides.
2024 — MOFGA continued its work to turn off the PFAS tap and joined a lawsuit, filed by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for failure to regulate PFAS in sludge. MOFGA also helped pass a bill in Maine that bans PFAS use in many consumer products.
Stay tuned!
2025 — In 2025, MOFGA celebrates 10 years of the Maine Heritage Orchard.
2026 — In 2026, the Common Ground Country Fair turns 50!
