More than just hay! Hayday: A Field & Forest Day at MOFGA comes to Unity, Maine, on July 23, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This free event will feature hands-on activities related to the field and forest. Attendees are invited to enjoy a summer day on MOFGA’s campus: Stroll through the gardens, visit the poetry grove, take a hike on a nearby trail, and enjoy lunch from a food truck onsite. This is a family-friendly event, all ages are welcome!
Workshops and demonstrations, as well as children’s activities, are scheduled throughout the day. Participants can go on a walk with a local forester to learn more about tree identification or take a deeper dive into forestry topics by learning how to prune trees in a woodlot. Gardeners can learn the basics of hand pollination for seed production or learn how to make a hugelkultur garden bed from compostable materials.
In celebration of the summer season, the event will also highlight small-scale haymaking. Workshops will cover making tree fodder (or “tree hay”) and scything, with ample opportunities to learn how to mow with a scythe. This ecologically sound skill has a variety of practical uses: from harvesting animal feed to making mulch for garden beds or building compost piles. Attendees can also learn how to care for a scythe, including how to sharpen its blade. Try your hand at one of the scythes on campus, or bring one you have from home to practice together.
Visitors are invited to come early for yoga outside at the Maine Heritage Orchard, which is home to 340 varieties of heirloom apples and 15 varieties of heirloom pears from all over Maine! Kara Douglas, owner and teacher at Fishmoon Yoga in Harpswell, will lead attendees through a sequence suitable for all levels of yoga practitioners, from novice to experienced. Yoga starts at 8:30 a.m.; the suggested donation is $20 per person, and all proceeds support the orchard. Learn more here.
“We’re excited to gather together for a day of learning, fun, and community on the MOFGA campus,” says Anna Libby, community education director. “Hands-on learning opportunities have always been an important part of MOFGA’s educational programming, and we’re pleased to be able to provide a range of opportunities this summer.”
The event is seeking volunteers. If you’d like to lend a hand, please visit mofga.vomo.org to learn more about volunteer opportunities.
