Sustainable living skills shared through interactive workshops
Everyone is invited to the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association’s main campus in Unity on Saturday, June 10, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to share skills, food and fun. This free, family-friendly event returns after a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic and features a wide variety of hands-on activities.
Since 2012, Farm & Homestead Day has been organized by volunteers who delight in sharing their expertise. This highly interactive event gives participants hands-on opportunities to learn a variety of skills in rural and sustainable living. From building toad abodes and potting up plants to learning how to spin fiber and use a scythe for mowing, Farm & Homestead Day offers something for everyone.
“I’m happy for the return of Farm & Homestead Day this year!” says Anna Libby, community education director at MOFGA. “It’s a great community event. One of the highlights for me each time is seeing folks departing with their arms full of plants from the swap and projects they’ve worked on throughout the day. I like thinking about all the gardens growing and new projects being undertaken after folks participate in an event like this.”
Workshops planned for the day include woodworking opportunities, fiber crafts and repair, and cooking demonstrations. Woodworking opportunities will include shaping wood with steam to make kitchen tools for mixing and scooping, which can be taken home and used right away. Using steam to bend wood is a valuable skill for building furniture, boats and more.
Workshops and demonstrations under the fiber umbrella include spinning with drop spindles and wheels, dyeing with locally grown and foraged plants, and weaving with a variety of looms. Crochet, knitting and rug hooking skills will also be shared. Anyone can bring an ongoing project or join a class. Sewing techniques will include using a treadle sewing machine, mending arts, and how to make a deerskin pouch. Participants can practice valuable tips and tricks to use at home.
There will be cooking and preserving skills to learn as well. Participants can learn how to preserve their garden produce by fermentation, engage in cooking bean hole beans, and learn about capturing wild yeast for sourdough starter and delicious home-baked breads.
Farm & Homestead Day will begin with traditional tea and crumpets, followed by a choice of workshops. Everyone can bring vegetables to contribute to the stone soup and a dish to share at the potluck lunch, which will have options for vegans, vegetarians and omnivores. These hearty meals will fuel the day’s work and play! A variety of musical offerings will have everyone dancing and singing to round out the day.
Make a day of it and stay for the Empty Bowl Supper to support the work of the MOFGA-El Salvador Sistering Committee. Guests can enjoy live music while they select their bowls, donated by talented Maine potters, starting at 4 p.m. Beginning at 5 p.m., after brief comments welcoming supper guests and describing the sistering committee’s program, an organic meal of soup (with a choice of vegan, vegetarian or meat-based), bread (donated by Back 40 Bakehouse) and desserts will be served.
For more information about Farm & Homestead Day, please visit: mofga.org/event-calendar/farm-and-homestead-day.
To learn about the Empty Bowl Supper, please visit: mofga.org/event-calendar/empty-bowl-supper.
