UNITY, Maine — Hayday: A Field & Forest Day at MOFGA will be hosted by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) in 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 MOFGA’s 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 at: mofga.org/event-calendar/yoga-
“We’re excited to gather together for a day of learning, fun, and community on the MOFGA campus,” says Anna Libby, community education director at MOFGA. “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/org/mofga to learn more about MOFGA’s volunteer opportunities.
The full schedule is available at: mofga.org/event-calendar/
The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA), formed in 1971, is the oldest and largest state organic organization in the country and is creating a food system that is healthy and fair for all of us. Through education, training and advocacy, MOFGA is helping farmers thrive, making more local, organic food available and building sustainable communities. Learn more at mofga.org.
–Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association
RECOMMENDED ARTICLES
BELFAST, Maine — Farmers from around the state will gather at the Hutchinson Center in Belfast, Maine, November 5-7 to learn from their peers and agricultural experts from around the Northeast. Participants can join with their fellow farmers at this year’s conference for three days of offerings including 30 educational sessions, farm tours and delicious […]
UNITY, Maine — Join the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association for Great Maine Apple Day, a celebration of the history, flavor and tradition of Maine apples. We will celebrate the fall season together while honoring the importance of a diversified, perennial agriculture. This annual event takes place on Sunday, October 16, from noon to […]
AUGUSTA, Maine — Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) Commissioner Amanda Beal and Bureau of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources Director Nancy McBrady has announced that the department would host two dozen Maine-owned businesses and organizations in the Maine Building at the Big E in West Springfield, Massachusetts. The Maine building is located on […]
UNITY, Maine — Tickets are on sale now for the 46th annual Common Ground Country Fair. After two years of virtual fairs, this year the Fair will be in-person at the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association’s (MOFGA) Common Ground Education Center in Unity, ME. The Fair, the premier event of MOFGA, will take place […]
UNITY, Maine — The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) is celebrating landmark policies enacted today by Maine’s Legislature. With bipartisan support, two bills address the devastating problem of farmland contamination from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often referred to as forever chemicals due to their persistence and prevalence in contaminating human health and […]
