A working farm in Clinton is hosting a two day Agricultural Trade Show through tomorrow. Organizers say Maine Farms Days at Misty Meadows Farm is designed to give the public and farmers the opportunity to visit a working farm, see the operation of new equipment and technology and experience different areas of agriculture.
Dale Finseth, Executive Director of the Kennebec Soil and Water Conversation District, says the event dates back to at least 1969. He says it’s his understanding that the event initially focused on dairy farms and farmers.
“Who could come and look at new equipment in operation or talk to other farmers about practices, particularly dairy practices: milking breeds of cattle, that type of thing,” says Finseth. "And many of those are people who really don't have any experience of being on a farm. so they come and check out the milk room and might sit in on a workshop or explanation of how different farm practices are done."
While there are still a lot of farmer oriented activities such as stormwater erosion demonstrations, dealer equipment demos and pesticide credit workshops, Finseth says, over the years, far more families have attended, many with no experience of being on a farm.
Among family oriented activities are wagon tours, a milking contest for children, and wild blueberry pie and whoopie pie contests.
