Maine

Long before the advent of the maker movement, Maine has been a center of fine craft. From textiles to distilling, boat building to furniture making, craft reaches every corner of the state. Our panel discusses some of the many different aspects of craft, the difference between art and craft, and the changes in selling trends, what people are making, and where and how they are selling it.

It's prime apple-picking season! We’ll talk about growing apples, different varieties, the history of apple orchards in Maine, how much the apple harvest contributes to the economy, and where to go to pick apples. We’ll hear from a few Maine orchard owners, and also discuss John Bunker’s new book “Apples and the Art of Detection,” which explains how to track down, identify and preserve rare apples.

Fewer young people today take part in Maine’s traditional outdoor sports than previous generations. The number of youth hunting licenses, for example, fell 40% from 2002 to 2017. Why is this? We’ll discuss youth hunting, archery, camping and hiking, all of which have a long history and tradition in Maine, as well as what programs are available statewide. Outdoor writer George Smith will call in to share his memories of being a kid experiencing the outdoors and why he feels it matters.

Our panel of Maine editorial page editors returns to discuss the news that made Maine headlines in September. Issues we may discuss include Maine delegation's reaction to the impeachment inquiry; the Farmington explosion; Gov. Mills speaks out at the United Nations Climate Action Summit; ranked-choice voting; lobsterman and right whales and anti-vaccination petition signatures.