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Growing, Discovering, and Preserving Local Foods
Saturday, Sept. 28 at the Gem Theater
An Evening with John Bunker
Social 5:00, Presentation 6:00
John Bunker has lived in Palermo on Super Chilly Farm for the past 52 years, where he grows vegetables and rare fruit varieties with Cammy Watts. John worked for many years at Fedco Trees and started the Maine Heritage Orchard in Unity in 2012. One of his passions is tracking down, identifying and preserving heirloom fruit varieties, particularly those originating in Maine. He is the author of Apples and the Art of Detection: Tracking Down, Identifying and Preserving Rare Apples. Books will be available to purchase.
Sunday, Sept. 29 at Valentine Farm
Habitat For All Fall Festival
1:00 Festival Opens
All Day Activities
Children's Activities - make a gnome home, make a clay print, scavenger hunt, Jr Naturalist challenge, and more.
Cooking Crazy, Eating Wild with John Reilly. Find out how to use ingredients in your cooking that are a little off the beaten path. With a little creativity, you can add a little wild to those tired old recipes.
Talking Apples with John Bunker. John will have his famous apple display including historic and modern apples growing in maine. He will identify apples brought to the Festival, answer apple-related questions, give out fedco catalogs and sell his books.
Hunting is Conservation with Ron Fournier. Hunting is a sustainable way to provide for yourself and your family, and Maine offers many opportunities from the type of equipment used to the various game species available. Explore the various types of equipment and bring any questions you may have.
The Wonders of Wild Foods with John Gonter. John loves to cook and share great wild foods with people, beginners to expert. Come and enjoy a taste of brined wild turkey breast strips, black bear meatballs, whitetail tacos with foraged seasonings, and wild mushroom dumplings. Gluten free and vegan samples will also be available.
Hand-Churned Apple Cider Demo with Will Chapman. Take a turn at churninging apples and enjoying this fall favorite.
Habitat For All Garden is open. Get your garden questions answered, see some season extension options, and taste some carrot varieties and maybe late-season tomatoes.
Timed Workshops
1:00-2:00 Growing Unique and Novel Fruits in Maine. Jesse Stevens will be sharing an overview of his fifteen year trail orchard and nursery project in Oxford County. Over 1000 edible woody fruit and nut producing plant varieties were assembled and assessed for hardiness, productivity, taste and market demand.
2:00-3:00 Kraut and Kraut-chi Class - creative ferments made with various vegetables and fruits from the September harvest season. Learn the basics and how to incorporate interesting and favorite flavors making ferments that jazz up every dish in your life, with Anna Sysko and Mattie Rose Templeton. Attendees will help make the ferments and can take some home! Limit 12 participants, but all can watch! Bring 2 16oz canning jars.
3:00-3:30 Making Fresh Salsa with Linda Ray. Salsa is always a welcome treat, especially when it is made with fresh vegetables and herbs on hand in the summer garden. Its quick, easy, versatile to make.
3:00-4:00 Mushroom Walk with Greg Marley. Greg has been collecting, studying, eating, growing and teaching mushrooms for over 45 years. He is the author of two books, Chanterelle Dreams, Amanita Nightmares; The Love Lore and Mystic of Mushrooms, and Mushrooms for Health: Medicinal Secrets of Northeastern Fungi.
4:00 Free Community Supper - Chili and cornbread will be provided. Bring a dish to share.
To reduce food waste, registration is required for this free event.
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