An intriguing idea has been floating around Maine lately, an idea that seems at first preposterous, but on reflection much more probable: Maine as the breadbasket of New England. Looking at the trajectory of agriculture in Lincolnville, the 1900s saw the disappearance of farming; one after another of the small, subsistence-type farms on which most families lived quietly faded away. The farmer and his wife got old, their kids moved away, the fields grew in, and the barn collapsed. In most of the state, at least in the towns away from the coast, the houses imploded, too, and were abandoned, burned or torn down. The more prosperous coastal towns — Lincolnville’s four mile shoreline puts it in this lucky category — had their summer visitors to rescue the old farmhouses, insulating them, modernizing the heating system, and repairing the roof.

The late 1960s and 70s brought a new phenomenon: young couples looking for old farms where they could “live off the land.”

Wally and I were in that category, though only one of us was naïve enough to believe in the myth. That would be me, the transplant from a Chicago suburb. He was a Mainer, though from the big, foreign city of Augusta, and understood all too well the realities of making a living here. Dozens of others settled in Lincolnville, and in Hope and Appleton, Northport and Searsmont. Some were hardcore, living without electricity or running water. Others had more of the amenities of modern life, as did we, but everyone worked really, really hard.

Stories of those days include the couple with a 50-pound bag of onion sets (do you know how many hundreds, maybe thousands, of individual onions are in that bag?) They planted row after row on their hands and knees, and still there were onion bulbs left. Finally, they just tossed the contents out willy nilly and walked away. Another would-be farmer planted an acre of carrots, more or less, and they grew beautifully. Then, at harvest time, he discovered that carrots grown in California were being trucked in to sell in the local supermarkets for a fraction of what it had cost him to grow his Maine carrots. He plowed them under. Still another couple raised 75 chicks, meat birds, borrowed a plucking machine (something like a mimeograph machine with rubber fingers) and began slaughtering them. Hours and hours of backbreaking labor, and close to divorce by that time, they hadn’t begun to get through all 75 birds.

Speaking of divorce, I’ve never seen any statistics, but as an impartial observer, very few of those marriages/partnerships survived intact. Once the children started to arrive in a wood-heated, drafty farmhouse, and especially if the water situation was dicey, things started to fall apart.

Wally and I did a lot of the same things, but always on a small scale. We had a dozen hens, raised a pig or two on hot lunch garbage (he was principal at Lincolnville Central School, and later at Castine’s Adams School and that daily pail of milk, hot dogs, beans and peanut butter fudge was a welcome perk, though technically illegal even then; don’t tell anyone); we raised a calf for beef and kept a milk cow for 30 years. Our garden only supplied us, not a farmstand as one couple tried. We raised most of what we ate, still do, but we always had a paycheck.

The children of all those back-to-the-landers, including our own, are in their late 30s and 40s now, and a surprising number of them have found their way back to their roots in midcoast Maine, starting farming ventures of their own. Along with these native Mainers (I know, I know — just because the cat had her kittens in the oven you don’t call them biscuits) they’re being joined by even younger farmers, couples and singles in their 20s. The big difference between this generation of folks heading back to the land and ours is they actually know what they’re doing.

 Many have worked as apprentices on farms, some through MOFGA (Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association) or similar programs. They understand soils, seeds, pests, and climate. They’re being smart about the realities of how to farm, unlike their parents and predecessors who just figured they could figure it out. And perhaps most importantly, they know markets and how to use them. It doesn’t hurt that there’s a huge interest in local foods now, and that there are people who actually would prefer a Maine-grown carrot to one that traveled from California.

 So we found ourselves this afternoon up on Grange Corner Farm, Sam Mudge’s grain-growing operation on Van Cycle Road. Sam and his girl friend, Aube Giroux, had put out on Facebook that they’d be harvesting field corn this week-end and invited any and all to come and help out, promising chili and cornbread. A dozen or so adults showed up while we were there, along with their children, ages one to about 10. The adults picked and shucked the ears, trampling down the stalks as we went. Good ears went into the homemade rat wire corncribs Sam set up along the field edge, while the bad ears, those showing any mold or other damage, went onto a tarp to be gone over later.

The children loved it, toddlers running free, tossing ears into the cribs, while their parents picked and shucked and bantered. Cathartic, one busy mother said, to be doing something so physical and simple, outdoors on a beautiful day. For Wally and I, watching the kids, some we’re related to, were remembering other days, 30 years ago, bringing in bales of hay on fields adjacent to this one, where our children ran free just as our grandchildren did today.

This is Sam’s fourth year growing organic field corn for corn meal. After the picking and shucking, the ears are dried in the round wire cribs; then Sam shells each one in a hand-cranked shelling machine, similar to the one you can see at the Matthews Museum of Maine Heritage in Union. He has the corn ground at a stone mill in North Vassalboro. Grange Corner cornmeal is sold at farmers markets, to restaurants and to baking companies.

By the way, Aube, creator of Kitchen Vignettes, a wonderful food blog (be sure to watch the videos!), served us a delicious lunch of chili with fresh cilantro, home pickled jalapenos, cornbread made with their own cornmeal, and the best chocolate chip cookies. After today, I’m ready to believe Maine actually could become the bread basket of New England.

 The Great Disappointment
Perhaps you didn’t realize that we’re approaching the 170th anniversary of an event here in Lincolnville, and Camden ,as well, that was both tragic and comic for the folks caught up in it. Once again, Rosey Gerry, as he has for the past 20 years, reminds us of the occasion, sending out on the Lincolnville Bulletin Board this:

 “Between 1831 and 1844, on the basis of his study of the Bible, and particularly the prophecy of Daniel 8-14—"Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed”—William Miller, a Baptist preacher, predicted and preached the imminent return of Jesus Christ to the earth. The specific date of October 22, 1844 [was given, and] thousands of followers, some of whom had given away all of their possessions, waited expectantly. When Jesus did not appear, the date became known as The Great Disappointment.”

Once again, as he has for the past 20 years, Rosey will lead an early morning walk up to the Millerite Ledges, where 170 years ago, many Lincolnville residents gave away their homes and farms, gathered up the kids and hiked or rode in wagons up to the top of these cliffs to await the return of Jesus. They never expected to come back down, as they thought they’d be taken into heaven. When midnight approached, came, and went with no Jesus, reality began to set in. Down below, their neighbors would scoff. Worse than that, it was late October and these believers in William Miller’s message had made no preparations for winter.

Rosey promises there will be no preaching on the way up to the Ledges, only stories, with a few stops to look at some of the cellar holes. It’s takes about an hour to go up and about half an hour to come down on a trail that’s not too hard for amateur hikers. Wear sturdy shoes, dress warmly, and bring water. Pets on leash are welcome. Meet Rosey at the upper end of Maiden’s Cliff Road which is near the Youngtown Inn off Youngtown Road. He will be there by 6:30 a.m. The walk will start between 6:45-7 a.m. or as soon as there’s enough daylight to see. For more information call Rosey, 975-5432. The walk will be cancelled if it’s raining.

Political Signs are Sprouting
Here we are again, awash in political signs, along every road, clustered like weeds at intersections and road islands, and on our own and our neighbors’ front yards. We’re as guilty of advertising our political preferences as the next guy. In fact, our barn walls are a virtual museum of past campaigns, lost causes and other political misadventures, with the fraying cardboard signs stapled up over every available surface.

This year is particularly interesting as here in Lincolnville and in Camden, we’re treated to a variety of styles. There are the standard red-white-and-blue on white cardboard hooked over a wire wicket; candidates order them by the hundreds from a print shop. Others are clearly homemade; Owen Casas  and his supporters foraged in their own cellars and barns for scrap lumber and hand-painted his signs. Each one is an irregular slab of wood nailed to a post.

Jonathan Fulford, candidate for state senate, also has resorted to homemade signs, one large one for each of the 27 towns in Waldo County; when he ran out of the cardboard/wicket style signs his campaign took to printing on recycled grain sacks, once used by his farmer-sons. Mike Thibodeau, Fulford’s opponent in the Waldo County race, is using both cardboard/wickets and large, double sided printed signs featuring a cartoon of himself with a shovel “digging us out of the mess we’re in.”

Back in the day, oh, maybe 10 years ago or so, we spent a couple of weekend afternoons in Mike Mayo’s Thomaston backyard helping out silk screening signs. Mike had a regular production line going, as he stood at the printing table squeezing ink over the blank cardboard; then we workers grabbed each still-wet sign and laid them out to dry on his lawn. Before long there wasn’t a bare spot to be found, as every Democratic hopeful in Knox and some in Waldo County were represented. I don’t know if Mike still does this, but it was a lot of fun, and must have been economical for the candidates.

And then there is recycling of signs. Our hens enjoy a plethora of “Andy O’Brien for Representative” signs, complete with cute cartoons of the candidate, handpainted by our daughter-in-law, Hanji. They turned out to be just the right size to line the henhouse when we refurbished it a couple of summers ago. 

The sign issue is only one aspect, and a fairly benign one I believe, of the way money is spent in campaigns. The issue of restoring Clean Elections money is coming up in the form of a petition at the polls this Election Day. More about it in the next couple of weeks. 

Library and Open Air Museum Open House
The community is invited to stop by the Library and Open Air Museum this Saturday, Oct. 25, 1-4 p.m., to celebrate the second anniversary of the day so many of us helped pull the Center Schoolhouse across the road. Be sure to come by if you’ve never been inside, but even if you have, there’s lots more to see as the interior shelving and furnishings are mostly finished. The Jackie Young Watts Open Air Museum is also mostly complete; the signs explaining the various items on exhibit are due to be delivered this week and will be in place. A grant from the Maine Humanities Council made all the outdoor signs possible, including a 6’ square map of early Lincolnville. A great selection of free books will be available in the Library, donations appreciated. Sign up for a library card, learn how the new solar panels work, and have some cider and cookies. Hope to see many of you there! For more information, call 763-4343 or email.

Lincolnville Crafters Harvest Show and Sale
Also this Saturday, the annual local crafters show at the Lincolnville Improvement Association building, 33 Beach Road, will be held 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Corn chowder, sandwich and dessert lunch will be served by the Lincolnville Women’s Club to fund local scholarships. Tables are free to Lincolnville residents, and open to others for a fee. Contact Nancy Heald, 763-4280 or email. 

Spaghetti Supper
Young Christian Bryant, of Lincolnville, has had numerous surgeries, radiation and chemotherapy since being diagnosed in April 2012 with cancer of his kidney. Christian and his family are now in Boston, undergoing experimental treatments. Hearing about what this young boy is going through sounds all too familiar for our family, and I know, for many others. It’s a scary, awful time to watch a child you love fighting such a difficult battle.

A spaghetti supper fundraiser will be held for the family at Belfast Area High School this Saturday, Oct. 25, 4–7 p.m. along with a Juke Rockets concert from 7-10 p.m. To donate to a silent auction, call Melissa Bisson, 322-5564 or drop items off at Waldo County Communication Center, 2 Public Safety Way in Belfast. Donations can be mailed to Jensen Bryant, P.O. Box 769, Bucksport, 04416. To have the community, often strangers, show their support means so much to family members.

Kate Braestrup at UCC
Sunday Oct. 26 Rev. Kate Braestrup, Chaplain of the Maine State Warden Service, will deliver the second of six sermons she’ll be giving at United Christian Church, 18 Searsmont Road, this winter and spring. The service starts at 9:30 a.m., and all are welcome.

Octoberfest at Andy’s Brew Pub 
October 26 is designated Octoberfest at Andy’s, where the menu will feature German entrees, draft beer at Happy Hour prices, door prizes and more. Rose and the Wayfaring Strangers will perform 6:30-8:30 p.m. Call for reservations, 789-5550.

Halloween in Lincolnville
Big plans are afoot for Halloween in the Center including as many Jack-o-lanterns as can be gathered at the General Store, which will be open for trick or treaters at 5 p.m., as well as providing water, cider, coffee, pizza and heat.

A costume contest is planned for the Breezemere Bandstand, 6:30-7:30 p.m., with winners announced at 7:50 p.m. The Library will accept donations of candy to be distributed to Center residents on Oct. 29, 2-7 p.m. or on Halloween, 9 a.m. to noon as the expected influx of trick or treaters may tax the folks living in the Center. The Library will be open Halloween evening for trick or treating and story reading. Contact Briar with any other Halloween ideas or suggestions.

Also on Oct. 31, 5-7 p.m. at LCS, Crossroads Community Baptist Church is sponsoring a free fun family time including games, a chili cookoff (bring your favorite chili to enter), hot dogs, a bounce house, climbing wall and more. Bring the family. Call Pastor Dave for more information, 763-3551.

Our young rooster, a crested or Polish bird, needs to move to a henhouse where he can be top dog, or bird. We’d love to keep him, but Chico, bulked up on the steady diet of Japanese beetles served to him all summer long, picks on him. Our unnamed young guy is only rarely heard crowing; in the right environment I’m sure he’d come into his own. See his handsome face, complete with topknot. Give us a call if you can take him – he’s free. By the way, he has blue legs!