Common Ground Fair=Everything great about Maine on one fairground for one weekend.

beardly:

Common Ground Fair, 2010.

(via fymaine)

ideasphere:

The town of Sedgwick, Maine, currently leads the pack as far as food sovereignty is concerned. Local residents recently voted unanimously at a town hall meeting to pass an ordinance that reinforces its citizens’ God-given rights to “produce, process, sell, purchase, and consume local foods of their choosing,” which includes even state- and federally-restricted foods like raw milk.

The declaration is one of the first of its kind to be passed in the US, and it is definitely not the last. Several other Maine towns — including Penobscott, Brooksville, and Blue Hill — all have similar ordinances up for vote in the coming weeks.

Today’s Portland Press Herald reports that a prototype underwater power generation system from Ocean Renewable Power Co “has passed all of its tests, clearing the way for a commercial unit to be connected to the region’s electricity grid by year’s end.”

According to the Press Herald, Ocean Renewable plans to establish a larger unit off the Downeast coast that will deliver power to Bangor Hydro Electric Co.’s grid, and power as many as 60 homes. The company also intends to install more of the units in the future, increasing capacity to 3.2 megawatts by the end of 2014.

Maine cost of living and small(er) community of regulators makes it an ideal testing ground for SAFE, CLEAN environmental projects, like this one. It creates jobs in the near term, and may lead to a scientific breakthrough that allows for us to serve as a cornerstone and model in the field of renewable energy—which is where the next economic boom will come from.

Again, job retraining through out University of Maine System will be imperative to ensure that the jobs created by such projects go to Maine people, but this is absolutely an encouraging sign.

Click through the picture for the full article.

Great video from ‘pilotmag’ about a Maine-based surfboard company, who makes lightweight, wooden surfboards. While I never stood atop waves on the shores of our fair state, I can certainly appreciate craftsmanship.

pilotmag:

Surf | Korduroy.tv did an interview with the cold water crew up in Maine, Grain Surfboards. One of the few companies reverting back to crafting hollow wood boards as opposed to the more popular foam boards. The birth of Grain coincided with the closing of Clark Foam, a premier manufacturer of surfboard planks, due to EPA violations and the impact on the environment. This new found consciousness toward sustainability thrust the tiny company into the national spotlight.

(via pilotmedia)

smarterplanet:

Extreme Wind Farming Gets $102 Million Blast

Source: Fast Company

Wind farms suffer from a problem: They’re built to harness wind, but are still vulnerable to wear-and-tear caused by severely windy conditions. Enter the Record Hill Wind project, a Yale University Endowment-funded 50.6 megawatt wind power plant set to start construction this year in rural Maine. The project, which just scored a $102 million loan guarantee from the Department of Energy, will tackle the wind wear-and-tear conundrum, and produce enough energy to power over 50,000 homes, to boot.

The key to keeping Record Hill’s wind farm in pristine condition is Turbine Load Control technology, a system of software and sensors that allows the turbines to generate electricity during rough weather instead of being shut down. In addition to cutting down on turbine wear-and-tear, the technology is also expected to cut down on management and operation costs and extend the lifetime of turbine components.

“Today’s announcement is good for this country’s clean energy future, and it’s good for the people of Maine who will benefit from the jobs generated by this project,”said Energy Secretary Steven Chu in a statement. “Record Hill introduces an innovative technology to the U.S. that will boost domestic wind generation and help us reach President Obama’s goal of doubling clean energy produced in America by 2035.” 

razmarie asked: Thanks for the follow:) I looked up some awesome blogs from you too:)

Hey, thanks to you too. Your photos are great. How long have you been in Maine? I live in Boston, but am originally from there, and keep the blog going when I can to stay more intimately connected to the place.

Anyway, thanks again, and take care.

-Collins

One thing that has changed drastically in the 96 years since my passing is the speed of communications. However, the quality of mind and devotion to community has remained constant in our state. TEDxDIRIGO is taking the best of those two factors to create a unique and modern forum for the sharing of ideas regarding Maine. The first forum was held last year, and another is scheduled for this fall. They are accepting speaker suggestions, and ideas. Click through the picture to access the TEDxDIRIGO link.

PS If you aren’t on the TED train yet, check it out. It’s a force.

beermemaine:

We stumbled upon Smokin’ Good BBQ in Bethel on the way home from Sunday River last weekend. It was a much needed re-charge after a day of snowboarding and it’s wicked good! If you’re ever in Bethel look for the Orange trailer off Mayville road.

Rugged beauty + craftsmanship + local is the formula for the best of Maine goods. From Sea Bags to Tartans of Maine, such products embody the spirit of our state. Add to that list Wassookeag Moccasins. Their ethic is evident in their description of their mission:

We pride ourselves in doing what few others are able to, or willing to do. We take the time to construct our moccasins one at a time, by hand, with all the attention to detail they deserve.

It’s also notable that all of their products are priced under $130, which is no small feat given their approach to manufacturing.

EAST MILLINOCKET — The owner of a paper mill in East Millinocket says it is going to close in 60 days if a pending deal to sell it and an already closed mill in Millinocket is not finalized.

A spokesman for the parent company of Katahdin Paper tells the Bangor Daily News the company is planning to issue the required Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notice, which provides 60-day notice of a closure.

The East Millinocket mill employs about 450 people. The Millinocket mill has been closed since 2008.

Last week, Meriturn Partners LLC, a San Francisco-based investment group, announced it had signed a letter of intent to acquire the mills if it can negotiate new labor contracts, receive property tax breaks and find other ways to make the plants more efficient.

My commentary:

450 jobs is a lot in a small town. Having spent time as an college educator, I firmly believe in the power and importance of educational institutions. In this case, if the mills are not coming back job retraining and transitional services are imperative for those losing their jobs. There has been a significant push in recent years to overhaul Maine’s university system, to provide access for just these types of situations. One can only hope that a) that the jobs return or b) those out of work are made aware of the resources around them to transition through the difficult time.