top of page
Homegrown Food Festival
Keep checking back as we finalize the day's activities
Sunday, Sept. 28 Noon-4:00
Valentine Farm
162 North Road, Bethel
All Day Activities
Cooking Crazy, Eating Wild with John Reilly. John will demonstrate how to create flavorful foods from your garden and landscape. Come and taste homemade pasta sauce as well as pickles and relishes from his garden. With a little creativity, you can add a little wild to your standard recipes.
From Forest to Fork: Hunting is conservation, and an excellent way to source healthy, wild game meat. Hunting is a sustainable way to provide for yourself and your family, and Maine offers many opportunities from the abundant game species available. Learn how to get started and try some tasty wild game dishes sourced right here in western Maine. Ron Fournier, Master Maine Guide and Hunter Education Supervisor for MDIFW will share his extensive knowledge and culinary skills, and you never know what might be on the menu. Stop by and find out!
Beekeeping with Maggie Corlette. Maggie is a professional beekeeper and is here to help you learn the art and science of beekeeping. She will also have bee products from the bees maintained with 4th grade Meroby Elementary students.
Hand-Churned Apple Cider Demo. 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. ​​​​​
Children's Activities. Vegetable print making, a scavenger hunt, solve the Case of the Monkey Medallion (for ages 10+) find the tunnel and more.
Bethel Food Pantry. Executive Director, Dave Bean will answer your questions about food insecurity in the area and how the Bethel Food Pantry is working to address food needs for the community.
Timed workshops
12:15 - 1:15 Introduction to Basic Cheese Making - Join Susan Vogt Brooks to learn how to make queso blanco, a traditional Latin American cheese. There are many variations of this versatile cheese made throughout the world. We'll be using goat milk, but the process is the same for making farmstead cheese using milk from cows. Participants will get to sample the results. Class size limited to 15. Tent 1
12:15-1:15 Making Jams and Jellies - Join us for an informative water bath canning demonstration with Certified Master Preserver Annette Cochran from No View Farm. This event is perfect for anyone interested in learning how to turn fresh fruit into delicious jam while ensuring it is safely preserved for long-term enjoyment. Tent 2
1:30-2:30 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. Tent 1
1:30-2:30 Bottle It Up - Capture and store the flavors of the garden with herbaceous oils and fruity vinegar infusions. Join chef and farmer, Andrew Raymond, for an interactive hour of recipe and technique sharing while tasting dressings, dips and marinades Tent 2
2:45-3:45 Making Jams and Jellies - Join us for an informative water bath canning demonstration with Certified Master Preserver Annette Cochran from No View Farm. This event is perfect for anyone interested in learning how to turn fresh fruit into delicious jam while ensuring it is safely preserved for long-term enjoyment.
2:45 - 3:45 - What You Need to Know Before You Get Honeybees with Maggic Corlett.
4:00 - Free Community Supper - Chili will be provided. Bring a dish to share and placeware.
2024 Highlights
To reduce food waste, registration is required for this free event.
bottom of page