Boothbay Railway Village

Tue, 10/03/2017 - 11:30am

JOSEPH CHARPENTIER

Family Harvest Days at Boothbay Railway Village. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

Prepping apples for the press at Family Harvest Days at Boothbay Railway Village. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

Beekeeping veils on display at Knox Lincoln County Beekeepers’ table. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

This beehive took only about a month to form, according to the Knox Lincoln County Beekeepers. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

Two Coves Farm sheep graze on the Village green. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

Two Coves Farm’s sheep. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

Lyric Meadow Farms’ resident miniature pony. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

A pig from Lyric Meadow Farms. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

A Two Coves Farm Australian shepherd awaits his command to corral the sheep. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

Sheeps bleat as they are being chased by the herding dog. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

An animal from Lyrics Meadow Farms begs for attention at Family Harvest Days. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

The Australian shepherd awaits commands. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

This Lyric Meadow Farms goat jumped a fence at Family Harvest Days.Here, he watches the Two Coves Farm sheep being chased by the herding dog. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

Finding a friend at Family Harvest Days. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

Ducks in a row. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

Brown bread (with hand-churned butter) from a 100-year-old recipe. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

Margaret Hoffman churns butter to serve on the brown bread. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

Family Harvest Days at Boothbay Railway Village. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

Prepping apples for the press at Family Harvest Days at Boothbay Railway Village. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

Beekeeping veils on display at Knox Lincoln County Beekeepers’ table. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

This beehive took only about a month to form, according to the Knox Lincoln County Beekeepers. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

Two Coves Farm sheep graze on the Village green. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

Two Coves Farm’s sheep. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

Lyric Meadow Farms’ resident miniature pony. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

A pig from Lyric Meadow Farms. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

A Two Coves Farm Australian shepherd awaits his command to corral the sheep. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

Sheeps bleat as they are being chased by the herding dog. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

An animal from Lyrics Meadow Farms begs for attention at Family Harvest Days. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

The Australian shepherd awaits commands. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

This Lyric Meadow Farms goat jumped a fence at Family Harvest Days.Here, he watches the Two Coves Farm sheep being chased by the herding dog. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

Finding a friend at Family Harvest Days. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

Ducks in a row. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

Brown bread (with hand-churned butter) from a 100-year-old recipe. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

Margaret Hoffman churns butter to serve on the brown bread. JOSEPH CHARPENTIER/Boothbay Register

Boothbay Railway Village put on its fourth annual Family Harvest Days on Saturday, Sept. 30 and Sunday, Oct. 1. Families were treated to music played by duo Castlebay and sheepdog demonstrations by Harpswell's Two Coves Farm while enjoying sausage and hot dogs from White's Farm of Winterport.

“We were pleased this year to welcome new farms to Family Harvest Days – Burke's Island Farm of Boothbay, Two Coves Farm, and Lyric Meadow Farms of Boothbay ... ” said Kathy Goldner, director of education and curator. “It was wonderful to have Castlebay with us. The music was a great addition.”

Author Julia O'Brien-Merrill read aloud her children's book “Charlie on the MTA: Did He Ever Return?” Lyric Meadow Farm brought along a number of farm animals including ducks, a chicken, goats, a miniature pony and a pig. One of the goats jumped clear over a fence and wandered the Village green enjoying attention from the children.

“The highlight this year for us, for Family Harvest Days, grew quite a bit because of partnerships which is something we like to do,” said Margaret Hoffman, executive director. The festival also had the Knox-Lincoln Beekeepers and the Lincoln County Historical Association. FARMS of Damariscotta had people there talking with children about farm-to-table food, she added.

Among the other activities were butter-churning, hayrides, and pumpkin-decorating as well as sheepdog, blacksmith, spinning, weaving and lace-making demonstrations. Guests were even encouraged to bring their own apples from home to press into cider with resident blacksmith Jim Kearney's personal press.

Hoffman said Family Harvest Days is on Maine's Pumpkin Trail, a 50-mile trail on Maine's coast with events all along the way celebrating gourdes small and large as well as art and history.

“Really, this year was all about partnerships because we had lots of different people here, helping us make it a really great event,” said Hoffman. “All the people who brought the animals — I think that, for the kids, is always one of the biggest things.”