Common ground fair in Maine

Hi guys my wife & I just got back from an enjoyable weekend at a fair in Maine called the common ground fair in a town called Unity. Was wondering if anyone was ever there or heard of it. A lot of neat things ( bandsaw mills, logging hand tools, demonstrations, etc.) Maybe I was in some hoarders neighborhoods? Beautiful state to visit!

 

Half hour away from me. Need to go to Unity tomorrow and order some metal roofing from the Amish. Never been to the fair though.

 

In my opinion you live in a beautiful area! We stayed in a place in Canaan.

 

I was unaware there were Amish in ME

 

And they have pie in a cone at this fair... worth the trip for that!

 

Not many. But they are there.

Maine Amish

And increasing in numbers.

Maine town’s Amish population quadruples in less than two years

 

They are setting up small communities in a lot of places, they started in the Smyrna area just south of Houlton probably close to 20 years ago now. There is a group in Fort Fairfield that makes stainless stove pipe, I keep wanting to stop there and get some but I never go through at the right time. A friend of mine has it and this stuff is heavy gauge and really shiny. Had it for probably 8 years now on his gasser and still looks new. Most of them make roofing, build sheds, have a community market open to anyone, and have meat markets (and dont ask me to spell what they are called). Good people to deal with and prices and quality are good.

 

Theres not many places to stay in Canaan, a campground, Denises sporting lodge, and a hotel (last I recalled that was closed). I'm 20 miles east of there.

 

We did in fact stay at Denise’s!

 

I've known her close to 20 years now, she does a good job there with what she has to work with. First met her doing retriever field trials and have worked with her over the years on lots of different stuff. She's big into the marinade thing now. How'd you get hooked up with her? She does some advertising and goes to a lot of the sportsman shows but I never knew her to go to PA.

 

We simply found her by looking for lodging near the fair. We tried another one called The Copper Heron but they’re was never an answer when we called. At the risk of sounding repetitive I must again how much we enjoyed visiting your area & your state.

 

Glad you enjoyed the stay. Next time you come I'll show you around. It's a pretty good hike from Canaan to Unity and all back roads. But then again there isn't much around Unity for hotels. Any town around with lodging is probably the same distance.

 

Are you a native of Maine? We also were through a coastal town called Ogunquit. Very beautiful beach!

 

Yes. Originally from outside of Caribou, my parents moved when I was a couple years old. Still have family there although getting less and less. Wife is from Sherman. She had to live in the town I grew up in and tried to leave many times.

Oqunquit is a different world from here, southern Maine.

 

Wonder how the cost of living compares up there with down here in northeastern Pennsylvania.

 

Was in York PA last year. Lots of things much cheaper there. Taxes are high here. Between Property tax, sales tax, income tax, $.55 gas tax, and everything else they can think of to tax you give about 50% of earnings back. Can say some New England states are worse but a few are better. Everyplace has it's pros and cons.

 

Yeah I’ve read some stuff like that. To me it seems like taxes are high here but I’ve never lived anywhere else. School taxes here seem ridiculous,etc.

 

I believe Pennsylvania has the highest gas tax in the nation. And after traveling up there through NY,CT, MA, NH, & Maine I’m sure we have the poorest road conditions