UNITY, Maine — Farmers and fairgoers gathered in Unity this weekend for the annual Common Ground Country Fair. The event, hosted by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA), celebrates rural life and organic agriculture—with farms around the state setting up elaborate vegetable stands throughout the weekend.
“Organic farming, I believe, produces healthier produce, it's better for the environment, it keeps money within the local economy,” Jesse Tannenbaum of Eli’s Homestead said on Sunday.
This sentiment is shared by other organic farmers, who see their style of agriculture as kinder to the land and the people who work it. Mark Guzzi, the owner of Peacemeal Farm in Dixmont, has applied the same holistic farming approach to worker wages and says he’s not alone.
“You’re gonna be hard-pressed to find anyone who is gonna do the type of work we do without paying them some halfway-decent money.”
Wages are a more sensitive topic at this year's Common Ground Fair. The fair’s patron, MOFGA, supported a bill vetoed by Governor Mills that would have counted farm hands as employees entitled to minimum wage. The defeat disappointed many MOFGA members, who prioritize paying a premium for workers.
But that premium is contributing to another dilemma for organic farmers: high retail prices. Whether due to high wages or small scale, local, organic agriculture is more expensive than its conventional agriculture.
A study done by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2010 shows the price of organic goods is between seven and 82 percent higher than non-organics, depending on the individual product. This has some supporters of local agriculture, like artist Leona Pfeiffer, opting for supermarket produce.
“It's more expensive really, and I’m an artist I’m on a budget. I just graduated too. I’ve been a student for three years.”