Glenn Dewitt, interviewed by James Moreira

Series

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

This collection contains interviews with people associated with the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) and the Common Ground Fair in Unity, Maine. Themes include the process of beginning to farm organically, the early development of MOFGA and its growth; the Common Ground Fair and its expansion; marketing organic food; farming strategies; raising livestock; and MOFGA’s interactions with conventional farmers and the wider community.

Dates

Creation: 2000-2004

Creator

Moreira, James (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

For digitized items free from access restrictions, we are working to upload this material (pdfs, mp3s, jpgs) for public access, but it is an ongoing project. If you don’t find what you are looking for here, contact Special Collections (um.library.spc@maine.edu).

Extent

From the Collection: 52 items

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Additional Description

Abstract

3069 Glenn Dewitt, interviewed by James Moreira, September 22, 2002, at the Common Ground Fair in Unity, Maine. Dewitt speaks about his involvement with MOFGA; moving from West Pennsylvania to Dresden, Maine; his career in the Navy; his uncle’s pig farm in Pennsylvania; working at the Bath shipyard; raising rare breed and meat chickens naturally; naturally versus unnaturally raised livestock; free-ranging versus caging practices; his involvement with the Common Ground Fair; working as an associate livestock director for Kathy Reynolds; his interest in antique tractors; operating the antique tractor shuttle at the Common Ground Fair; antique tractors he owns, including John Deeres, McCormicks, and Olivers; using biodiesel versus regular diesel; differences in machine operation when using biodiesel; new technologies; old lead lubricant fuel; NOS; repair parts; recovering old tractors; restoration of antique tractors; the Old Windsor Fair; mule and donkey teams versus horse teams; mule farmers Bob Crichton of Berwick and Neils Sabatine of Whitefield; the value of the MOFGA fair; future changes Dewitt would like to see to the fair; his participation in the Farmington summer festival featuring antique tractors and machines; the dangers involved with antique machinery operation; and old versus new technologies. Text: 16 pp. transcript. Recording: C 2113. mfc_na3069_c2113_01.