MeInMaine Blog

Category: Uncategorized

  • You Better Learn How To Wave If Going To Maine.

    Adopt A Wave At Everyone. In The Islands You Find All The People Honk As They Pass.
    Maine Folks Smile A Lot, Wave All The Time, Are Friendly.

    Waving, nodding your head and smiling, saying hello to everyone you meet in Maine.

    Everyone, no exceptions. You have to become natural, at ease waving and being friendly if you plan to be in Vacationland long. There is a strong sense of community, a local connection and not just between native Mainers.

    Why? Because Mainers are interested in other people. Used to helping each other out from back in the days of I need a new barn on the Maine farm. And this weekend everyone is gathering to build one at your place. Next weekend, the same routine but down at my end of country road. We need each other, work together, survive and make it work.

    Mainers are strong community local volunteers and working together on local projects you get to know each other outside a work, professional relationship.

    The entire village also raises each others kids, watching them grow. Following their career and hoping for the best. Because we all had a stake as a little league, hockey, basket ball or whatever coach. Or were a teacher in public schools, church and we do know each other. Who your Dad and Mom are.

    Youth activities, family events in Maine are huge, common, happening all the time.

    So we bump in to each other, get to spend more time together in small town rural Maine.

    Kids are friendly, like to have fun and it rubs off on the adults that grow up but stay young at heart.

    Smaller population areas like Maine is famous for means we see each other a lot in the course of a week. At local community Maine events. At local farmers markets, down town shopping, sitting on a bleacher watching a youth sporting event. At an outdoor band concert. Beano or bingo, whichever way you spell low cost gambling.

    So back to waving, the new habit you better get proficient at if spending much time in Maine. To ignore someone is mean, hard too if you see them a lot. To be in a store and oh oh here comes so and so that you had a go around with a while back.

    Say hello. Just smile.

    Be pleasant, get over the misunderstanding and be civil. We don’t like being at odds, we fix broken relationships and don’t hate any one. We teach our kids to do the same.

    And if you don’t know someone from Adam or Eve, be friendly anyway. Make eye contact, hold doors open for them, let them go in traffic which is pretty light all the time in sparsely populated Maine. Wave at them. Everyone does. In showing Maine real estate I will get asked one question right off the bat by the fellow that came in with New Jersey, New York or some other state tags than ones with Vacationland stamped on the bottom. Do you know all these people they wonder as they ride shot gun looking at recreational properties on a lake, land in the middle of the woods.

    Most of them I do know. But the ones I don’t I will in no time if I just wave. Show an interest, acknowledge they are there.

    I see you, you see me Dick and Jane simple.

    They wave back, we begin to figure out who they are. In small town Maine, we feel like any of the folks are friends, family the longer you spend time here. It’s called friendly, neighborly. We don’t carry full charged tasers with the safety off. No locking our Maine house doors, camps. No worrying about personal safety in the 4th lowest crime state of Maine.

    The vehicles sit in the yard with keys in the ignition. Maybe that sounds dumb to you. Maybe you don’t live where things are like life should be. Maine, get here quick as you can.

    You will love the rock bound Maine coasts and sampling the food of the deep from lobsters, clams, baked potatoes, local fresh blue berry pie.

    But you will enjoy the people even more. The community spirit and how everyone is friendly, waves, gets along for the most part is contagious. That taste stays in your mouth, is easy to swallow and warm up to if where you live now the feeling is missing, dead.

    We have to get along. There are only 11 of us per square mile in Northern Maine’s Aroostook County. Similiar situation in the other fifiteen counties. We rely on each other in smaller towns. If we did not, what makes the area special would be lost. The pitch in and work together would be missing and it would become dog eat dog, every man for himself. Maine is home grown not store bought. Home made always trumps something off the shelf any day.

    I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
    207.532.6573
    info@mooersrealty.com

  • Ever Been Maine Lobstering, Out On The Boat At Sea?

    Maine Steamed Lobsters Are Bright Red, Pretty Tasty. But They Start Out Dark Green.
    The Only Maine Lobster Fresher Is Still Swimming In The Ocean.

    Maine lobsters, they start out dark green, not bright red.

    Have you have been out on the ocean, off the rugged rock bound coast of Maine floating in a diesel powerful lobster boat? Dropping lobster pots, hauling in new traps later on in the journey along the coast of Maine?

    My oldest son Alex got the lobster experience off the coast of Eastport Maine this past weekend. This image shows a large female lobster with a notched tail which I was told meant back in the drink.

    Growing up in Aroostook County, an expert lobster fisherman I am not.

    Liking to crack them open, dip them in real Houlton Farms Dairy butter and enjoy a family feasts of lobsters, steamed clams is fun, filling.

    But what about the actual lobstering and regulations the fisherman have to work around, abide by?

    Here is more on Maine lobstering license regulations. And here is more on the general lobstering history, device names and terms associated with the fishing industry Maine is famous for, depends on in our tourist industry and for exporting.

    For several years, a group of friends would get together in South Harpswell Maine, park at the local marine. And boat over to Catalina Island to camp, tent for the weekend. No lobstering or clamming going on but got harvest some mussels that were pretty tasty.

    In theory the annual outing was a Blue Fish Maine tournament.

    None of us ever caught any but we still got the invitation each year.

    A new neat designed t-shirt to show we had been part of the invitational Maine blue fishing event to feel prestigious, special was handed out at the end of the weekend. You will find a slew of Maine islands along the coast to explore, claim as your own unique special Vacation spot. Maine, big state, friendly people, neat places to explore with all of our nooks, crannies and drop dead gorgeous four season beauty. We are known as “Vacationland”, reminded on every license plate for a reason. Find out why.

    I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
    207.532.6573
    info@mooersrealty.com

  • Crusty, A Little Obstinate Sometimes Way Maine Protrayed.

    Maine Is Four Season Outdoor Living, Down To Earth People.
    Explore, Discover, Sample Some Of All Maine Has To Offer.

    You know the joke about an out of stater lost along the coast of Maine asking a local how do you get to (fill in, pick the ME location).

    And after a long pause, dead pan expression, the guy in the overalls, piece of hay dangling out of the side of his mouth drawls after much thought “Chummy, you can not get there from HERE-ahhh”.

    For someone on a cruise ship parked off the Maine coast for a night or maybe only a few hours to come ashore, pick up some knick knacks, a t-shirt and tender back to the big boat before it leaves harbor, this coastal experience may be all she wrote. And the rest of what is Maine is like is figured, supposed to be more of the same. You need to return for another visit. Many treks to the Maine inland.

    Maine is a big state, sixteen counties worth. The people are hardworking, God fearing, family and local community oriented, driven, passionate. Would do anything for you, help you out. But as far as playing games, being highly political and manipulative, Mainers are not. They don’t jerk people around, hold hidden agendas as a rule. What you see is who they are. All the time. Day in, day out.

    The life here in Maine is simple. The people however are not. They have their feet on the ground.

    Their heads not in the clouds and there is one intense yet peaceful awareness of all the drop dead gorgeous Maine surroundings.

    And each and everyone of us taught to respect it, other people’s opinions too. With the same expected in return. A fair trade.

    Anthony Boudain’s “No Reservations” globe trotting local food, spirits with a little middle age philosophy wantonly thrown in to make it all well rounded, entertaining did a show on Maine. And in it, the distinction of perceptions depending on where you live in Maine was there in living color.
    Backed up by naturally captured audio starting from a Milo resident’s perspective, that the folks in Portland Maine are a little snobbish.

    And if you asked folks on that end of the Pine Tree State, depending on the day, you might get a response that those north of Bangor are a little hickish. One quote in the show from a recent transplant from Vermont indicated folks way up north are 200 and 300 years behind the times. Ouch. From an expert who had never been north of where the Maine turnpike stops collecting quarters. Setting travelers loose to speed up the rest of Interstate 95 to where it connects to the Trans Canadian highway in my home town of Houlton Maine.

    Come see for yourself, sample the areas, meet all the people. Stay, visit long enough to draw your own conclusions and chew the fat with the locals of Maine. Fill up with local naturally grown, raised food and take in the jaw dropping out of this world scenery. Maine, too pretty not to be shared. The secret is out about Vacationland. Get here quick as you can. Experience our refreshing tell it like it is candor, without the spin, games.

    I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
    207.532.6573
    info@mooersrealty.com

  • Maine Farms, Open House Tours of 112.

    Baling Hay In Maine. Hot Summer Play Time.
    Hay Balers, Adding Twine, Stacking The Small Square Bales.

    What is it like to work, live on a Maine farm? Open house tours on 112 Maine farms happens July 24th through out the sixteen counties of Vacationland.

    The 22nd year of celebrating the rural farming in Maine flavor to the public is called “Open Farm Day”.

    Maine farming is not just potatoes, blueberries, grains and broccoli. More than dairy and beef. Or a few chickens, small animals with hobby farming level of activity. Here in Maine, farming is sustainable and the owners of these family spreads, properties are passionate about living off the land.

    To find out more about “Open House Maine Farm Tours” and to locate the nearest working operation to you, log on to scan the list. Or call 207.287.3871 and learn much more than this Maine blog post provides about getting the down home, up close and personal farm tour with your family, friends.

    See real working Maine farms in operation.

    You’re invited, expected for the education.

    Farming in Maine has become more visible as shoppers for wholesome, close to home grown produce are supporting them with eagerness. Maine’s “Open House” visiting hours are 10 in the morning to 3 in the afternoon. Bring the kids, get them exposed to field tours, milking, hay rides, petty zoos, nature trails, plenty of scenery. And maybe some product tasting, sampling too! Maine, one beautiful, rural agricultural state second to none.

    I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
    207.532.6573
    info@mooersrealty.com

  • Gardening, Growing Your Own Food In Maine.

    Planting, Weeding, Maine Vegetable Gardening Takes A System, Organization.
    Maine Vegetables, Produce, Food Pretty Attractive, Handy Three Times A Day.

    This time of year in Maine where summer has turned to day after day of blue skies and sunshine, vegetable gardens have taken off.

    The food from a Maine garden is satisfying on many levels. First the wholesome, natural home grown taste can make your mouth water as you think of new potatoes, beats, lettuce, peas, beans. Or plucking onions, looking for cucumbers and eventually squash and corn can have the same reaction.

    Maine has lots of roadside vegetable stands and down town farmers markets. But the garden out behind or beside a home spring up all around the area of Maine I live.

    Pride in some Maine gardens with flowers mixed in along the edges.

    Or a hanging plastic owl to attempt to keep four legged thieves out of that garden.

    But too much rain, or an infestation of potato aphids, other pests mean a watchful eye is needed to get the garden from spring planting to harvest through the summer in to fall harvest. That is the true essence of farming. Planting, tilling, watering, providing love and attention.

    Gardens in Maine, anywhere do not just happen. And they can get away from you. Or you can be slow on the draw getting them in. Seedlings germinating in moist paper towels in the kitchen cooking bowl. Planted in peat pots with the green peppers, tomatoes destined for the south side sun porch as they shoot skyward.

    Maine home grown local food is pretty addictive.

    Three times a day at least it is nice to be able to sit down, put on the feed bag and get the empty stomach alarm to go off. Settle down. But working with the Maine weather you have adds to the unpredictable sport of gardening too.

    Do you plant a garden and how big, what kinds of vegetables or fruits? Have you been part of the very chatty, social lot that show up at local Maine farmer’s markets? And while we’re on the subject, do you raise chickens, eggs, other produce? What you eat, where it came from and saving money make being on your knees in a Maine garden a win win win situation. Where I live on the Canadian border, trips to pick strawberries, apples is common to subsidize what we grow on our own on this side of the Maine International border.

    I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker

  • Maine Land Speed Races, Loring Air Force Base Limestone ME

    Land Speed World Trial Races In Limestone Maine, Moose Loose Would Not Be Good.
    The 2.5 Mile Long Loring Air Force Base Runway Better Be Moose Free For Land Speed Trial Races.

    Going very fast, see world records made on land speed races at Loring Air Force Base in Limestone Maine July 15 through the 17th in Aroostook County.

    This summer’s land speed record trials in Northern Maine are year three. With over 150 North American cars and motorcycles gathered together for high speed competitions. If you were on board for the 2010 Land Speed Races at Loring Air Force Base In Limestone you saw a motorcyle attempt the first ever 300 miles per hour record.

    The former runway for B-52 and other American airplanes at this air force base facility is 2.5 miles long. And known around the racing circuits as the perfect spot on earth to set world land speed records.

    Watch racers in Northern Maine go very very fast and witness history in the land speed trials being made front and center.

    Nothing planned this weekend and car all gassed up to head up Interstate 95 for something new and different, exciting? Head to Limestone Maine’s Loring Air Base. More details on the 2011 Maine Land Speed Races at the former LAFB in Limestone.

    Other entertainment options for the weekend too with Maine blues, celtic music festivals too. Maine, way way more than light houses, lobsters, potato fields and Mt Katahdin. Come see what you are missing.

    I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
    207.532.6573
    info@mooersrealty.com