By Scott Mitchell Johnson
Staff Writer
MAPLETON, Maine — A photograph of Mapleton dairy farmer Vaughn Chase receiving a “kiss” from his cow, Ice Cream, will be part of an exhibit this month at the Maine Farmland Trust’s Gallery in Belfast.
When Gallery Coordinator Anna Abaldo invited farmers to submit pictures of their favorite things for the next gallery exhibit, she ended up receiving more than 300 photographs, including the summertime photo of Ice Cream nuzzling up to Chase, who owns and operates the 600-acre Chase’s Organic Dairy Farm on the Creasy Ridge Road in Mapleton.
“The best part about this show is that the pictures were taken by the farmers and farm workers themselves, so we get to see the daily life at the farm, and the highlights of different days, through farmers’ eyes,” said Abaldo, noting that more than 30 farmers sent in photos.
Chase said the photo was actually taken by Jami Badershall, communications manager for the Maine Dairy & Nutrition Council and Maine Dairy Promotion Board.
“Jami writes a blog and she came up last June and did an article on our farm and took some pictures,” said Chase. “I was patting the different cows; they’re all quite friendly. They’re all hand-raised and get a lot of handling. They’re no strangers to humans.
“They mostly turn around and sniff you,” he laughed. “They don’t actually kiss you; it’s more of a sniff or a lick.”
Copies of the photos were given to the Chase family, and it was Vaughn’s wife, Laura, who submitted it to the Maine Farmland Trust.
“We’re involved in Maine’s Own Organic Milk Co. (MOO Milk) and we have a Facebook page that my wife takes care of. She posts lots of different pictures, and the Maine Farmland Trust is a ‘Friend’ of ours,” said Chase. “That picture on Facebook got a lot of comments. People were talking about our friendly cows.”
Chase said it was “pretty cool” to learn he would be part of the “These Are a Few of my Favorite Things” exhibit.
“I’ve never been part of an art exhibit before,” he said. “The Maine Farmland Trust does good work, and they really promote farming.”
Abaldo said she did not curate the show, but rather, accepted all submissions, ensuring more accurate representation of real farm life.
“This show is really about the farmers and what they cherish,” she said. The photos have been printed on regular glossy cardstock and will hang “home-style, un-framed, like a big collage.”
This is the first time Maine Farmland Trust has drawn on photos taken by farmers to create a gallery show, but judging by the response from the farmers, Abaldo thinks it may set a precedent for a yearly exhibit.
Among the interactive elements included in the exhibit are a response board, so that visitors can also share their favorite things about farms; a questionnaire which guides visitors to look for certain elements in the photographs; and several farm recipes to take home. Given that this show is well-suited to children, Abaldo hopes that families and schools will take advantage of the exhibit.
A Farmer Reception with refreshments, open to the public, will be held Friday, Feb. 7 from 3-5 p.m. “These Are a Few of my Favorite Things” will be on display until March 3.
Located at 97 Main St. in Belfast, the Maine Farmland Trust Gallery is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. For more information, log onto www.mainefarmlandtrustgallery.org or email Abaldo at anna@mainefarmlandtrust.org.
