The 2009 Maine CSA Fair will be held at 11 locations throughout Maine, from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday, February 8th.  The fair is co-sponsored by the Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association, the Maine Council of Churches, and Slow Food Portland.

Here are the 11 locations:
Belfast         Unitarian Universalist Church of Belfast, 37 Miller St
Brunswick    St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 27 Pleasant St
Canaan        Union Church, Rt.2
Ellsworth      Unitarian Universalist Church of Ellsworth  121 Bucksport Rd
Farmington   Fairbanks School Meeting House, 508 Fairbanks Rd
Hallowell      St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, 18 Union St
Newcastle    Second Congregational Church, River Rd
Norway        Christ Episcopal Church, 35 Paris St
Orono          Orono  Senior Center, Birch St
Portland       First Parish Church of Portland, 425 Congress St
Saco           First Parish Church of Saco (UCC), 12 Beach St

Adminission is free.  Whether you're ready to sign up for a CSA or CSF share, or you just want to find out more about how it all works, head down to the fair nearest to you.  

CSAs and CSFs are fantastic ways to make your grocery shopping easier by securing access to the freshest local and in-season produce and other farm products.  How does it work?  Basically, you buy a "share" for the season, then, at a designated time each week, you pick up your food.  Some farms use a "pick your own" method, while others pick and pack your order, while others deliver your order to a central location.

Community Supported Fisheries are on the rise because they give the consumer the freshest possible seafood at a great price.  Cutting out all the people in the middle gives fishermen a bigger piece of the pie.  (This is the first time CSFs are featured at the annual CSA fair.)  For more information about CSFs and other marine topics visit the Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance website.