WARREN — The second episode of the “Turn on the Faucets: Ensuring Clean Water for All” series will be broadcast on Thursday, Aug. 22 at 10 a.m. and will include a visit to Begin Again Farm, 1133 Finntown Road in Warren. The farm is owned and operated by Bill Pluecker and Chloe Maxmin.
Bill Pluecker represents the 44th congressional district in the state legislature and is chairman of the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee. He has been a farmer for nearly twenty years, providing organic food to the community and mentoring dozens of farmers to start their own farms. Chloe Maxmin grew up on her family’s farm in Nobleboro and began farming with Pluecker several years ago. Maxmin served as a member of the Maine House of Representatives in 2018 and the Maine Senate in 2020. Pluecker and Maxmin share their farm with Pluecker’s children and Maxmin’s dog and their beloved cows and chickens.
Begin Again Farm is a certified organic farm and produces vegetables for local food banks through the Mainers Feeding Mainers program. This initiative of the Good Shepard Food Bank pays farmers to grow food for food distribution sites across the state. To ensure bountiful harvests, Begin Again Farm must have adequate clean water. Pluecker is particularly concerned about water quality and the impact of PFAS on farmland. He advocates for raising awareness about PFAS pollution and the need to raise awareness and advocate on this issue to ensure that farms will be able to provide adequate food for all communities in the future.
This program is open to the public and free of charge. Participants are asked to wear boots and bring portable chairs. Parking is limited and carpooling is encouraged. Refreshments will be provided. In the event of heavy rain, the program will be moved to Nativity Lutheran Church, 179 Old County Road, Rockport.
This event will be followed by “The Water Connection: Risks and Impacts of Metal Mining in Maine” on September 7 at the Rockport Opera House with Jan Morrill of Earthworks and Ralph Chapman, retired state legislator and industrial engineer.
The program is sponsored by Nativity Lutheran Church. For more information, visit the church website at http://www.nativityrockport.org or contact Denise at [email protected].
