Youth Enterprises among events geared toward young attendees

September 24, 2011

Common Ground Fair lets kids flourish, too

UNITY -- Mazie Biswell wants a micro pig.

click image to enlarge

Armando Absalom, 4, of Weld, cools off from a sprinkler creation by Joaquin Mills creator of Hotcopper Garden Art at the Common Ground Fair in Unity Friday.

Staff photo by Michael G. Seamans

To earn the $800 she needs to buy one of the trendy, pint-sized pets, the enterprising 12-year-old sold her hand-made felt pigs for $12 each Friday at the Common Ground Country Fair.

Biswell, who has several regular-sized swine at her Durham home, wants a micro pig to cuddle with that will live inside like dogs and cats. She said micro pigs, which grow to about 14 inches tall and tip the scales at 40 to 60 pounds, can be house trained.

The home-schooled youth also sold felt pot-holders; she gleaned the felt from recycled sweaters.

A host of young entrepreneurs ages 11 to 17 joined Biswell to sell goods underneath a yellow-and-white striped tent set up to house the Youth Enterprise Zone.

The zone, which is coordinated by Patricia Logan, is intended to showcase what the next generation has in store.

In addition to selling their crafts and food, the zone gives participants the opportunity to learn marketing skills and interact with shoppers.

Several young sellers came with goals in mind.

Emma Goltz, 12, of Damariscotta, was seated at a table across an aisle from Biswell; she also sold hand-made felt products, including dolls and bumblebees.

Goltz said she pours through magazines and craft stores for ideas.

The profits, she said, enable her to go horseback riding.

Rusty Sugg of Palermo wants to buy an iPod touch with the money he makes hawking Rusty's Fire Hot Sauce for $5 a bottle.

The 12-year-old called the fiery concoction perfect and said he splashes it on eggs and tacos.

Ingredients, he said, are habanero peppers, carrots, vinegar, lemon juice and salt.

Art supplies are what Silas Gordon needs for his drawings that grace the front of cards, which cost $2, and posters, which sold for $16.

The 11-year-old home-schooled boy from Oxford said he may pursue art as a career.

For now, he said he'll use his earnings to buy Legos.

Youth interested in participating next year in the Youth Enterprise Zone may call 568-4142.

Beth Staples -- 861-9252

bstaples@centralmaine.com

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