In-Person

This is a once-a-month walkabout in a nearby woodland.  It will involve some travel, not to exceed 45 minutes, with carpooling encouraged.  Outings will be planned for 2 or fewer hours, excluding travel time.

Dates: June 16, July 21, August 4, September 15, 2026

Time: 9:30 am - Variable

Location: TBD

Ray is a devoted sportsman and outdoorsman, and has led numerous hiking and paddling tours with Gold LEAF.

In-Person

We Gold LEAFers love sharing our stories and eating, so why not combine the two?

We will gather at the picnic tables in the pavilion at Walton's Mill Park in  West Farmington to discuss (OF COURSE) our most memorable food stories. At the same time, we will enjoy our brown bag lunches and a lovely view of the water flowing by.

At the park, there are bathroom facilities and drinking water, but no vending machines or other sources of food, so this is a BRING YOUR OWN event.

Date: June 23, 2026

Time: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm

Location: Walton's Mill Park, 208 Temple Rd, West Farmington, ME

Eileen remembers leading other similar topics (such as most memorable job disasters) in very fun discussion sessions.  Hopefully, this gathering will include no food disasters.

In-Person

Paddling local waters will begin with traveling in personal vehicles for up to 45 minutes to a nearby lake, pond, stream, or river. Destinations will be based on participants' interests and skill levels.   

In general, launch sites will offer relatively easy parking and access to the water.  Participants are responsible for travel, safety, and equipment, along with any personal items they wish to bring. 

The trips will leave from the Park and Ride in Farmington at 9:30 am, but independent travel to the launch site is also okay.  Return will be between 12 and 1:00 pm.  A description of each upcoming outing and related details will be sent by email about a week ahead.

Dates: June 24, July 15, August 19, September 23, 2026

Time: 9:30 am - Variable

Location: TBD

Ray has paddled many waters in the local area over the last 20 or so years, fishing and enjoying the Maine outdoors.  Many of those outings have involved Gold LEAF.

In-Person

Join a group of casual walkers for exercise and sharing goodwill.  At each session (roughly three per month), we will meet and walk 1-2 hours on mostly flat and obstacle-free paths, trails, or roads in the greater Farmington area, starting in late June. 

Walks may include the Whistle Stop Trail, the Prescott Field Trail, the Explore Farmington on Foot Trail (I made that up!), and more. Walk guides are Barbara Toner and Lisa Bailey. 

Dates: June 25, 2026

July 9, 20, 27, 2026

August 3, 20, 27, 2026

September 2, 11, 24, 2026

Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Location: TBD

Barb Toner and Lisa Bailey are longtime “walk and talk” friends who appreciate what Western Maine has to offer for the outdoor adventurer. They are retired teachers who still love to share with others and take time to smell the roses while keeping active.

In Person

We will walk a loop in the Woodland preserve, focusing on trees, birds, and the two small ponds.

Date: June 30, 2026

Rain Date: July 7, 2026

Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Location: Peter Miller Woodland Loop Trail, Anderson Rd, Vienna, ME 04360

Carpooling TBD

Deb is a regular GLI member and nature presenter. She graduated from the Maine Master Naturalist Program in 2020.

In-Person

Tour Riverside Greenhouses and Florist with owner Garrett Reynolds and participate in a Q & A about their floriculture operation. Learn how plants are grown, managed, and brought to market while gaining insight into the day-to-day workings of a thriving greenhouse business.

Date: July 6th, 2026

Time: 10:00 am - 11:30 am

Location: Riverside Greenhouses and Florist, 169 Farmington Falls Rd, Farmington, ME

In 1986, Kurt Reynolds purchased Riverside Greenhouses and Florist after working for the company for 13 years. Under his ownership, the business thrived and tripled in size.

As Riverside continued to grow, so did the Reynolds family’s involvement. Garrett Reynolds followed in his father’s footsteps, becoming the fifth owner in Riverside’s history. Garrett further expanded the business by adding additional greenhouses.

Today, the Reynolds family members work side-by-side, continuing a proud tradition of serving their community.

In-person

Join us for an introduction to the concepts inherent to fly fishing: similarities and differences of spin fishing with lures, basic casting and fishing techniques, aquatic insects and their emergence times, and more. This class will be hands-on: a blend of lecture, demonstration, and coaching.

Date: July 10, 2026

Time: 10:00 am-12:00 pm

Location: TBD

John Bell, an English teacher at Mountain Valley High School, is also an avid outdoorsman who enjoys sharing his knowledge of fly fishing with anyone willing to give it a try. He came to Maine via Camp Kawanhee in Weld and still works there in the summer, encouraging campers in several activities, including fishing.

In-person

This trip will include touring two historical sites.

The Frances Perkins National Monument consists of the historic 1837 Perkins Homestead on 57 acres of farmland and forest with a 1.5-mile loop trail to the Damariscotta River. We will learn about the life and legacy of Frances Perkins in the Welcome Center inside the beautifully restored ell and barn of the Perkins Homestead. There is a self-guided exhibit. We will spend about 1.5-2 hours viewing the exhibit and walking the trail. 

We will then take the 10-minute drive to Whaleback Shell Midden. This is an 11-acre property owned by the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands and co-managed with Coastal Rivers. There, we can enjoy a picnic lunch or snacks before exploring.

The site once contained a massive oyster shell heap, or midden, formed over a period of more than 1,000 years by prehistoric people. The shells were processed for chicken feed in the late 1800’s, leaving behind just a fraction of the original mounds. Interpretive storyboards relate the history of the middens, their accumulation and destruction, and also share stories of the Upper Damariscotta River.

The swinging bench by the shore offers an ideal view of one of the largest intact middens on the East Coast, the Glidden Midden, just across the river. This trail is rated accessible by Forest Service standards: 8′ wide, gently graded, and surfaced with firm crushed stone dust. Handicap parking is available at both the Whaleback and Round Top Farm trailheads.

Frances Perkins Center: https://francesperkinscenter.org/

Whaleback Shell Midden Historic Site: https://tinyurl.com/mskhsn8a

Maine.gov Whalebakc Shell Midden: https://tinyurl.com/4nm5akm5

Carpooling: Meet in the Park 'n Ride lot next to the Farmington Walgreens. We will leave Farmington at 8:30 am for the 1.5-hour trip to the Frances Perkins National Monument, with an expected arrival time of 10 am.

Dates: July 22, 2026   Rain Date: July 24, 2026

Time: 10:00 am - midafternoon

Location: Frances Perkins National Monument, 478 River Rd, Newcastle, ME

Nadine is interested in history and exploring historical sites. She will be coordinating this trip, including carpooling.