REGION — Turn out for Open Farm Day was light at two area farms, Sunday, July 23.

“It’s been slow,” Rob Boothby of Boothby’s Orchard & Farm Winery, said shortly after noon.

Sunday afternoon, July 23, Lois Kinzer of Lexington, Massachusetts and Mt. Vernon at left watches while Adney Boothby grinds corn into cornmeal at Boothby’s Orchard & Farm Winery in Livermore. The farm was one of several in the region that participated in Open Farm Day. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser

Lois Kinzer of Lexington, Massachusetts, who also has a place in Mount Vernon watched as Rob’s daughter, Adney Boothby, ground corn into cornmeal.

After the colorful dried kernels were removed, all that remained were the cobs. The cobs were also colorful, with one being primarily purple and another more golden.

Lance Wieland of Dixfield chooses an onion Sunday afternoon, July 23, at Boothby’s Orchard & Farm Winery farmstand in Livermore. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser

Lance and Marycarol Wieland of Dixfield were looking for pickling cucumbers and other vegetables.

“We come here a couple of times a summer,” Lance said after hefting a large onion before putting another one in a bag. “We try to hit all the farmstands, support the farmers.”

“We moved here a couple years ago,” Marycarol said. “We want to help our neighbors.”

Lance said they went from an area with 80,000 people in it to one with 2,000.

Tart cherries, decorated cookies and farm-themed earrings were some of the things chosen by other customers.

Rob Boothby said there would be no pumpkin patch this year, as the area usually used is one of the wettest and with the wet spring they couldn’t be planted. He will be looking at a different location for next year.

The apple crop is also questionable at this time after a late freeze on May 18. It is not known yet whether there will be pick-your-own available this year.

What apples there are may be saved for wholesale customers, Adney noted.

Dreamin’ Fahm, owned by Faith and Robert Jones in Wilton also took part in Open Farm Day. A few visitors relaxed on the porch while Faith Jones rang up their purchases.

Edith Soule in front and Cutler Bettencourt run through an obstacle course Sunday afternoon, July 23, at Dreamin’ Fahm in Wilton. Edith is a neighbor while Cutler is the grandson of farm owners Robert and Faith Jones. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser

Faith Jones also noted turnout had been lower than in other years. She thought the event had been advertised well, was not sure why more people were not taking part.

Neighboring children then arrived, to the delight of grandson Cutler Bettencourt. “This is the second time he has been here for the summer,” Faith Jones said. “His mom is in the Navy reserves.”

For a time Cutler and siblings Ivy, Olivia, Emily and Edith Soule enjoyed racing around a fenced in obstacle course. Several turns and a few bales of hay had to be traversed before a bicycle horn could be honked signaling a successful completion.

Ivy Soule of Wilton feeds a peanut to a goat kid Sunday afternoon, July 23, at Dreamin’ Fahm in Wilton. The farm was one of several in the area taking part in Open Farm Day. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser

A visit to the barn drew cries of dismay from the children until Faith could assure them the goats had been given access to the outdoors and were not “out” by accident.

Ava, a large tan colored doe, and Banana, a smaller black and white one, plus several of this year’s kids were in one enclosure in the barn. Several others were in a separate area.

The goats love to eat peanuts in the shell and cups filled with the snacks were given to the children to feed to the goats.

“Ava is a little lame,” Robert said. She is the first goat the farm has had long enough for that to be an issue, he noted.

Banana pokes her head through the fence Sunday afternoon, July 23, at Dreamin’ Fahm in Wilton. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser

Goats are curious creatures and Banana stuck her head through the fence to get a closer look at what was happening outside her enclosure. Several also reached out to nibble on the notebook and investigate the camera hung around the reporter’s neck.

Later Sunday the Livermore Falls Advertiser was told visitor turnout at Rocky Ridge Farm & Feed in Canton was also light.

While attendance might have been down this year, those that did visit local farms made new memories of their interactions with local farmers and their operations.