If Maine is the way life should be, then the annual Common Ground Country Fair gives us some reasons why.

The non-traditional three-day fair is unusual for its lack of carnival games, rides, and stalls of unhealthy fried foods; what it lacks in amusement-park atmosphere it makes up for with hundreds of vendors selling organic foods, locally made crafts, and a way of life that hearkens both back to our agricultural roots and forward toward a sustainable future.

The 31st Common Ground fair is happening this year on September 21, 22, and 23 in Unity, and it’ll turn the small town into a big classroom, where 50,000 fair attendees can competitively toss manure (the Harry S Truman Memorial Manure Toss will take place on Saturday) before sitting in on a worm-composting workshop (at least one Phoenix employee may purchase a vermicomposting bin), then chow down some local cuisine (every dish served in the food area must contain at least 50 percent local ingredients) and watch the Oxen Log Scooting Contest (we’re not sure what that is, but it sure sounds fun!).

The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association is hosting the fair and coordinating its many volunteers. To learn more, visit www.mofga.org.