Wait... Maine in WISCONSIN?!!

Okay, how weird is this? There is a town in Wisconsin called Maine. But wait-- actually there are two towns called Maine in Wisconsin. Not only that, but the Wisconsonites have a blueberry festival. No, I'm not kidding.

This year, Jeff Utech, who runs the festival at Utech's Rainbow Farm, finished work on a catapult, "which will fling a large fake blueberry into a field that will be marked with spaces. Folks will get a chance to win a blueberry pie with that game." Wow. How come no one in Maine has a giant fake blueberry flinging catapault?!!! Plus there are lots of goats and a pair of yodeling twins.

I found all this out because the event, although happening in Merrill, which is about 80 miles from the town of Maine as the crow flies, was entered as an article and somehow associated with the town of Maine in its byline. Go figure. I do enjoy serendipity in blogging.

Go! Best bet: Long live the blueberry
JULY 24, 2008
Keith Uhlig, Wausau Daily Herald

TOWN OF MAINE -- The humble blueberry will be celebrated with music, games and, of course, pie and other food on Saturday.

The third annual Blueberry Blitz will be held from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Utech's Rainbow Farm, 3880 Rainbow Drive.

Farm owner Jeff Utech and his family plant about eight acres of blueberries each year. They decided to hold the Blueberry Blitz as a way of sharing their farm.

"We like to educate people so they can really see what the farm is about," Utech said.

The farm is unusual. Utech sells goat milk, and there are about 500 goats on the farm. Although the blueberries get top billing, the goats are featured too, Utech said.

"Kids can milk goats with their own hands," he said. People also will get the opportunity to lead a goat or a llama on a pasture walk, buy arts and crafts and participate in goat cart races.

Live music will be on tap throughout the day. Doubletake, the yodeling twins Ryan and Brad Hildebrand of Merrill, will perform at 11 a.m. The Magees of Wausau, a band that mixes traditional Irish tunes with rock music, will play from noon to 2 p.m. and Vinny Bex Dae, an alternative rock duo, will take the stage from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Last week, Utech was finishing work on a catapult, which will fling a large fake blueberry into a field that will be marked with spaces. Folks will get a chance to win a blueberry pie with that game.

Blueberry Blitz costs $5 for adults, $3 for children ages 6 through12 and free for ages 5 and younger.

Directions to Utech's Rainbow Farm: Take Highway K nine miles north of Wausau, then turn east onto Rainbow Drive. It's the first farm on the left. Signs will point to a parking area, and attendees can catch a hay ride shuttle to the farm and back again. For more information, call 536-7271.

[Source]