Harrison, ME

July 1, 7 p.m. Woodblock Prints by Holly Meade, opening reception, Denmark Arts Center, 50 West Main Street, Denmark Village. FMI: www.denmarkarts.org.

July 2-4, all day and night, NATEVA, music and camping festival, a 50-band jam featuring mostly jam and indie-rock bands, including Further with surviving Grateful Dead members Phil Lesh and Bob Weir on Sunday, plus yoga classes, roving performing artists, a Ferris wheel and bouncy house, legal fireworks, farmers' market, massage tent and kids' craft area, prices vary, on-site camping sold out, free shuttle buses available, Oxford County Fairgrounds, Route 26, Oxford. FMI: www.natevafestival.com.

July 2, 5-7 p.m. First Friday Art Walk, various locations throughout Bridgton, sponsored by Gallery 302, 112 Main Street, Bridgton. FMI: 207.647.ARTS, www.gallery302.org.

July 2, 5-8 p.m. In Harmony with Nature: Etchings by Vito DeVito, opening reception, free, light refreshments, Frost Farm Gallery, 272 Pikes Hill, Norway. FMI: 207.743.8041, www.frostfarmgallery.com.

July 2, 3 and 7 at 7:30 p.m., July 4 at 5 p.m. "West Side Story," $18/adults, $16/students, Schoolhouse Arts Center, 16 Richville Road, Standish. FMI: 207.642.3743, www.schoolhousearts.org.

July 3, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. 21st Annual Bethel Art Fair, featuring 60 of the finest artists and artisans in Maine, plus hand-painted ARTirondack Chairs on preview, musical and theatrical performances, and great food, Bethel Common, Bethel. FMI: 207.824.3575, www.mahoosucarts.org.

July 3, 7:30 p.m. Stone Mountain LIVE! presented by Carol Noonan and friends, featuring Scottish master fiddler Alasdair Fraser and cello ace Natalie Haas, tickets available as general admission for $45 (arrive at 6:30) or with a big family style dinner included for $68 (dinner served at 6, arrive at 5:30), Stone Mountain Arts Center, 695 Dugway Road, Brownfield. FMI: 207.935.7292, www.stonemountainartscenter.com.

July 3, 7:30 p.m. Band Concert featuring the Bridgton Community Band, followed by fireworks, at the band stand, Stevens Brook Elementary School, Francis Bell Drive, Bridgton. FMI: www.bridgtoncommunityband.org.

July 4, 8 a.m. 34th annual 4 on the 4th Road Race, race begins by Food City on Lower Main Street and ends at Bridgton Memorial School, online registration ($15) closes July 2 at 11:59 p.m., paper registration July 2 ($20), race day registration ($25), pick up chip and number at Bridgton Memorial School, Francis Bell Drive, Bridgton. FMI: www.4onthefourth.com.

July 5, 7 p.m. Act V, musical memories from the 1950s -70s, $7.50/person, refreshments served, Poland Spring Preservation Society, 37 Preservation Way, Poland Spring. FMI: 207.998.4142, www.polandspringps.org.

July 6, 6:30 p.m. Paul Winterman's art exhibit, opening reception in the Backstage Art Gallery, followed by an 8 p.m. show of The Radio Gang, featuring vintage American country music from the 1930s and 40s, Deertrees Theatre and Cultural Center, 156 Deertrees Road, Harrison. FMI: 207.583.6747, www.deertreestheatre.org.

Have you ever dreamed of having a four season Maine vacation lakefront home, but could never stretch the budget far enough to make it happen? Have you ever thought that to get the kind of vacation home that you'd really like you'd have to spend a minimum of $400,000 and that was a price you could not afford?

Well, there is no free lunch and great Maine vacation homes on the water at unreasonably low prices do not exist, at least to my knowledge. However, there may be a property out there that affords many of the features you crave without having the high price tag and the high property taxes that go along with it.

Try this on. Nearly new, post and beam log home, year round living, with almost 2000 sf of living area. Open layout with plenty of light and great views of the lake from your living room or deck. Two bedrooms with more room in the partially finished, walk out basement. Easy access, right across the street, to a beautiful public sand beach, picnic area, ball field, and boat launch. Walking distance to a lovely New England village with two restaurants, two convenience stores, library, post office, town office, churches, and lots of white clapboard houses and friendly townspeople.

We currently have such a property for sale located at 25 Norway Road in Harrison, Maine. It lists for well under $400,000. In fact, it lists for well under $300,000. If this place had it's own, private 100 feet of lake frontage it would probably list for close to $500,000. But, it does not have its own private frontage and, because of that, comes in at an affordable asking price of just $255,900.

What this property affords its owner is the cheerful ambiance found in a post and beam log home, and easy access to all the amenities offered at the south end of Crystal Lake in Harrison, which lies just across the street from its front door. Grab your towel and walk 200 feet to the beautiful sand beach and swim area. Get your picnic basket and walk 150 feet to the shaded picnic area overlooking the lake. Put your boat in just 100 feet down the road at the public boat launch.

And don't forget, this is a year round home. Come up in January, turn up the heat, and go skiing at Shawnee Peak, just 20 minutes away, or Sunday River, about 45 minutes away. Of course, there's always plenty of ice fishing and cross country skiing on Crystal Lake, as well as easy access to miles and miles of groomed snowmobile trails.

Are you getting the picture? Would you like more information or a closer look? Click here to see more details and call or email Jon Whitney at jon@mrlakefront.net and 207-671-7595 to set up a showing. Come have a look. I think you'll be pleased with what you'll find.

Lots of open water makes Long Lake, in the Sebago Lake Watershed of western Maine, a boaters' paradise.

Long Lake is the northern link in the chain of lakes that includes Brandy Pond and Sebago Lake and is bordered by three area towns: Naples, Bridgton, and Harrison.

At 11 miles long, you'll find the Naples Causeway at Long Lake's southern tip. Abundant activities occur at the Causeway during the summer months. Tour the lake on the Songo River Queen II, a replica of a Mississippi Paddle Wheeler, get a bird's eye view from the North Country Scenic Seaplane Rides, learn to sail with Sebago Sailing, rent a boat from Long Lake Marina, pull up to the town dock to grab a bite to eat at Freedom Café, Sandy's Flight Deck, Rick's Café or The Tiki Bar and Grill, or shop in downtown Naples. Winter activities include ice fishing and the Naples Winter Carnival events.

At the northern tip, you'll find the village of Harrison. Dock your boat and stroll about town. Things are a bit quieter in Harrison, but this is the home of the Lake Region Sailing Club, comprised of sailors of different skill levels. During the summer months about 25 boats gather to race each Tuesday evening. In the winter, the Harrison Recreation Department clears an area for public skating. Any time of the year, you can get dine at the Caswell House and Olde Mill Tavern or grab a quick bite to eat at the Village Tie-Up or the Market Basket.

At 4,867 acres, Long Lake is popular with water skiers and boaters. There are numerous coves to explore. And the fishing is great. Smallmouth bass catches average 2-4 pounds, while largemouth average about 3 pounds, but don't be surprised by a larger catch. This is a popular lake for bass angling tournaments. State Fisheries Biologist, Brian Lewis, caught a 6-pound brown trout near Harrison. Landlocked salmon are also frequently caught here.

The water quality is good, but currently rated by the Lakes Environmental Association (LEA) and the State of Maine as having a high degree of concern due to apprehension about the rapid development in the watershed. So far Eurasian Milfoil is not a problem, but according to Peter Lowell, Executive Director of LEA, the goal is to keep it from spreading from the Songo River and Brandy Pond into Long Lake via boats.

Along the shores of Long Lake you'll find three residential summer camps. Camp Takajo in Naples is a premiere camp for boys. Camp Newfound for girls and Camp Owatonna for boys in Harrison offer programs for Christian Scientists.

LEA has benefited from associations with these camps, and annual meetings have been held at both sites.

If you're on vacation in Harrison, Maine, perhaps staying at a nice lakeside cottage or cabin, there's no better compliment to that two pound lobster or burger on the grill than a nice ear of corn or grilled vegetable mix made from the fresh produce available at Frosty Hollow Farm.

Casual and welcoming, Frosty Hollow Farm has been serving repeat customers of the Oxford Hills and Greater Bridgton Lakes Region area for 29 years.

Richard and Laurie Jennings purchased the farm in October of 1980. Today they own 20 acres and their farm stand on Route 117 in Harrison and another 15 acres on Maple Ridge.

Richard says, "Our repeat customers are very faithful. They're good people. We have as many local customers as out-of-staters." People love coming here because they are greeted by name and always with a smile.

Though the tomato crop isn't doing well due to late blight, they continue to raise corn, string beans, wax beans, cucumbers, zuchinni and summer squash. I was thankful to find the squash and cucumbers there because the crops in my small kitchen garden are struggling this year.

"Over the years it's been an up and down business", Richard says. "It's very dependent on the weather."

In fact, he could only plant about 60% of his fields this year due to the rain. But never fear, he still has plenty to offer. And the sun is finally shining.

Frosty Hollow Farm opens to sell peas and beet greens the last week of June. They try to stay open until mid-October, when pumpkins are their main crop.

When not working on the farm, Richard also manages the Field of Dreams Recreation Complex (in his spare time?!) and has spent the last 27 winters managing the rental/repair shop at Shawnee Peak Ski Area.

We're going to have some corn on the cob for supper tonight that I purchased at Frosty Hollow Farm this morning. My mouth is already watering for it. You can get some too . . . they're open 10 a.m. 'til 5 p.m.

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Imagine giving up your job to live, work and play on the lakefront of Long Lake in Harrison.

Working for years in sales and marketing in the corporate world took a toll on Kristen and Shawn Walker. Because they both traveled a lot for business, they felt like they were two ships passing in the night.

To remedy that, they decided to search on-line for a business where they could work together. Through this search they stumbled upon the Village Tie-Up Market and Deli on Main Street in Harrison. At the end of September 2007, the Walkers purchased the store from Bob and Janet Swett.

It was the uniqueness of the property that enticed them. The Village Tie-Up is located on Main Street and Long Lake. Customers arrive via car or boat. Roadside or lakeside, they fill up the gas tank or grab a bite to eat.

More than just a little convenience store, this shop caters to the "wonderful, local clientele . . . the regulars who sustain the business" and seasonal guests.

In the last year the Walkers completely renovated the interior and added some signature items including more fresh produce, meal replacements for those who like to grab and go, more grocery items, expanded wine and video areas as well as fresh baked goods. Picnic tables continue to be available on the waterside. And they offer unleaded and super gas, plus diesel, a necessity for many local contractors.

According to Kristen, they've "worked hard to keep gas prices competitive and not gouge the customers. It's important to us to do that for the consumer. That's one of our goals."

Their other goals include creating a place where people want to come, providing good and unique items and continuing to offer the best customer service. "Grow it, develop it, expand it in other areas," says Kristen.

And one of those other areas became evident this past spring when they opened a National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) Dive Shop called The Dive Center.

NAUI is the world's most respected diver training organization. As avid divers, it seemed only natural that Kristen and Shawn incorporate this into their business plan. With the help of Dive Masters Dan and Jason, they now offer a full range of training programs from basic to advanced certification. Classes are scheduled throughout the year.

FMI: The Dive Center at The Village Tie-Up, 29 Main Street, Harrison or call 207.583.4266.

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