Thank you for visiting the Maine Building at the Big E Fair this year! We hope you’ll play our trivia game to test your knowledge about Maine farm products. Scroll down for your score and more fun opportunities!
1. Which fruit is Maine the #1 producer of in the entire United States?
A) Strawberries
B) Apples
C) Wild blueberries
D) Raspberries
Answer: C) Wild blueberries
Fun Fact: Maine produces over 90% of the world’s wild blueberries. They grow close to the ground and are naturally lowbush – plus they are packed with powerful antioxidants! To preserve their peak flavor and nutrition, wild blueberries are typically flash frozen within 24 hours of harvest, making them easy to enjoy year-round in smoothies, baking, or straight from the bag.
2. Which county in Maine produces more maple sap than any other county in the entire United States?
A) Oxford County
B) Cumberland County
C) Somerset County
D) Penobscot County
Answer: C) Somerset County
Fun Fact: Somerset County leads the entire U.S. in maple sap production. It’s home to vast sugar maple forests. While you can’t easily get to these sugarhouses, there are plenty across Maine open to visitors the last weekend in March during the sap boil, and the first weekends in October during foliage season, while the sugar maple trees are vibrant yellows and oranges!
3. Which of these insects helps Maine farmers by pollinating wild blueberries and producing honey?
A) Ants
B) Butterflies
C) Honeybees
D) Dragonflies
Answer: C) Honeybees
Fun Fact: Many blueberry farmers rent honeybee hives to help with pollination during bloom season. In fact, Maine has some of the largest populations of hives in order to pollinate Maine’s vast wild blueberry barrens, home to the wild blueberries.
4. What is the name of Maine’s famous potato variety, developed for both baking and frying?
A) Kennebec White
B) Yukon Gold
C) Caribou Russet
D) Augusta Red
Answer: C) Caribou Russet
Fun Fact: Developed by the University of Maine, the Caribou Russet, along with Maine’s potato farmers and the Maine Potato Board, this special spud is prized for its flavor and versatility. It’s perfect for baking, mashing, roasting, and frying. Its fluffy interior makes it great for twice-baked potatoes, crispy fries, or hearty potato soup. Look for it in supermarkets!
5. How long does it take a Christmas tree to grow to 6–7 feet tall in Maine?
A) 1–2 years
B) 3–4 years
C) 6–8 years
D) 10–12 years
Answer: C) 6–8 years
Fun Fact: Maine has hundreds of Christmas tree farms, and Balsam Fir is the most popular variety for its scent and needle retention. Fresh-cut Christmas trees are naturally biodegradable, locally grown, and easy to recycle. Many towns collect them after the holidays to make mulch, habitat structures, or compost.
6. Which apple variety is native to Maine and often used for making cider?
A) Red Delicious
B) McIntosh
C) Black Oxford
D) Honeycrisp
Answer: C) Black Oxford
Fun Fact: This heirloom apple, discovered in the 1700s, is known for its dark purple skin and sweet-tart flavor. Maine also grows many other varieties, including McIntosh, Honeycrisp, Cortland, and Gala, plus dozens of heirloom and unique types you can’t find in grocery stores. Apple season typically peaks in September and October, and many orchards offer pick-your-own experiences.
7. Which animal is most commonly used for dairy farming in Maine?
A) Goats
B) Cows
C) Sheep
D) Llamas
Answer: B) Cows
Fun Fact: Maine’s dairy farms produce milk that is often shipped to processing and bottling plants right in Maine or just across the border. It’s sold in grocery stores. You can find even more delicious dairy at grocers, gourmet markets, and farmstands. Enjoy award-winning varieties of Maine butter, yogurt, and ice cream. Plus for the cheese lovers, cheese, more than 70 of Maine cheesemakers use cow or goat milk – or both!
8. What is the main ingredient in pure Maine maple syrup?
A) Brown sugar
B) Tree bark
C) Maple sap
D) Corn syrup
Answer: C) Maple sap
Fun Fact: It takes about 40 gallons of sap to make just 1 gallon of maple syrup.
9. What’s one way Maine farmers keep apple trees healthy without chemicals?
A) Singing to the trees
B) Using fish to fertilize
C) Integrated pest management (IPM)
D) Growing them in greenhouses
Answer: C) Integrated pest management (IPM)
Fun Fact: IPM includes using natural predators, crop rotation, and smart monitoring to reduce the need for chemical sprays.
10. How and when can people enjoy fresh Maine farm products?
A) At farm stands and farmers’ markets
B) At restaurants and supermarkets across New England
C) By ordering for home delivery
D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
Fun Fact: From spring greens to fall apples, Maine farm products are available year-round. Farmers’ markets, CSA boxes, online orders, local grocery stores, and farm stands all make it easy to enjoy Maine-grown food in every season.
Scoring & Rating
- 10–11 correct: Maine Farm Master – You could teach this quiz! Maybe you already live on a Maine farm, or you’re a “locavore” with a love for local farms and products?
- 7–9 correct: Farm Fanatic – You know your spuds from your sap! Keep exploring Maine’s farm scene. Chat it up with the folks at the Maine Baked Potato or Maple Syrup booths!
- 4–6 correct: Field Tripper – You’ve got a good start. Time to visit a farmers’ market, creamery, or the agricultural exhibits in the Mallary arena!
- 0–3 correct: Seedling – Don’t worry, everyone starts somewhere. Now you’ve learned a lot already!
Enjoy More of Maine’s Treasures!
Thanks for participating! If you’d like to enter the promotion for Real Maine giveaways, please share your email address.
Participant disclaimer: By providing your contact information, you acknowledge and agree that it may be added to a communications email list that shares news about, and promotes Maine farms and agricultural products in accordance with the State of Maine digital communications policy. You can opt out at any time. You also acknowledge that in order to be eligible for a chance to receive promotional giveaways, you need to submit your email address and may be contacted after the Big E Fair to communicate about claiming your giveaway. Questions can be sent to dacfrealmaine@maine.gov.
