
Just before Helen died in 1995 she signed an agreement with the Trust for Public Land to take over the stewardship of her property upon her death, with the idea of keeping Forest Farm open to the public. Today the Good Life Center serves as a clearinghouse for the Nearings' publications, as a model of sustainable living practices, as a social justice center, and as a gathering place for a summertime Speaker Series, hands- on workshops, educational programs and volunteer work parties.
Join us Sundays at 4pm in the Summer- view our speakers below!
2025 Schedule
July 6th ~ Zoe Weil
The Solutionary Way: Transform Your Life, Your Community, and the World for the Better

Zoe will be discussing her new book, The Solutionary Way, "[...] a must-read for changemakers, activists, educators, business leaders, policymakers, and anyone committed to making a difference". Zoe Weil is the co-founder and president of the Institute for Humane Education (IHE) and is considered a pioneer in the comprehensive humane education movement.
July 13th ~ Larry Dansinger
What Should the Economy Be for?
July 20th ~ Margy Burns Knight

Margy Burns Knight is nationally recognized for the humanitarian impact of her work as a children's author on titles such as African is Not a Country.
July 27th ~ Kyle Warnock

Kyle Warnock is a photographer and executive director and founder of Queerly ME.
August 3rd ~ Greg Joly

Greg Joly is a Vermont homesteader and long-time unofficial Nearing historian.
August 10th ~ Bonnie Newsom, Ph.D.

Bonnie Newsom, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Maine.
August 17th ~ Peter Dugas
Climate Policy Workshop

Peter will present on climate change policy using the EN-ROADS Climate Simulator created by MIT’s Sloan School of Management. Peter Dugas is the Maine State Coordinator for the Citizens Climate Lobby (CCL).
August 24th ~ Mark McBrine
August 31st ~ Margot Kelley

Margot Kelley is an author and gardener. Her most recent title, A Gardener at the End of the World, is described as "A gardener’s pandemic journal that combines memoir with an exploration of the natural world both inside and outside the garden."
September 7th ~ Sarah Ebel, Ph.D.

Sarah Ebel, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Social Sciences at the University of New England.