The Faces of Quiet Oaks
Second place winner of GHCA "photo in a newspaper" award
Damariscotta Pumpkinfest Regatta, 2023
In 2005, Buzz Pinkham was the first person to captain a pumpkin in the harbor in Damariscotta. Eighteen years later, people come from all over the country to race pumpkin boats in Damariscotta’s Pumpkinfest Regatta.
“Everybody is a volunteer,” said Billy Clark, another founder of the festival. “The reason we do it is to try and help some of these businesses get over the hump and make it through the winter. Because it’s a long, cold, dry winter around here and some of these little businesses need all the help they can get.”
Read the full story here. On assignment for the Bangor Daily News.
The Pumpkin Queen leads the paddlers to their pumpkin boats at the Damariscotta Pumpkinfest Regatta on Oct. 9, 2023. The regatta is a tradition in the coastal Maine town where people come from all over the country to race boats made out of giant pumpkins.
Two paddlers battle for second place at the Damariscotta Pumpkinfest Regatta on Oct. 9, 2023. The regatta is a tradition in the coastal Maine town where people come from all over the country to race boats made out of giant pumpkins. The pumpkins are weighed and painted, and the racing teams often dress up to race their pumpkin boats in the harbor.
Buzz Pinkham, the first person in Damariscotta to captain a pumpkin boat in the harbor, sits in his motorized pumpkin boat at the Damariscotta Pumpkinfest Regatta on Oct. 9, 2023. The regatta is a tradition in the coastal Maine town where people come from all over the country to race boats made out of giant pumpkins. The pumpkins are weighed and painted, and the racing teams often dress up to race their pumpkin boats in the harbor.
A paddler races at the Damariscotta Pumpkinfest Regatta on Oct. 9, 2023 in a pumpkin raft made in Alaska. The regatta is a tradition in the coastal Maine town where people come from all over the country to race boats made out of giant pumpkins.
One of the paddlers sits on an overturned pumpkin boat to spectate the race at the Damariscotta Pumpkinfest Regatta on Oct. 9, 2023. The regatta is a tradition in the coastal Maine town where people come from all over the country to race boats made out of giant pumpkins.
A racer dressed as a viking races other motorized pumpkin boats at the Damariscotta Pumpkinfest Regatta on Oct. 9, 2023. The regatta is a tradition in the coastal Maine town where people come from all over the country to race boats made out of giant pumpkins. The pumpkins are often painted and decorated while the racing teams dress up to match the theme.
Opening day of the Maine Lobster Festival, 2024
Many people visited Rockland for the opening day of the Maine Lobster Festival, which entered its 77th year. They shopped at vendors selling Maine art, watched the coronation of the festival’s delegate, listened to live music and — of course — ate lobster.
The main attraction of the event, which draws tens of thousands of visitors a year, is the lobster. The festival boasts the world’s largest lobster cookers, helping to provide 20,000 pounds of the crustacean throughout the festivities. Workers then serve the lobster in various ways, including boiled, on rolls and in mac and cheese.
Read the full story here. On assignment for the Bangor Daily News.
Sweet Olive Farm
Kat Howkins co-owns a farm. This farm, though, is not one where the animals are eaten or sold. All the animals at this farm are rescues, and mingle with each other and the many volunteers and visitors that Howkins hosts each day. For months in early 2022, I visited the farm at least once a week to capture the way the community of Winterville, Georgia, grew stronger together with the help of Howkins and the rescues.
"If we could live happy and healthy lives without harming others, why wouldn't we?" -Kat Howkins
A sign by the gate to Sweet Olive Farm Animal Rescue, a nonprofit rescue farm in Winterville, Georgia. Sweet Olive was founded by Kat Howkins and her wife, Susan Pritchett. Kat and Susan rescued dogs in Atlanta, but after owning over eight, they were told they needed a license. So, Kat and Susan moved out to a farmhouse in Winterville to give their dogs a place to roam. While this was happening, a friend asked if they could take in a pig that needed to be rescued. After agreeing, Kat and Susan became the people to take in animals that needed a home. Soon, they realized they needed to register as a nonprofit, and began growing Sweet Olive Farm.
A volunteer cleans out the refrigerator in the barn at Sweet Olive Farm Animal Rescue on March 20, 2022 in Winterville, Georgia. Sweet Olive relies on volunteer work every day of the week to keep the farm running, especially since they can’t afford to hire permanent farmhands. They require $15,000 a month just to keep running, so they make their money through events and fundraising.
Sweet Olive Farm co-founder Kat Howkins lets a mom hold one of the chickens on March 20, 2022 in Winterville, Georgia. The mom brought her husband and three-year-old son to the farm to do a tour before the son’s birthday party there next week. Sweet Olive makes some of its money for feeding the animals by hosting events like birthday parties.
Marianne Harrison, a volunteer at Sweet Olive Farm in Winterville, Georgia, holds a rooster named Keeto on her head on April 3, 2022. Keeto is a rooster who knows his name — he’ll come when you call him and often land on your head. Keeto bonds with the volunteers and visitors alike; there are often smiles when Keeto is around.
Knuckles the Miracle Goat toward Sweet Olive Farm co-founder Kat Howkins on March 20, 2022 in Winterville, Georgia. Knuckles was taken in by Sweet Olive after being attacked by a donkey, and couldn’t get better after months of being nursed back to health. Kat took him in for an MRI, and the vet found he had a spinal injury, and needed immediate surgery, which would cost $4,000. Kat decided the cost was worth Knuckles’ health, and green-lighted the surgery. Now, Knuckles is healthy and happy, despite having some lopsided horns.
Cheyenne Hardy (13) pulls a wheelbarrow of feed while volunteers pet goats at Sweet Olive Farm on March 20, 2022 in Winterville, Georgia. Cheyenne has been coming to volunteer at Sweet Olive since she was 10 years old. Now, she comes every Saturday with her family, including her grandpa, Eddie Mosko. Cheyenne said volunteering is good for her college applications, and Kat keeps her around because she knows so much about what needs to happen on the farm.
Eddie Mosko hugs a pig named Olivia on April 3, 2022 at Sweet Olive Farm in Winterville, Georgia. Mosko has a connection with the pigs, and he can be seen petting them as he walks across the farm. “I’m a pig lover,” Mosko said. “I’m an absolute pig lover. I’ve rescued and adopted nine of my own.”
Kat Howkins hugs Eddie Mosko goodbye on April 3, 2022 at Sweet Olive Farm in Winterville, Georgia. Mosko is Cheyenne’s grandpa, and volunteers every Saturday and Sunday at the farm. Mosko loves pigs, so he loves to volunteer at the farm so he can be around them whenever he can. “Pigs got my heart wrapped around their little hooves,” Mosko said.
Kat Howkins and a visitor feed the llamas and alpacas at Sweet Olive Farm in Winterville, Georgia on April 27, 2022. Kat likes to involve the visitors in the farm life, and the visitor’s toddler was also able to feed the animals. In her position in running for state office, Howkins wants to be able to improve education in Georgia to teach young minds about environmentalism and animals.
Macy wipes her tears while her brother comforts her after giving up her show pig, Elvis Piggsly, at Sweet Olive Farm in Winterville, Georgia on March 20, 2022. Elvis Piggsly started losing 4H competitions, so he was going up for slaughter. Macy didn’t want him to die, so he was rescued by Sweet Olive instead. As Elvis rolled in the mud in his new home, Macy stood watching him, crying. Her brother comforted her with hugs.
Kat Howkins, co-owner of Sweet Olive Farm in Winterville, Georgia, is reflected in her truck mirror as she drives her truck into the farm on April 6, 2022. Howkins hosts volunteers every day, and most new volunteers come on Saturday and Sunday. Without the volunteers, Howkins said, the farm wouldn’t be as successful as it is today.
Kat Howkins, co-owner of Sweet Olive Farm in Winterville, Georgia, prepares to drive her truck into her farm on April 6, 2022. The front license plate on Howkins’ truck reads “TOFU: IT’S WHAT’S FOR DINNER.” Howkins doesn’t eat meat, and through her farm, hopes to teach kids and adults alike that animals are to be related to, and not eaten.
Jamie Sanders carries a dead chicken away from the coop at Sweet Olive Farm in Winterville, Georgia on April 27, 2022. A new chicken coop was constructed at the farm, but since the roof wasn’t on yet, a predator made its way into the chicken coop and killed a few birds. Every animal at Sweet Olive is given the same respect as the humans, so every dead animal is buried.
One of Kat Howkins’ dogs checks up on a pig named Orvillle at Sweet Olive Farm in Winterville, Georgia on April 3, 2022. Orville has skin cancer, so the dog will often lick Orville’s wounds and make sure he’s ok. The animals at Sweet Olive take care of each other just as much as the humans take care of the animals.
Kat Howkins, co-owner of Sweet Olive Farm in Winterville, Georgia, poses for a photo on her farm on April 27, 2022. The volunteers on the farm all talk about how much they love Howkins, and how much the animals mean to them as well. Regarding making bonds with animals, Howkins said: “If we could live happy and healthy lives without harming others, why wouldn’t we?”
Kat Howkins, co-owner of Sweet Olive Farm in Winterville, Georgia, wheels a wagon of feed to another pasture, followed by ducks and chickens, on April 6, 2022. Howkins keeps most animals together instead of separating them by species as a statement about how all humans and animals should coexist. Different animals even become friends with each other, and won’t fight when they follow Howkins like a mother duck.
Athens Showgirl Cabaret performs at The Soundtrack
Around 50 people gathered in the basement of The Soundtrack in Athens the night of March 18, 2022 to watch drag queens and kings from Athens Showgirl Cabaret perform. Drag queens put on wigs, makeup and heels while drag kings donned facial hair and a variety of clothes to lip-sync for the crowd. Hosts Kellie Divine and Lori Divine interacted with the crowd between numbers, drawing laughs and cheers as they brought guests on stage to dance and drink with them. Athens Showgirl Cabaret, a drag haus founded in 2010, is a group of drag queens and kings who perform throughout Athens and raise money for LGBTQ-related charities.
On assignment for The Red & Black.
Two guests at the Athens Showgirl Cabaret show chat before the show starts in Athens, Georgia on March 18, 2022. Athens Showgirl Cabaret, founded in 2010, is a group of drag queens who perform throughout Athens and raise money for LGBTQ-related charities. (Photo/Julia Walkup)
Drag queen Lori Divine spreads her arms at the beginning of her number at Athens Showgirl Cabaret’s show on March 18, 2022 at The Soundtrack in Athens, Georgia. Lori Divine was one of the hosts of the night, along with Kellie Divine. (Photo/Julia Walkup)
Drag queen Rosie Quartz lip-syncs to “Rainin Fellas” by Todrick Hall at the Athens Showgirl Cabaret show on March 18, 2022 at The Soundtrack in Athens, Georgia. Rosie Quartz, coming from South Carolina, was a guest queen at the drag haus for this show, and brought energy-filled performances. (Photo/Julia Walkup)
Drag king Billy Jean lip-syncs to “Basket Case” by Green Day at the Athens Showgirl Cabaret show on March 18, 2022 at The Soundtrack in Athens, Georgia. Athens Showgirl Cabaret, founded in 2010, is a group of drag queens and kings who perform throughout Athens and raise money for LGBTQ-related charities. (Photo/Julia Walkup)
Drag queen Lori Divine takes tips from the crowd while performing at the Athens Showgirl Cabaret show on March 18, 2022 at The Soundtrack in Athens, Georgia. At a drag show, the way the queens make money is through tips. (Photo/Julia Walkup)
Drag queen Zizi Foxx is silhouetted by the bar lights as she sits on the bar at The Soundtrack in Athens, Georgia, before her performance of “I Kissed a Girl” by Katy Perry at the Athens Showgirl Cabaret show on March 18, 2022. Athens Showgirl Cabaret, founded in 2010, is a group of drag queens and kings who perform throughout Athens and raise money for LGBTQ-related charities. (Photo/Julia Walkup)
Drag queen Zizi Foxx sits on the bar as she lip-syncs “I Kissed a Girl” by Katy Perry at the Athens Showgirl Cabaret show on March 18, 2022 at The Soundtrack in Athens, Georgia. Athens Showgirl Cabaret, founded in 2010, is a group of drag queens and kings who perform throughout Athens and raise money for LGBTQ-related charities. (Photo/Julia Walkup)
Drag king Kai Hudson lifts up a guest on stage at the Athens Showgirl Cabaret show on March 18, 2022 at The Soundtrack in Athens, Georgia. Athens Showgirl Cabaret, founded in 2010, is a group of drag queens and kings who perform throughout Athens and raise money for LGBTQ-related charities. (Photo/Julia Walkup)
Drag queen Kalypso Kamille bends back while lip-syncing to “Heart to Break” by Kim Petras at the Athens Showgirl Cabaret show on March 18, 2022 at The Soundtrack in Athens, Georgia. Kalypso Kamille, one of the newest performers at Athens Showgirl Cabaret, took off their wig and clothes while performing, revealing accessories sporting the nonbinary flag. (Photo/Julia Walkup)
Drag queen Freya Van Damn, out of drag, tips one of the performers at the Athens Showgirl Cabaret show on March 18, 2022 at The Soundtrack in Athens, Georgia. At a drag show, the way the queens make money is through tips. (Photo/Julia Walkup)
Drag Queen Kellie Divine lip-syncs “Easy as Life” at the Athens Showgirl Cabaret show on March 18, 2022 at The Soundtrack in Athens, Georgia. Kellie Divine was one of the founders of Athens Showgirl Cabaret in 2010, and continues to host and perform. (Photo/Julia Walkup)
