From a shop in Portland, Jonathan Cooper crafts violins. Cooper discusses the craft of making violins, his entry into the art, and his love for the instrument.

From a shop in Portland, Jonathan Cooper crafts violins. Cooper discusses the craft of making violins, his entry into the art, and his love for the instrument.

From a shop in Portland, Jonathan Cooper crafts violins. Kimberlee Poole profiles Cooper's work on violins, his entry into the art, and his love for the instrument.

In Kittery, Freddie Cooper practices the dying art of spinning pewter. Julien LeSieur and Janice Coyne visit Cooper to learn about his craft of metal spinning.

Creativity can be found in all places, as Robin-Lee Holman discusses regarding Spindleworks, a non-profit artist cooperative made up of artists with developmental disabilities. Holman speaks to artists regarding Spindleworks and their experiences.

Genevieve Pedulla documents the work of Mark and Gaylene Cooper, who raise various types of livestock and have an expansive greenhouse on their 70 acres of land.

From a shop in Portland, Jonathan Cooper crafts violins. Kimberlee Poole profiles Cooper's work on violins and the efforts of his artisans.

In an effort to support adults in the community with mental disabilties, the Local Sprouts Cooperative and Bomb Diggity Bakery formed a partnership to start an arts program. Christy Hartman highlights how the partnership gives people with developmental disabilties a space to come together and also educate the community about local and organic food.

In Aroostook County, one of the most important jobs is the creation of potato barrels. Anne Pierter and others speak to coopers about making potato barrels.

Facing struggles in the poultry industry, the Cooperative Poultry Producers group is attempting to open a mobile processing plant for chicken processing. Genevieve Lysen speaks to poultry farmers regarding their industry and the need for a processing plant.

Bios of the contributors to the December 1997 Salt Magazine, with information on this issue.

Needing to make changes to the way fish were caught in Port Clyde, Glen Libby and others formed the Midcoast Fishermen's Cooperative in order to protect their resources and make more money. Willa Kammerer speaks to Glen Libby about the impact that him and other fishermen are making in the Gulf of Maine, and how they process their own catches.