Windsor Fairgrounds, Windsor, Maine
May 15 to 17, 2026
Cost: Free
Join us for three exciting days of hands-on learning, skill-building, and fun at the North East Livestock Expo (NELE). This youth-focused event brings together families, students, and industry professionals to explore the world of livestock and agriculture in an engaging and supportive environment.
Agenda
Friday, May 15, 2026
- 4:00 p.m.: Saturday and Sunday exhibitors arrive
Saturday, May 16, 2026
- 7:00 to 9:30 a.m.: Participant registration
- 9:30 a.m.: Boer Goat Show
- 9:30 a.m.: Working Steer Demonstration
- 9:30 a.m.: Livestock Judging Clinic with live beef classes
- 12:00 to 1:00 p.m.: Lunch
- 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.: History of Pork Workshop
- Afternoon Workshops
- 3:30 to 6:00 p.m.:
- Option 1: Cattle Artificial Insemination, youth only, limited to 20
- Option 2: Public Speaking (seminar and contest)
- Option 3: Sales Talk (seminar and contest)
- 6:00 p.m.: Dinner and Fundraising Auction
Sunday, May 17, 2026
- 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.: Dairy Clinic
- 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.: Sheep Clinic
Afternoon demonstrations from Maine Sheep Breeders Association and Coop’s ArrowQuipp Equipment – Chute Demonstration.
Instructors
- Dr. Colt W. Knight is a State Livestock Specialist and Extension Professor with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. He directs the Maine Grazing Behavior Lab and teaches Introduction to Animal Science on campus. Dr. Knight works closely with livestock producers across Maine, focusing on practical, research-based education in beef production, grazing management, and meat science. He also co-hosts the Maine Farmcast podcast and operates Knight Family Farms with his family, raising registered Berkshire hogs.
- Dr. Zach McFarlane is an Assistant Professor and Beef Cattle Specialist for California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California. Raised in a cattle and rodeo family in California, he developed his passion for the beef industry working on ranches in the western U.S. He earned his Ph.D. in Ruminant Nutrition from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where his research focused on practical, low-input beef production systems. At Cal Poly, Dr. McFarlane teaches beef production courses and conducts applied research to improve efficiency and profitability for cattle producers, while mentoring students through hands-on programs like the Cal Poly Bull Test.
If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact Melissa Libby-Babcock, 207-581-2788, melissa.libby1@maine.edu by May 8, 2026.
