Tours: Memorial Day - Columbus Day Monday - Saturday; 10am-4:30pm Sunday; 10am Worship Service only 20 minutes North of Portland maineshakers.com 707 Shaker Rd, New Gloucester, ME Harvest Festival - FREE Event October 6th 10am-4:30pm sabbathday lake Shaker Village Museum and Shaker Store O c t o b e r 2 0 1 8 4 9 courtesy black dog iron works ten years ago I was going to be a full time blacksmith running a shop, I’d tell you you were crazy. It was just not on my radar.” It was Foster’s wife who encouraged him to pursue the work professionally. “When my wife and I became pregnant, I thought I could really use some extra money. It was she who suggested I start making some stuff and selling it.” Starting out, Foster worked with the bare minimum: his forge, an anvil, a cord- less drill, and a grinder, costing a to- tal of $1,000. Last year, Foster brought in $120,000 in sales. “That’s because I am sell- ing online. Before the internet, you’d work with people in your local community,” he says. “But because of the internet, I can reach the whole world. Most of my cus- tomers are from the United States, and I’ve shipped to 25 foreign countries.” n